Moto2: Slow-Burner Sees Marini Win Out, Lowes From Pit Lane to Eighth

The intermediate class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing saw its 900th race get underway in Misano for the San Marino Grand Prix. 

Luca Marini started from pole position after Sam Lowes’ pit lane start penalty and Remy Gardner’s Sunday morning warm up crash which saw him break bones in his ankle. 

The #10 was able to convert the pole position to a holeshot, leading the way into turn one ahead of Enea Bastianini. However, Bastianini’s time in second was short-lived, as Marco Bezzecchi passed his compatriot to make it a Sky Racing Team VR46 1-2 at the front. It got worse for Bastianini as Marcel Schrotter moved through before the end of the first lap, and the #33 was back in fourth as they started the second tour.

By the time Bastianini finally cleared the #23, Marini and Bezzecchi were over a second in front. Worse for the #33, though, was his lack of pace compared to the two ahead of him, which did not allow him to close in. 

Similarly, the Sky VR46 civil war was going the way of Marini in the early stages, as he was able to streak clear of his teammate, Bezzecchi. 

However, as they approached the final 10 laps, things started to close in. Bastianini was catching Bezzecchi, who in turn was catching Marini. Things were closing up nicely until a mistake from Bastianini in turn eight forced him to pull out an impressive front end save. However, it cost him 1.5 seconds, and his chances of victory were over.

Luca Marini’s chances of victory were nearly done a couple of laps later. The Italian hit a false neutral in turn 14, and that allowed Bezzecchi through – at this point the race was on.

With five laps to go, Marini passed Bezzecchi back for the first time in turn eight, and Bezzecchi responded toughly in turn nine. Any expectation of a relaxed fight between two friends and teammates was out the window quite quickly. 

When Marini reclaimed the lead with four laps to go, however, he was able to keep Bezzecchi at bay, and when the #72 made a mistake at turn 14 on the penultimate lap, it was clear that a clean last lap was all Marini needed to seal the victory. 

That is exactly what Marini delivered, as he took his second victory of the season to extend his championship lead out to 17 points over Bastianini. It was not as clinical as his win in Jerez earlier in the year, but in fact there is value in that for the #10, as he showed he can win in close-quarters combat as well as in a cold war as he has done in the past. He will be the one with the target on his back next weekend for the Grand Prix of Emilia Romagna. 

Bezzecchi’s mistake on the penultimate lap gave Bastianini one final opportunity. Whilst the VR46 riders had been fighting, Bastianini- and Xavi Vierge in fourth place – had been closing in on them, and the time loss from Bezzecchi brought him right into the clutches of the #33. 

However, Bastianini needed an extra lap, he could not get close enough to challenge Bezzecchi in the final lap, and that allowed the #72 to secure a 1-2 for the Sky VR46 squad for the first time since Sepang 2018 when Marini won from Francesco Bagnaia. 

Bastianini’s third place is by no means a disaster. In fact, his pace gives much reason for encouragement for the #33, as when the Moto2 field races again in Misano next weekend he will know he has the capability of running a pace good enough to win and of clawing back some of the points lost in the championship today.

Xavi Vierge was close to the podium in fourth place, his best race of the season – perhaps his best race since his latest podium in Argentina 2018. Either way, the Spaniard looks back to his best aboard the Petronas Sprinta Racing bike in 2020 and will be after the podium next weekend. 

The battle for sixth was fierce throughout the race, with Fabio Di Giannantonio, Tom Luthi, Augusto Fernandez, Jorge Navarro and Tetsuta Nagashima all involved. However, the number dropped one when Navarro crashed with 15 laps to go. The battle then became over fifth place when Marcel Schrotter crashed, and the winner of the fight was Fernandez, in the end, as he beat Tom Luthi by 0.7 seconds. Di Giannantonio ended up just under one second back of Luthi in seventh place, the Italian’s best finish of 2020, whilst Tetsuta Nagashima also crashed out – turn three claiming the Japanese rider on the final lap. 

Sam Lowes’ race was remarkable. The #22 came from pit lane to finish eighth, overtaking 16 riders and losing only three seconds to race winner Marini in the process. Of course, it shows bad luck for Lowes to have to take the penalty on the weekend where he has been the most competitive in 2020, but the rules are the rules, that’s just a fact. It is also a fact that Lowes has the potential to finish on the podium or even win in Misano, and a third fact is that Moto2 races again in Misano next weekend, so the Briton will have another chance to show his full potential on the Adriatic Coast.

Behind Lowes was Aron Canet, who came from 20th on the grid to finish ninth, whilst Joe Roberts rounded out the top 10 having qualified down in 16th.

Lorenzo Baldassarri was 11th, ahead of Marcos Ramirez who took his best finish in Moto2 with 12th. Ramirez’ teammate from 2019, reigning Moto3 World Champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta, also took his best finish in Moto2 in this race, finishing 13th and taking his first points in the intermediate class. Behind Dalla Porta were Simone Corsi and Nicolo Bulega who completed the points scorers. 

16th place went to Jake Dixon, ahead of Stefano Manzi, Somkiat Chantra, Bo Bendsneyder and Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin who was the final classified finisher in 20th.