Gran Premio d'Italia Tim

S1, E6: For the first time since 2008, Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) lined up for the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM in pole and over 100,000 people lined the hillside stands of Mugello to see if ‘The Doctor’ could win once more. When the lights went out, Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) made an incredible start to lead into Turn 1 from fifth on the grid. Every lap, Rossi attempted to pass Lorenzo into Turn 1, but Lorenzo remained in charge. Their battle had allowed Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to close down the Yamaha pair, separating the trio by under half a second. Lorenzo closed every door that Rossi tried to open, defending at every corner. On lap eight, Mugello fell silent as Rossi encountered a technical problem. The Italian dropped down to ninth and continued to drop back, his race over. Rossi may have retired but the race was by no means over, Marquez right behind Lorenzo as they crossed mid-race distance. On lap 20 Marquez launched his first attack but ran wide, Lorenzo hanging onto the lead. The attacks didn’t stop and Marquez passed Lorenzo at the start of the final lap but Lorenzo responded. Marquez looked to have the race won as they exited the final corner but his rear wheel lifted ever so slightly, Lorenzo able to grab an incredible photo finish victory. 0.019s is all that separated them across the line, the closest finish of the year.