Ahead of the Misano weekend, Ducati confirmed Bastianini would join Bagnaia at the factory squad next year, with the pair reigniting their Le Mans duel in the latter stages of the San Marino GP.
Bagnaia prevailed in a tense run to the line to claim his fourth-successive victory and move to 30 points behind Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo in the championship after the Frenchman could do no better than fifth.
Poleman Jack Miller grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1 ahead of Enea Bastianini and Bagnaia, who jumped up from fifth after a grid penalty knocked him from the second he qualified in.
Chaos ensued at the first corner behind as Pramac’s Johann Zarco, Ducati wildcard Michele Pirro and Honda’s Pol Espargaro were all taken out in a collision – with the latter walking away holding his wrist.
Miller’s charge would come to an end on lap two when he slid out of the lead at Turn 4, while Marco Bezzecchi on the VR46 Ducati crashed down at Turn 10.
Behind, Quartararo remained in eighth while Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia jumped up to sixth on the opening lap.
The crashes for Miller and Bezzecchi promoted both one spot, but the top four of Bastianini – who took over the lead when Miller crashed – Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales on the sister Aprilia and VR46’s Luca Marini had broken away from the chasing pack.
Jack Miller, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Bastianini’s race almost went the same way as two of his Ducati counterparts when he lost the front-end into Turn 14 on the second lap.
The Gresini rider – sporting a tribute livery to the team’s late founder Fausto Gresini – stayed onboard and in the lead, though Bagnaia would come through at Turn 8 on the next tour.
Vinales quickly followed suit with aggressive lunge up the inside of Bastianini into Turn 14 to give chase on Bagnaia.
Behind, Quartararo capitalised on Espargaro running wide into Turn 13 on lap six to take fifth and started to marginally close the gap to the quartet ahead of him.
Bagnaia and Vinales would line astern for the next 16 laps, the Aprilia rider getting close at various points but never enough to execute a clean overtake on the Ducati.
Bastianini and Marini engaged in a brief battle for third on lap 16 throughs Turns 10 and the fast kink of Curvone at Turn 11, with the former holding firm.
This cast them both adrift slightly of the leading duo, but Bastianini rallied to reel in Vinales and move ahead into Turn 1 at the start of lap 20.
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