Dovizioso gives Ducati home win at Mugello

Home hero Valentino Rossi shot off the line for the lead from P2 on the grid, denying teammate and polesitter Vinales as Jorge Lorenzo stormed up from seventh to fight off Dovizioso for third.

Over the line saw Lorenzo use the incredible speed of the Ducati to take the lead for the first time in red, dueling with old nemesis Rossi before the Italian took him back – and then the next lap proving almost a replay as two of the men to have dominated the sport this decade found themselves sharing the front of the race for the first time this season.

Then it was ‘DesmoDovi’ on the move after Vinales had gone through on Rossi, taking the ‘Doctor’ as the trio began to break away from Lorenzo – with Petrucci on the chase.

Andrea Iannone had an incredible start from P16 after having suffered with illness throughout the weekend, moving up into seventh, as Aleix Espargaro suffered a different fate and got a ride through for a jump start.

Petrucci caught the group before too long as Dovizioso took over at the front, and the Pramac rider then pounced on Viñales after a small mistake to follow ‘DesmoDovi’. Then it was holding station as the gaps grew and then shrunk, before the factory Ducati in the lead gained a small gap  – and every member of the Borgo Panigale team held their breath as Vinales took over in second, only a few laps remaining and the Championship leader with his head down.

Closing in and then falling back, the pendulum swung between the two men until the last lap dawned – and ‘DesmoDovi’ kept it inch-perfect around every corner to take his third ever Grand Prix victory, and the first for a red machine at Mugello since Casey Stoner won in 2009.

Viñales took second to increase his Championship lead once again, with Petrucci putting in the dry-weather ride of his life to complete the podium after staying clear of Rossi over the last couple of laps. The ‘Doctor’, who suffered a motocross crash in training the week before the event, pushed hard through the pain barrier at home and just missed the podium but took good points – as always, putting on a great show.

Alvaro Bautista took a big scalp as he caught and passed reigning Champion Marc Marquez to complete the top five, with Johann Zarco coming home in P7 behind Marquez

Lorenzo, after his early duel for the lead, suffered grip issues later in the race and crossed the line in eighth, beating Ducati test rider Michele Pirro over the line. Iannone’s heroics following his illness saw him complete the top ten at home.

The late drama a little further off the front saw a tough day for Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) conclude in a crash as the ‘Baby Samurai’ slid out, unfortunately collecting LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow on the final lap.

Tito Rabat took P11, with the top fifteen completed by Scott Redding, Jonas Folger, Hector Barbera and Jack Miller.