MILLER SECOND IN LAST LAP EPIC, MIR TAKES MOTOGP TITLE

Jack Miller second in last lap epic, Joan Mir takes MotoGP title – Photo: LAT

Aussie Jack Miller was less than 0.1s shy of taking his second career MotoGP victory after an epic last lap duel with Franco Morbidelli, as further back Joan Mir did enough to take his maiden MotoGP title.

By DAN McCARTHY

The Valencian Grand Prix was a thrilling 27-lap showdown that went right down to the chequered flag, with Morbidelli doing just enough to take the win.

Miller from second on the grid made a superb start and led into the opening turn, however he ran slightly wide and allowed pole sitter Morbidelli back through.

At one stage Morbidelli held a 1.5s lead, however despite running a softer front tyre Miller was able to close the gap in the second half of the race.

On the final lap Miller took the lead at Turn 1 before Morbidelli retaliated at Turn 2, the Queenslander again made the pass at Turn 4 before the Italian fought back once again. From that point in the lap Morbidelli rode defensively and would go on to take the win by just 0.093s.

Spaniard Mir knew that he just had to stay out of trouble in the race to take the title, and that is exactly what he did.

The 23-year-old crossed the line in seventh to take his first premier class championship and award Suzuki its first title since 2000.

Mir has been by far the most consistent rider all season to be crowned 2020 MotoGP World Champion with one round left to run.

Factory KTM rider Pol Espargaro rounded out the podium, his fifth top three finish of the season.

Suzuki rider Alex Rins finished the race in fourth after holding off Brad Binder in the closing laps of the race. Binder’s fellow KTM brand mate Miguel Oliveira finished in the top six and made it three KTMs in the top half-dozen places.

The new world champion Mir finished seventh, finishing just 0.026s ahead of Andrea Dovizioso at the line.

Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro finished in ninth ahead of Maverick Vinales, Francesco Bagnaia and Valentino Rossi who rounded out the top 12.

Morbidelli’s teammate and former championship leader Fabio Quartararo crashed out of the race early on. The Frenchman dropped to the back of the pack after running wide at Turn 2 on the opening lap and in an attempt to move forwards fell off his Petronas Yamaha at Turn 6, just 9 laps in.

Takaaki Nakagami also fell off his bike after a failed attempt at the final corner to take third from Pol Espargaro.

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