Five to go, four to go, three to go. Di Giannantonio was holding firm with Fernandez swarming behind. At this stage, Marquez was 1.5 behind as it became Speed Up vs Kalex, Di Giannantonio vs Fernandez. A dream debut home win vs vital points in the Championship. Who would prevail? Fernandez was piling on the pressure with two laps remaining and heading onto the final lap there was nothing between them. Fernandez then pounced, taking the outside line around Turn 1 to grab the inside at Turn 2 – but he was in hot. Di Giannantonio got the switchback and lead was still the Italian’s.

The latter then made a small mistake on the exit of Turn 4 to give Fernandez – not that he needed it – that little extra scent of the win. Turn 8 passed by, as did Turn 10. But, with a good run out of the tight right-hander onto the back straight, Fernandez was in the tow. The Spaniard ran wide at Turn 11 and exceeded track limits, seemingly no advantage was gained though as ‘Diggia’ held it. Then, though, the number 40 went for it. Contact between the two, Fernandez had the inside line into Turn 14. Aggressive, but fair. Fernandez sat Di Giannantonio up and the race lead was the Spaniard’s, with ‘Diggia’ unable to reply. Fernandez rounded the final corner to claim 25 points, closing third place Marquez down in the title race in the process – 26 points now the gap.

Di Giannantonio rode phenomenally all race, but a dream home GP victory went begging by just 0.186. Nevertheless, this was the rookie’s best result of the season and his second rostrum of an impressive 2019. Marquez will take a podium away from Misano as he now heads to his home GP at MotorLand Aragon still in control of the Moto2™ title race. Lüthi couldn’t quite keep tabs on the number 73 as the Swiss rider picked up his best result since Assen in P4. Sam Lowes (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) took his best finish of the season in fifth after a very solid ride at his team’s home race, the British rider finishing just ahead of Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder, the South African coming from P16 on the grid, with +Ego Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro crossing the line eighth after starting from 15th.