• First Martin (Pramac Racing Team) and second Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team) complete an all-Ducati podium

Francesco brought his Desmosedici GP machine on the third step of the rostrum in Saturday’s Sprint at the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, home round for the Ducati Lenovo Team held this weekend at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. The championship leader, still not entirely in perfect shape, gritted his teeth in the 13-lap race, securing the 7 points for third.

After qualifying, which saw a Ducati lockout on its home track, with the top 3 in the championship making up the front row with second and Bagnaia third, the Bologna-based manufactured dominated the afternoon’s Sprint as well.

At the lights, Pecco got an excellent start to slot into second place at the first corner behind Martin, but he went wide on lap 2, allowing Bezzecchi to repass him. The top 3 remained that way until the flag, with the rider from Chivasso finishing 4 seconds behind the leading pair, but an exhausted Pecco showed his true mettle in the final stages as Pedrosa tried his utmost to take him for third.

Francesco Bagnaia (#1 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd
“It was an intense battle, more with me or the bike than with the other riders. Dani was pushing a lot in the last laps, and I was trying to find the energy to brake hard and not give him any chance to be close enough. In the first two or three laps, I needed to warm again the leg, I was struggling to lean the bike on the right, but after a few laps, it got better, and I was increasing the lap time and pace. The feeling was quite good, but with the soft rear, I was struggling, as it also happened this morning, so for sure, tomorrow we will change because, with the medium, I feel better. It won’t be easy, because it is double the laps, which is very long and I’m quite scared about that, so for sure I will increase the painkillers, but I don’t want to think too much about that. My objective is top-5, I think this is one of the best results ever because of my situation. I couldn’t ask for more.”

On Sunday, the Ducati Lenovo Team will be out on track with Bagnaia for the ten-minute morning warm-up session at 9.40 CEST, while the 27-lap San Marino and the Riviera di Rimini Grand Prix is held over 114.1 km and will start at 14.00 CEST.