It’s been a long run and it’s been great,” Rossi said to the crowd. “Thanks for all the support over all these years.
The Italian icon was waved off by his adoring fans, who displayed a banner which read “It’s been wonderful” as the seven-time MotoGP champion received a trophy for his achievements in the sport. Sunday’s race was also Valentino Rossi’s last MotoGP in Italy ahead of retirement at the end of the season, and he placed a creditable 10th on his final bow at his home track of Misano. However, after starting from pole position, and with the win he needed in his sights, Bagnaia flew off the track to hand the title to Quartararo and a third win of the season to Marquez. The Australian was protecting him from attacks from six-time MotoGP champion Marquez. Italian rider Bagnaia’s job was made harder just three laps into the race when his teammate Jack Miller, who started from second on the grid, skidded off the track.
Marquez had shadowed Bagnaia for most of the race, piling the pressure on him as he did at Aragon last month, but had just conceded defeat when the Ducati. “OK, it was a win, but this is a circuit where I’ve had problems in the past and I wanted a podium somewhere with a lot of right turns.” The six-time MotoGP world champion tallied up his third win of the 2021 season after inheriting victory when long-time leader Francesco Bagnaia crashed out on lap 23, ending his title hopes. This win more important than the one in Austin,” he added. Marquez, 28, has been slowing returning to his best after missing almost all last season and the first two races of this campaign after breaking his right arm, which he flexed in triumph as he crossed the line. Italian rider Francesco Bagnaia during qualifying at the Misano track at the weekend. “By the time that he (Bagnaia) fell, I had already given up, I was thinking I’ll be finishing second, but luck was on our side,” said Marquez, who also won the Grand Prix of the Americas in the last round. Marquez’s Honda teammate Pol Espargaro was second and Italian rider Enea Bastianini of Ducati came third. Quartararo surged from 15th on the starting grid to finish fourth on Sunday behind race winner Marc Marquez, who had been pursuing Bagnaia for almost the entire race. In the 16 races he has contested this season, he has claimed 10 podiums, including five victories. His win comes in his third season in MotoGP, the first with Yamaha’s factory team after two years with the SRT satellite outfit. Quartararo broke down in tears as his family sung his praises during the interview, carried out in Italian, covering his face to stop himself crying too hard on national television. #ELD1ABLO ? IS YOUR 2021 #MotoGP WORLD CHAMPION! ? /NcH0kHpEiE- MotoGP™? October 24, 2021