Moto3: Martin masterclass at Mugello

Jorge Martin has turned yesterday’s pole position into the perfect weekend at Mugello, by taking a textbook victory in the Italian Grand Prix to close the gap to Moto3 championship leader Marco Bezzecchi to only three points. The Italian finisher runner-up to him, but a perfect final corner meant that he was unable to go one better and take the win.

Martin led a three-rider breakaway of Bezzecchi and teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio from almost the start to the end of the race, but a textbook final lap meant that although Bezzecchi made it through on his fellow Italian he couldn’t touch Martin.

Speaking afterwards, Martin said: “It has been a great race. The strategy was to try and make some selection while trying to enter the last turn in first position: it was the only way to win as the KTM bikes were literally flying on the straight – and it worked. I’m really happy; it was a difficult race given the stone that hit my windshield and the hare that crossed the track. It was really important to get back in the points after two DNFs and to be doing that at Mugello is even better!”

Gabriel Rodrigo won a battle for fourth that stretched back to 20^th place, ahead of last year’s winner Andrea Migno, Enea Bastianini and Tony Arbolino, with Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Niccolo Antonelli and Manuel Pagliani making it eight Italians in the top ten.

Brit John McPhee made a good weekend out of a disastrous qualifying, coming home in 12^th place and getting some much-needed points on the board.