Ducati managed to win its first Mugello GP in 2009, on the seventh attempt. The Borgo Panigale factory had some problems that year. In particular it was a turbulent season for Casey Stoner which, after a good start, paid a series of physical problems which ruined his year. Despite the difficulties, Casey managed to win the Italian Grand Prixafter a very eventful race.
The presentation of Mugello 2009
The first phases of the season immediately defined values on the pitch. In the first four races in fact there were three different winners: Casey Stoner And Valentino Rossi they won one, Jorge Lorenzo two. Casey therefore turned out to be the only rider on the grid capable of putting a spanner in the works of the two Yamaha riders.
The Mugello Grand Prixin that historical period, could have only one favorite, Valentino Rossi. The pilot from Tavullia actually won all Corsican editions up to that point in MotoGP, from 2002 to 2008. As for the Ducatis, the rider with the best palmares was Loris Capirossiholder of three podiums: 2003, 2005 and 2006.
The chronicle of the Grand Prix
The three protagonists of the world championship qualified in the top four positions. The pole position was taken by Jorge Lorenzo ahead of Casey Stoner. Third amazing place for Suzuki’s Loris Capirossiwho managed to remove the front row from Valentino Rossi. The first stages of the race were conditioned by a damp but progressively drying track, everyone set off on wet tyres.
The first few laps saw a mixing general of the classification, with the official Honda of Andrea Dovizioso in command for about a third of the race. Behind him Valentino Rossi and Marco Melandri, a little further behind Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo. From lap 7 there were the first bike changesthe first leading rider to do so was Dovizioso on lap 9. The following lap it was also the turn of the remaining protagonists of the Grand Prix.
From that moment a completely different race. The values were gradually re-established, with some protagonists of the first part of the race (Melandri above all) starting to give way. The second half of the race brought the protagonists of the season back to the surface.
Casey’s comeback victory at Mugello
Upon returning to the track with dry tyres, one of the most on the ball was Casey Stoner. The Australian driver, who left the pits in fifth position, took just one lap to pass Rossi, Lorenzo and Melandri, thus moving into second position. After a few laps he also managed to reach and overtake Dovizioso, putting himself like this leading the race. Meanwhile, the Yamahas seemed to be in a bit more difficulty.
Dovizioso was unable to keep up with the Australian, while Capirossi initially engaged in a duel with Casey for first position. With a few laps to go, both will suffer the comeback by Lorenzo and Rossi, which relegated them to the foot of the podium, with Andrea ahead of Loris. Their comeback, however, ended there because Casey Stoner managed to finish the Mugello GP ahead of everyonegiving Ducati and himself their first victory on the Italian circuit.
The podium at Mugello 2009 exactly reflected what the world championship ranking turned out to be after that race: Stoner, Lorenzo, Rossi. In the end Caesy, mainly due to the physical problems mentioned above, soon exited the title fight. However, the satisfaction of having brought the Red two-wheeler to win for the first time on the historic Tuscan circuit.
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