KTM’s Miguel Oliveira celebrated a stunning victory at Barcelona this afternoon after dominating the Catalan MotoGP from lap two.
The KTM rider held off Fabio Quartararo for the majority of the race before the Frenchman’s tyres began to fade, Johann Zarco and Jack Miller completing the podium after a late penalty demoted the pole-man to fourth after the flag.
There was pre-race drama in the MotoGP class before the grid had even lined up, as Jorge Martin crashed with an off-throttle highside on the sighting lap. The Pramac mechanics awaiting their rider on the gird unaware of the incident at turn five.
Quartararo headed the front row from Miller and Zarco as they prepared for the 24-lap battle. The majority of the grid fielded medium fronts with the rear tyre selection split 50/50 while the front row all chose the medium/hard combination.
The Ducati might propelled Miller to the front as the race fired up into the first corner, Oliveira taking second from the pole-man with Joan Mir up to fifth. Aleix Espargaro made a move on Zarco as the lap unfolded with Maverick Viñales, Brad Binder Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia completing the initial top-10.
A disastrous start for the Petronas team left Franky Morbidelli in 13th, Valentino Rossi back in 17th while a wobble for Miller allowed Oliveira through to the lead. Quartararo dropped from second to fifth as lap two concluded, Miller, Mir and Espargaro heading the Frenchman as he joined his teammate at the back of the leading group.
The Aprilia was on a charge as he found third, Viñales heading in the opposite direction as he went wide allowing Marquez through and connecting with Binder as he dropped to eighth. The Repsol Honda continued his climb as he scalped Zarco for sixth at turn 10 next time around.
A four-rider-battle for second allowed Oliveira to build his gap out front, as Espargaro tried to push through to second, the RS-GP being promptly demoted to fifth as Miller maintained his position. Pol Espargaro finding the limit as the Honda bit the dust at turn five. Danilo Petrucci was the next to suffer as his Tech3 KTM crashed out at turn nine while back at the front Miller dropped to fourth.
Quartararo dispatched Mir as he began to hunt down the leading KTM, the Portuguese rider responding with impressive pace in the opening two sectors of the next lap with the Yamaha doing likewise. Zarco regrouped as he made his way back to fifth, Takaaki Nakagami receiving a long lap penalty as Marquez crashed out, at turn 10, for the third consecutive race.
Zarco continued his advance with the fastest lap of the race so far before starting to hassle Miller for fourth. Viñales making a pass on Espargaro for sixth before the Aprilia crashed out at turn 10.
The half race distance saw Quartararo finally make his move on the lead, at turn five, with Oliveira contemplating a hit back at turn 10 before continuing to follow. The second flying Frenchman attempting another look at Miller for fourth before making the move stick as lap 14 began, Oliveira doing the same out front.
Nine to go and Zarco was upping the ante again as he swept through on Mir for third, one-second now the gap to his countrymen ahead, Miller following his fellow Ducati through one a lap later.
The heartbreak for Rossi continued as the Italian crashed out at turn 10 and the Petronas M1 barrel-rolled through the gravel with nine to go.
Viñales was hard on the wheels of Mir as the next few laps played out, Lecuona in the dust at turn 13 as lap 17 neared its completion.
Binder was struggling to find a way thought as he attempted to challenge Bagnaia for eighth as Quartararo remained two-tenths behind the other KTM out front. The South African made the move stick with four laps to go, as Oliveira upped the pace, dropping the M1 by almost a second. Zarco could see his opportunity as tyre wear began to come into play, dispatching the pole-man and sending him wide as the number 20 regrouped to protect the final podium position.
There was further drama as Quartararo’s airbag activated, the Frenchman discarding his chest protector and continuing to circulate for the remaining three laps with his leathers open from the waist up.
Zarco continued to close the gap as the last lap began, three-tenths separating him from victory as Oliveira dug deep, protecting his hard work to collect the spoils by a mere 0.175 margin. Quartararo crossed the line in third but a three-second penalty denied him the position - after running wide at turns one and two - with Miller moving into Parc Ferme.
Mir took fifth from Viñales, Bagnaia, and Binder with Morbidelli and Enea Bastianini completing the top-10. With only 15 finishers, Alex Marquez, Luca Marini, Nakagami, Martin and Lorenzo Savadori collected the final championship points.
