Here Are The MotoGP Winners And Losers From The 2021 Italian GP

The adrenaline and fanfare associated with a MotoGP weekend returned to the iconic Mugello circuit after a two-year hiatus, bringing with it hard overtakes, mind games, and even some tragedy. Here are the winners and losers from round six of the 2021 MotoGP world championship:

Biggest Winner: Fabio Quartararo 

After taking pole position and showing excellent pace in the practice sessions, it was a given for the factory Yamaha man to be one of the main protagonists for the weekend. Quartararo stood on the top step of the podium, winning by a solid three-second buffer, decimating the field and more importantly, extending his lead in the championship standings. He warded off the Ducatis of Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia and Johann Zarco who did their best to disturb his rhythm, but ultimately fell short of his explosive pace. No one else was able to show the Frenchman a rear wheel all race long. And now, he heads to Barcelona in high spirits knowing that the Catalan track really suits him and his YZR-M1 a lot.

Other Winners

KTM

KTM was  the most impressive factory team at Mugello, with both its riders finishing in the top five.  Just behind Fabio, Miguel Oliveira was super fast and consistent. Running a hard front tyre, he stayed behind Zarco for a few laps building heat, before launching an attack (thanks to the superior grip levels) and taking over the second spot.  

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His teammate Brad Binder had a strong race too, despite finishing fifth. He fended off some vastly experienced MotoGP riders like Jack Miller, Maverick Vinales, and Aleix Espargaro, and even kept his cool after a sketchy lunge on the opening lap by Marc Marquez, which could have gone horribly wrong for the South African. All in all, it was a pretty solid weekend for the Austrian factory and we hope to see them up there more often.

Joan Mir

Rounding up the podium places at the Italian GP was 2020 World Champion Joan Mir. The factory Suzuki rider had a far from ideal starting grid spot to challenge Quartararo and still managed to scythe his way to the front of the field. However, he couldn’t overcome the brilliance of Oliveira on the day, and had to settle for third. In the post race interview, he said he used up a lot of his tyres getting to the front of the field and hence couldn’t put up a competent defence against Oliveira. Nevertheless, it was a solid podium for Mir, his first for the 2021 season, though it goes without saying that he needs to make it to the podium a bit more consistently if he wishes to retain his crown.

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Biggest Loser: Francesco Bagnaia

Starting second and having a good race pace, everyone had huge hopes from the factory Ducati rider and home hero Pecco Bagnaia. Little did we know these hopes would soon disappear. Pecco got the holeshot and led the race for the first couple of laps. And just when we thought we’d have a duel between Fabio and him, the Ducati rider crashed with no scope of rejoining. It was a great weekend for the Italian rider until the main event. Since he took no points, he now sits at the third place in the points table, 26 points adrift of Fabio.

Other Losers

Alex Rins

Just like his Suzuki teammate, Alex Rins also had strong pace and was running well behind Mir, looking to make it onto the podium. Sadly, he crashed in the last corner while trying to keep up with Mir. This is his fourth consecutive DNF, a first since he stepped foot in MotoGP. He really needs to see the chequered flag more often if he wants to fight for the title or keep his Suzuki seat.

Honda

Another race weekend to forget for Honda. Honda’s top men, Marc Marquez and Takaaki Nakagami, both crashed out in the first half of the race as Marc made a desperate lunge under Binder while Nakagami lost the front while trying to up his pace. Repsol Honda’s second rider, Pol Espargaro, finished P12 while the younger Marquez, Alex, finished P14. These aren’t the results that we have come to expect from the most successful manufacturer in MotoGP history.

Maverick Vinales

Maverick Vinales had a troubled weekend at Mugello. He was rattled by Marc Marquez following him around in Q1, which saw him lose out on a place higher on the grid. He never looked like the Top Gun and often languished lower down the grid. In the end, he brought it home in P8, which was rather disappointing for many, including the top bosses at Yamaha, who expected him to fight with Fabio for the win.

Apart from all this, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Prustel GP Moto3 team and the Dupasquier family following the demise of the talented Swiss rider Jason Dupasquier. Jason was one of the young starlets coming through the ranks of Moto3. The 19-year-old racer cruelly taken away from the world succumbed to injuries sustained post a three-bike crash on Corner 9 in Moto3 Q2. This just goes to reaffirm the dangers of motorcycle racing and what risk these gladiators undertake week in, week out. 

With the Italian GP wrapped up, the paddock heads to Barcelona for the Spanish GP at the Catalunya circuit, home race for many front runners like Joan Mir, Alex Rins, and Marc Marquez. But given the recent history, it might just be another cakewalk for Fabio. Will the Ducatis have an answer for the Frenchman or will the Suzukis and KTMs spring a surprise?