MotoGP: Mir Firmly in Championship Driving Seat with European GP Win

Joan Mir clinched his maiden premier class victory at the European GP in Valencia and established himself firmly in the championship driving seat.

The Spaniard came out top of a duel between the two Suzukis, taking the lead on Lap 17 and not looking back from there. Alex Rins crossed the line in second and secured the first 1-2 for the Japanese manufacturer since 1982. Pol Espargaro rounded out the podium in third.

Mir has one hand on the title with a 37 points advantage over Fabio Quartararo and Rins who both sit on 125 points. Maverick Vinales, Franco Morbidelli and Andrea Dovizioso are all still within a mathematical chance but trail by more than 40 points with just two races remaining.

Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) took the holeshot from pole but had Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) hot on his heels. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was running in fourth at the lights but swiftly sneaked past Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) into third through the Angel Nieto corner.

The championship dynamics took a massive moment already on the opening lap as Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) crashed at the Bernat Martinez corner. Both the Frenchman and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) lost the front without any contact being made, but while it was curtains for Espargaro, Quartararo rejoined the race in last place.

Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) proved the good rhythm he showed in practice and flew past Nakagami into fourth down the start/finish straight going into Lap 2.

Rins looked determined in the early stages of the race and claimed the lead through Turn 11. Mir was on the case too and ran closely behind Espargaro, but it took another two laps before he made his move. In a carbon copy of his teammate’s manoeuvre, he swept past Espargaro’s inside at Turn 11 and made it a Suzuki 1-2.

A leading group of six with Rins, Mir, Espargaro, Oliveira, Nakagami and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) broke away at the front. Behind them, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) had found his rhythm and started edging away from his pursuers.

The two Suzukis were running at superior pace and only Espargaro managed to hang on to them, reducing the head of the race to a trio. Nakagami meanwhile had Oliveira firmly in his sight and reclaimed fourth through the Adrian Campos corner on Lap 15.

Mir had been shadowing his teammate for several laps in anticipation of an opportunity to pounce. When Rins left the door wide open through Turn 11 on Lap 17, the championship leader did not hesitate and hit the front.

Once in the lead, Mir pulled the pin and gradually put air between himself and his followers, the gap extended to a second by Lap 22 and the victory his to lose.

Further behind, Zarco ran into issues and started to drop positions while Nakagami broke free from Oliveira and started a late podium charge.

Unfazed out front, Mir managed his advantage and despite losing ground to Rins again over the final laps, he secured his maiden MotoGP victory. Rins took the chequered flag six tenths of a second later to bring home Suzuki’s first 1-2 since rejoining the class. Espargaro had fought hard on the KTM to hold on to his position and was rewarded with the remaining podium spot. Nakagami finished fourth from Oliveira and Miller.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had to serve a long lap penalty due to irresponsible riding at the previous round at Aragon. Despite that, the South African found great pace late in the race and crossed the line in seventh, adding valuable points to his rookie of the year ambitions.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) ended the race in eighth, his championship challenge now being in miracle territory with a 45 points disadvantage. Zarco salvaged ninth while Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) rounded out the top 10.

Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) dropped down to 11^th after a good start to the race from Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) and Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who struggled to recover from a pit lane start. Quartararo was the last rider to finish the race in 14^th.

The two Aprilia Racing Team Gresini machines of Espargaro and Lorenzo Savadori as well as Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) did not see the chequered flag.