MotoGP: Ducati supreme in San Marino

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Michelin saw its range of MotoGP ™ tyres break records throughout the weekend during the Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli as local hero Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) took the win today on home soil. Michelin’s full range of MICHELIN Power Slicks were present on the grid t his afternoon , again underlining the philosophy of supplying a selection of tyres that can be used by t he whole field to give every rider the optimum performance.

This weekend that performance element was in full view as every single pr a ctice and qualifying session , as well as this morning’s warm – up , produced lap – times quicker than the lap record. That time was then beaten in the race as Dovizioso set a new best on lap – nine, this made a full set for Michelin as Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) had set a new pole and outright lap – record in Saturday’s Qualifying , as he record ed the fastest – ever two – wheel lap of the 4,226m Misano track.

Lorenzo qualified on pole and got a good start to the race, leading for the first five laps , before team – mate Dovizioso passed him. The pair were joined in a three – way battle by reigning World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and the trio started to pull away at the front. Dovizioso then broke the two as he pushed his Michelin tyres to set consistent fast laps, including the one for the new record.

He controlled from the front and although his pursuers tried to catch him – which resulted in Lorenzo crashing as he pushed too hard – the Italian took victory for Ducati at its home track in front of a large amount of ‘Ducatisti’ around the circuit . Following Dovizioso over the line was Marquez, with Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) secur ing the third podium place and the position of First Independent Rider. Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) took fourth, with Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) crossing the line in fifth and Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) finishing sixth.

A large crowd of 96,758, most of which were dressed in yel low to support local hero Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) , cheered their favourite all the way as he took seventh place, with fellow Italian Andrea Iannone (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) in eighth. Alvaro Bauti sta (Angel Nieto Team) and Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) rounded out the top – ten in ninth and tenth respectively. Michelin and the MotoGP paddock will now head to Spain and the 14 th round of the season which will be held at Aragon on Sunday 23 rd September a nd will signal the final leg of the summer European tour, before the fly – away section of the season gets underway in October.

Andrea Dovizioso – Ducati Team: “The rear tyre worked very well, it was very consistent from the beginning to the end, but the grip from the track seemed less than the practice, this happens many times in the race and it makes it difficult to manage, we don’t know why and we need to understand. At the end our pace was so good, so I am really happy and it was especially good to set a new lap – record and get the win here at my home race.”

Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two – Wheel Manager: “This has been a very good weekend for Michelin , all of the sessions saw some very fast times . It was especially pleasing in the third Free Pr actice on Saturday morning to see impressive lap – times, as there were damp patches on the track, so it shows the grip an d confidence that our tyres give the riders to enable them to push in imperfect conditions. All six compounds again featured in the race and this is an important factor , as it again reiterates our ethos of designing tyres that all can use. To set new lap records in the race, and also for overall fastest lap, is a very satisfying result and the durability of the tyres was evident today as ri ders were still recording very similar lap – times as the race drew to a close, as they did at the start. Overall it had been a strong weekend for the Michelin tyres , considering the continuously changing conditions and we look forward to Aragon and continui ng with the high – level of performance – that we have had here – when we get to Spain .”