Misano Adriatico (Italy) (AFP)

Spaniard Maverick Vinales (Yamaha), who started from pole position, won the Grand Prix of Emilia Romagna on Sunday at the Misano circuit, while Frenchman Fabio Quartararo lost the podium and finished fourth due to a penalty at the end of the race.

In the championship standings, the Italian Andrea Dovizioso remains in the lead with 84 points, a small point ahead of Vinales and Quartararo (83), and four over another Spaniard, Joan Mir (Suzuki), second Sunday at the end of 'a superb comeback.

"It feels good because I know a lot of people doubted me after last Sunday's race. It's still the same and I still want to win, but if I don't have enough confidence in the bike I can't attack as I want, "Vinales told a press conference.

"We prepared really well, with the right set-up, and I was very fast. I preserved my tires well at the start and I was able to attack when I wanted," added Vinales, sixth winner in seven races. of this MotoGP season delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Vinales had already started on pole last Sunday for the San Marino GP, but he failed to win.

"It was a lot better than last week, and since it wasn't going very well on Friday, we made a lot of progress over the weekend. I'm taking the most points here and I know we have a big potential for the rest of the season, "said the Spaniard.

The 8th round of the season will take place next Sunday at the Montmelo circuit in Catalonia.

The Yamaha rider finished coasting, more than four seconds ahead of Mir who ended his comeback with a school double pass over Pol Esparagaro (KTM) and Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha-SRT).

- Angry Quartararo -

"I'm really tired, because I gave everything today, every turn, and I'm happy because I gave 100%, I put all the cards on the table, starting from 11th place on the grid. At the end, I saw that I could go for the podium. It's a result that we deserved, with the whole Suzuki team ", reacted Mir, who made a good operation in the championship thanks to his third podium in four races.

"I struggled with my rear tire at the end, but we knew it could happen," said Espargaro.

"I was able to attack at the start of the race, and at the end I was lucky, also thanks to the penalty from Fabio (Quartararo). I did not give up and this podium, we take it as a victory , because last week we were a bit dumped ".

The Frenchman, in the midst of a fight with Espargaro in the last laps, exceeded the limits of the track several times, and even once too many after having already received a warning from the race director on his dashboard.

Furious, he returned to his stand without wanting to speak but he remains more than ever in the race for the title.

The big disappointment of the day may be the Italian Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati-Pramac).

Untouchable at the start of the race after overtaking Vinales, "Pecco", who was limping all weekend after falling during practice, fell again with seven laps to go while he was in the lead, with a big second d ahead of Vinales.

The other two disappointed are veteran Italian Valentino Rossi (Yamaha), 41, who crashed early in the race, and debutant Brad Binder (KTM), winner in the Czech Republic and fastest on Friday in free practice.

Starting in the second row, the South African fell twice in the first laps.

© 2020 AFP