Morbidelli wins San Marino MotoGP, Dovizioso takes championship lead
MISANO ADRIATICO, Sept 13 — Franco Morbidelli won the San Marino MotoGP today as Andrea Dovizioso took the championship lead from Fabio Quartararo who crashed out of the race.
Italian Morbidelli’s victory at Misano Adriatico ahead of countryman Francesco Bagnaia and Suzuki’s Spanish rider Joan Mir was his first ever in motorcycling’s elite class.
“I don’t know how it feels, I still have to process everything,” he told BT Sport.
“It’s a good thing, a good feeling. I’m very happy, I’m enjoying the moment now. The only thing I can say is thanks to my team, to my people, all the people that have been working with me.”
Yamaha SRT’s Morbidelli took control on the first lap and never relinquished his lead, finishing over two second ahead of Bagnaia on a great day for Italian riders in front of a limited crowd on home soil.
Fellow Italian Dovizioso is six points ahead of Frenchman Quartararo, who first came off the track on lap eight to allow the Italian to take the overall lead and then came off again later in the race when already well off the pace.
The only negative for the home crowd was Valentino Rossi failing to grab his 200th MotoGP podium after he was overtaken by Mir on the final lap to finish in fourth. — AFP