Moto2 Aragón Race: Raúl Fernández on cloud nine…

Fourth in the general classification, Sam Lowes will rush from the pole position for the Aragón Moto2 Grand Prix, 13th stage of the 2021 World Championship. 

The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team driver set a best lap in 1'51.778, a time allowing him to relegate the two championship leaders to more than 2 tenths.

 

 

He therefore has at his side the two holders of the Red Bull KTM team Ajo, Remy gardner ahead of the rookie Raul Fernandez as in the general classification where the Australian is 44 points ahead of his Spanish teammate who recently had surgery on the little finger of his right hand.

On the second line, we find Héctor Garzó (Flexbox HP40) out of Q1, Ai Ogura (Honda team Asia) and Albert Arenas (Kipin Energy Aspar Team).

You have to go to the end of the 3rd line to find Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46), third in the championship, fell a little short of qualifying, behind Jorge Navarro (+ EGO Speed ​​Up) and Fabio DiGiannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2).

21 laps will now decide between the 32 drivers in the intermediate category which uses Triumph 765 cc engines. After the morning fog which delayed the warm up, the weather conditions are now excellent, with 27° in the air and 40° on the asphalt.

 

 

The majority of choices fell on the hard front and the soft rear, except for the Boscoscuro riders…

 

 

Aragon Moto2™	2020	2021
FP1	1'52.623 Augusto Fernández	1'53.100 Jorge Navarro
FP2	1'51.920 Sam Lowes	1'52.743 Remy Gardner
FP3	1'51.576 Sam Lowes	1'51.859 Raúl Fernández
Q1	1'51.933 Bo Bendsneyder	1'52.249 Héctor Garzó
Q2	1'51.296 Sam Lowes	1'51.778 Sam Lowes
Warm up	1'52.167 Sam Lowes	1'52.880 Augusto Fernández
Course	Lowes, Di Giannantonio, Bastianini	R. Fernández, Gardner, A. Fernández
All time lap record	1'51.296 Sam Lowes

 

When the red lights go out... Remy gardner made a good start but Sam Lowes retains command ahead of the two Ajo pilots.

 

 

The Briton immediately takes a half-second lead while Raul Fernandez takes second place to the detriment of the Australian.

At the end of the first round, Marco Bezzecchi dropped to 11th position following contact with Xavier Virgo (Petronas Sprinta Racing), and is already 2,8 seconds behind the leader.

 

 

Gradually, Raul Fernandez returns to the Marc VDS driver and passes him in the third round.

 

 

Meanwhile, Remy gardner gets overtaken by Ai Ogura et Héctor Garzó. The Australian, however, regained his 3rd position, just before Héctor Garzó go to fault.

 

 

After five rounds, Raul Fernandez has a second lead over Sam Lowes who himself has two out of Remy gardner.

 

 

Albert Arenas made a mistake at turn #14, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) at turn #1.

 

 

At the top, the gaps are widening, except for Jorge Navarro (+EGO Speed ​​Up), qualified seventh and already in 4th position. The Spaniard takes with him Aron Canet et Marco Bezzecchi returned to 6th place.

Unfortunately, the VR46 driver lost control in turn #8, 12 laps from the checkered flag.

 

 

The native of Rimini nevertheless manages to get going again, even if it means scattering a good quantity of gravel on the asphalt...

With nine laps to go, the composition of the podium seems decided, but that's without counting on Sam Lowes who was forcing too much and went to the ground in turn #7: One of the most experienced drivers on the field collapsed in front of the rookie Raul Fernandez !

 

 

As a result, the Madrilenian now has more than six seconds ahead of his teammate…

 

 

The fight moves for the third step of the podium between Jorge Navarro et Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), the two drivers passing each other 4 laps from the checkered flag.

 

 

Masterful demonstration of Raul Fernandez despite his injury, in front of his teammate, leader of the world championship Remy gardner which only concedes him five points.

 

 

In the end, the two future Tech3 MotoGP riders finished in front Augusto Fernandez et Jorge Navarro in a handkerchief.

Hundredth victory for the Ajo team in Grands Prix!

 

 

In the championship, Remy gardner maintains the advantage with 251 points, 39 units ahead Raúl Fernández, 72 on Marco Bezzecchi and 124 on Sam Lowes...

 

 

Aragón Moto2 Grand Prix standings:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com