Andrea Dovizioso took back-to-back victories for the Ducati team with a win this weekend at the Catalan Grand Prix – making him the first rider for Ducati to claim consecutive victories since Casey Stoner in 2010.
The Italian rider came through from seventh on the grid to win his second race of the season in style, ahead of reigning champion Marc Marquez and polesitter Dani Pedrosa, with the top three split by just 6.7 seconds.
The race started with Honda's Pedrosa getting a great start from the lead whilst the two riders beside him; Jorge Lorezno and Danilo Petrucci, almost made contact thanks to a wheelie from the former.
Petrucci was then forced to swerve and made contact with Marquez, though the latter escaped without major issue and held position as they headed to Turn 1.
Current championship leader Maverick Viñales found himself in the gravel at Turn 1 and dropped well down the order from ninth on the grid. He mounted a comeback to finish tenth to claim six points.
Meanwhile Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi rounded-off a disappointing weekend for the team in eighth place.
The opening laps saw a four-way battle for the lead between Pedrosa, Dovizioso, Marquez and Jonas Folger, before Dovizioso snuck around the outside to take control of the race and was swiftly followed by Marquez.
A battle over fourth then broke out and as tyres began to fade, positions changed, with Folger losing out to finish sixth, behind Lorenzo and Yamaha Tech 3's Johann Zarco.
'DesmoDovi' would hold onto the lead until he crossed the finish line to claim a fourth career victory.
The top ten was completed by Aspar's Alvaro Bautista, followed by Rossi, Avintia's Hector Barbera and Viñales, whose championship lead took a major hit as Dovizioso made up 19 points to cement his position in second in the standings, just seven points shy of the lead.
The final points positions were taken by LCR Honda's Cal Cruthlow, Avintia's Loris Baz, Pramac's Scott Redding, Aspar's Karel Abraham and Marc VDS rider Tito Rabat.
Jack Miller, Aleix Espargaro and Petrucci were the only retirees.
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