Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/990347
MOTOGP FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6 / JUNE 1-3, 2018 MUGELLO CIRCUIT / SCARPERIA E SAN PIERO, ITALY P70 Bagnaia to fourth at the first corner. Oliveira kept the pressure on, and it told—Baldassarri had a major slide at the top of the hill, losing drive and giving Oliveira his chance to get by, and win by 0.184 of a second. Marquez was now alone in fifth, and sixth was a fine result for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM), who had qualified 19th but finished lap one 12th. He had eventually escaped from Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Kalex), while close behind Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Kalex) finally got the better of Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Kalex) after a long battle. Simone Corsi (Tasca Kalex) had closed up again on this pair, leav- ing Fabio Quartararo (Speed Up) five seconds adrift. With Domi Aegerter (Kiefer nati run straight at the first corner, with gear-shifting troubles. The rest would be joined by Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40 Kalex), for a close and absorbing battle. When Pasini fell, Oliveira had got back ahead of Bagnaia, as had Baldassarri, and the points leader fell back slightly. From lap 14 it was between Oli and Balda, with the latter leading over the line for the first time on lap 16. Their battle raged to the end, while now Mir was now ahead of Marquez, who'd been pushed wide at the first turn and lost touch. As the lead pair exchanged blows, both Mir and Bagnaia caught up again. The last lap was a thriller. Baldassarri led onto it; Mir pushed six, and was looking comfortable and set to repeat his win last year until he slipped off at the difficult first corner on lap 14. He was the second to crash out of the lead. Marcel Schrotter (Dynavolt Kalex) had started from second, his best-ever qualifying, and took the lead into the first corner. Running into the second, he was down and out. Oliveira's start was followed by a determined attack, leading for the first time on lap two, chased by championship leader and triple winner Pecco Bagnaia (SKY VR46 Kalex), as well as Pasini, Alex Marquez and his EG-VDS Kalex teammate Joan Mir, sandwich- ing fellow rookie Romano Fenati (Marinelli Kalex). Pasini would pick through; Fe- Miguel Oliveira rode a perfectly timed race to take a dramatic win for KTM.