Bezzecchi spoils Ducati's centenary party with Italian Grand Prix victory

SCARPERIA E SAN PIERO, Italy, May 31 : Marco Bezzecchi beat teammate Jorge Martin to win the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as manufacturers Aprilia ruined rivals Ducati's centenary celebrations on home turf in Mugello after Francesco Bagnaia briefly led the MotoGP race.

Ducati's Bagnaia, a three-time winner in Mugello from 2022 to 2024, led the race until there were 10 laps left when Bezzecchi made his move before Spaniard Martin also moved past the Italian to drop him down to third.

There was no stopping Bezzecchi after he moved into the lead as the Italian rider fulfilled a childhood dream by taking the chequered flag over three seconds ahead of Martin for his first win at the famous circuit.

"It was a dream I wanted to achieve since I was a kid," Bezzecchi said after the Aprilia team threw him into the air during wild celebrations in the paddock.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Today we went there, we had fun. Thank you all guys, you are fantastic," he added in a message to the fans who streamed on to the circuit.

Bezzecchi now leads Martin by 17 points in the championship after seven rounds.

Meanwhile, Bagnaia's late heroics denied Aprilia a podium lockout when Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura briefly took third on the final lap before the Italian took the place back just before the finish line.

APRILIA'S BATTLE FOR LEAD WITH BAGNAIA

As the red lights went out, it was the two factory Aprilia riders that battled for the lead while the two Ducatis slotted in behind them after sprint winner Raul Fernandez went very wide on turn one and fell from second to 17th.

It was pole sitter Bezzecchi who led the pack of riders while Bagnaia moved up four places to slot in behind his Italian compatriot on home turf, with Martin and Marc