Moto2 Austin P3: Filip Salac fastest, plethora of crashes

Pedro Acosta dominated the second free practice session of the Moto2 Grand Prix of the Americas, third race of the 2023 World Championship, scheduled at COTA, Circuit of The Americas. The Red Bull Ajo Team driver was the only one to break the “wall” of 2 minutes and 10 minutes, exactly in 2:09.856. The only driver who stood up to him at the end of the session was Tony Arbolino, the Team Marc VDS driver fresh from his victory at the Argentine Grand Prix second at 0.223s and current championship leader.

Aron canet (Pons) is third and ahead of the stage local Joe Roberts (Italtrans), Jake dixon (Aspar), the fastest FP1, Sam Lowes (Marc VDS) and Albert Arenas (Red Bull Ajo). The Top Ten is completed by Barry Baltus (Racing GP), Filip Salac (Gresini) and Bo Bendsneyder (SAG). Also qualified for provisional Q2, Darryn binder (Intact GP), the Team SpeedUp duo formed by Fermin Aldeguer et Alonso Lopez and Somkiat Chantra, the latter with the time set in Q1.

The 3 Moto2022 category champion Izan Guevara (GASGAS), making his debut after an injury just before the start of the season, is 27th. What will this P3 of the Moto2 version of the Grand Prix of the Americas have in store for us? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Moto2™ Austin, Texas, USA	2022	2023
P1	2'10.489 Augusto Fernández	2'10.516 Jake Dixon
P2	2'09.155 Fermín Aldeguer	2'09.856 Pedro Acosta
P3	2'09.004 Jake Dixon	2'09.385 Filip Salac
Q1	2'09.791 Bo Bendsneyder
Q2	2'08.751 Cameron Beaubier
Warm up	2'10.136 Fermín Aldeguer	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Course	Arbolino, Ogura, Dixon
All time lap record	2'08.850 Alex Rins 2016

It's 20.5° in the air and 24.1° on the track: The sky is getting darker. The track hasn't dried yet

It's gone for 30min

Aldeguer goes to the mat, heavy fall, he holds his shoulder.

kick of Lopez in turn 1: no more battery, the bike cuts cleanly

The best time goes to Ramirez at the start of the session in 2.15.843s

New fall, it's Chantra who falls. in turn 9

With 22 minutes to go, the top5 is made up of: Ramirez who takes the best time in 2.15.843s ahead of Garcia, Kelly and Tulovic

The times drop as the laps go by: Arbolino now holds the line in 2.09.939s, he is ahead of Salac, Vietti, Dixon and Lowes

Aldeguer is taken to the medical center for complete examinations

There are 11 minutes remaining in this session and Salac sets the best time in 2.10.039s. Canet, Baltus, Vietti and Arenas make up the rest of the top5

Issue. technique for Canet whose motorcycle stops on the track

Lowes 7 minutes from the finish, takes the lead in 2.10.010s. He is taken by his teammate, Arbolino in 2.09.736s

kick of Lowes in turn 13

White in turn signs the best time in 2.09.625s. Arbolino, Gonzalez, Lowes and Salac complete this top5

kick of Binder in turn 1

Salac answer to White and regains control in 2.09.385s

Fall ofArenas in turn 12

Session finished, Salac the fastest ahead of Baltus, Arbolino, Acosta and Vietti

      Results from P3 of the Moto2 Grand Prix of the Americas at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com