Moto2 Aragón FP1: Augusto Fernandez poses for MotoGP and sets the best time

Before embarking on this Aragon Grand Prix, we will remember that at the last San Marino GP, Alonso Lopez won his first victory in Moto2, becoming the first Boscoscuro rider to win in this category this year . The last victory for a Boscoscuro machine in Moto2 was achieved by Fabio Quartararo during the 2018 Catalan GP riding a Speed ​​Up at the time.

The victory of Lopez was the first non-Kalex victory in Moto2 since Brad Binder won the last victory KTM in the category during the 2019 Valencia GP. Lopez ended a 46-game winning streak for Kalex drivers.

Next Celestine Vietti (Qatar), Somkiat Chantra (Indonesia), Tony Arbolino (Americas), Joe Roberts (Portugal), Ai Ogura (Spain), Pedro Acosta (Italy), Lopez became the seventh new winner in Moto2 this year. This is the first time that there have been seven first place winners in a single season of the intermediate class.

Since his first appearance in Moto2 at the French GP, Lopez led 50 laps to the finish line, more than anyone else in the category. Its closest rivals are Ai Ogura et Augusto Fernandez with 47 rpm.

Aron canet finished second at Misano for his sixth podium of the season so far (and his first since he was also P2 in Catalonia). In addition, this is his 11th podium in Moto2, equaling Jonas Folger on the list of riders with the most podiums in Moto2.

At the San Marino GP, Augusto Fernandez finished third for his sixth podium of the season, as many as last year. Aron Canet, Ai Ogura et Fernandez are now the drivers with the most podiums since the start of the season. With Alonso Lopez, Aron Canet, Augusto Fernandez et Albert Arenas (P4), it was the first Spanish 1-2-3-4 in the intermediate category.

The 13 Moto2 races in Aragon were won by 10 riders: Andrea Iannone (2010), Marc Marquez (2011), Pol Espargaro (2012), Nico Terol (2013), Maverick Viñales (2014), Tito Rabat (2015), Sam Lowes (2016, 2020/1 and 2020/2), Franco Morbidelli (2017), Brad Binder (2018, 2019) and Raul Fernandez (2021). Only four of them have won after not starting from pole: Espargaró, Morbidelli, Binder and Fernandez.

Sam Lowes is the only current Moto2 rider to have won in the category at MotorLand. Lowes has won three times in Moto2 at MotorLand Aragón and is the only rider to have more than two Moto2 wins at a single circuit since the class was introduced in 2010. Unfortunately, he will miss the 2022 GP due to of an injury.

Simone Courses (2011) Jorge Navarro (2019) et Augusto Fernandez (2021) are the only other riders on the current grid to be on the podium at Aragon in Moto2.

The presentations made, what will this FP1 of the category in Aragon have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Aragon Moto2™	2021	2022
FP1	1'53.100 Jorge Navarro	1'52.925 Augusto Fernandez
FP2	1'52.743 Remy Gardner
FP3	1'51.859 Raúl Fernández
Q1	1'52.249 Héctor Garzó
Q2	1'51.778 Sam Lowes
Warm up	1'52.880 Augusto Fernández
Course	R. Fernández, Gardner, A. Fernández
All time lap record	1'51.296 Sam Lowes

Before starting, Augusto Fernandez posed for his new MotoGP colors even though the announcement has still not been made…

22° in the air and 30° on a dry track heated by a benevolent sun are the conditions offered to the pilots for the 40 minutes of exercise.

The first reference is signed by Canet in 1'54.059. Navarro, Dixon, Aldeguer et Ramirez follow. The future MotoGP rider at Tech3 GASGAS Fernandez is eighth but after the first quarter of an hour takes control in 1'53.571.

The same Ajo KTM rider then improved his mark to 1'53.450, followed by Alonso lopez, the hero of Misano at Boscoscuro. His teammate Aldeguer follows in front NAVARRO et Canet. Chantra leads the rest of the peloton where Ogura is ninth, Drive 14th and Acosta 11th. We are entering the last quarter of an hour.

Under the checkered flag, Augusto Fernandez keeps the lead in 1'52.925 ahead Canet, Lopez, Acosta et Aldeguer. Ogura is 13th and Drive 20th

FP1 results of the Aragon Moto2 Grand Prix: 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com