Italian motorsports enthusiasts had a double reason to celebrate yesterday, as both Ferrari and Ducati secured remarkable victories. At the iconic Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race, Ferrari emerged triumphant, while in MotoGP, Ducati dominated their home race at Mugello, led by championship leader Francesco Bagnaia who led a stunning 1-2-3-4 finish for the team.
Right from the start, Bagnaia showcased his determination to win as he briefly relinquished the lead on the opening lap before swiftly regaining it through a crucial manoeuvre. Jack Miller's impressive start on his KTM initially pushed him to the front at San Donato, only to be overtaken by Bagnaia at Luco, solidifying the latter's early advantage. With Miller acting as a roadblock for Jorge Martin and the chasing pack, Bagnaia managed to build a comfortable lead.
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While Martin closed in on Bagnaia at times, the Italian rider extended his lead as the race progressed. Bagnaia's choice of a medium rear tire proved beneficial compared to Martin's soft tire, allowing him to maintain a consistent gap and secure a victory with a 1.067-second advantage over Martin's Pramac-run Ducati.
The battle for the final podium spot added further excitement to the race. Alex Marquez found himself in a thrilling incident on lap three, skillfully navigating through a tight gap between Luca Marini's VR46 Ducati and his brother Marc Marquez. However, this incident compromised Miller's chances, dropping him to fifth and setting the stage for a tense battle between Alex Marquez, Marini, and Marc Marquez.
Unfortunately, Marc Marquez's race ended prematurely with a crash, leaving Marini to defend his position against Alex Marquez. Despite Marini's efforts, Alex Marquez made a successful move on lap 12 at San Donato, but Marini retaliated and regained third place. The duel continued until Alex Marquez crashed at Luco while under pressure from Marini, allowing Marini to inherit third. Meanwhile, Johann Zarco emerged as a strong podium contender, making his way through the field from outside the top 10.
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Marini initially managed to hold off Zarco but eventually conceded the position, settling for fourth place. Zarco secured his 18th career podium finish, although he still yearns for his first victory. Brad Binder claimed fifth for KTM, followed by Aleix Espargaro in sixth for Aprilia. Miller, who faced challenges during the race, finished in seventh place.
Marco Bezzecchi of VR46 Ducati had a less eventful race, finishing in eighth place, which left him 21 points behind Bagnaia in the championship standings and only three points ahead of Martin. Enea Bastianini, making his first grand prix start of the season after an injury layoff, took ninth place. Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Quartararo battled it out, with Morbidelli ultimately securing 10th place.
For Maverick Vinales, it was a disappointing weekend that culminated in a disappointing 12th-place finish. Takaaki Nakagami was the sole Honda rider to complete the race, with LCR teammate Alex Rins out due to a severe leg injury, Joan Mir sidelined, and Marc Marquez crashing out.
Apart from the Marquez brothers, the only other rider to crash out was Miguel Oliveira, who walked away seemingly unharmed after the accident.
With Ferrari's victory at Le Mans and Ducati's dominant performance in MotoGP, the Italian motorsports community has ample reason to celebrate these outstanding achievements on both two wheels and four wheels.
