Moto2 Indonesia FP1: Sam Lowes opens the ball on eggshells

In Qatar which preceded this unprecedented meeting in Indonesia, Celestino Vietti won his first victory in Moto2, in addition to his two victories in Moto3. Vietti became the 12th different Italian to win in Moto2. It is also the 47th Moto2 victory for Italy, but Spain leads with 79 achievements.

Aged 20 years 144 days in Qatar, Drive became the eighth youngest rider to win in Moto2 behind Scott Redding (20 years 135 days), and the second youngest Italian behind Lorenzo Baldassarri (19 years 310 days).

Aron Canet crossed the line in second position for his sixth Moto2 podium. This is his first podium on a Kalex. Sam Lowes finished third for his 24th Moto2 podium. He climbs to fifth place on the list of Moto2 riders with most podiums behind Tom Lüthi (53 Moto2 podiums), Tito Rabat (33), Johann Zarco (30), Marc Márquez (25).

The 3 Moto2021 World Champion Peter Acosta, who had fallen to 24th position on the first lap, finished the race in 12th position as the highest-placed rookie ahead Jeremy Alcove (14th). With a top 14 composed entirely of Kalex riders, this is only the second time that the same manufacturer has locked the top 14 in a Moto2 race, as in Austria in 2016.

What will this FP1 of the category have in store for us which will take its first steps on the Mandalika track and in the history of the Indonesian Grand Prix?

Moto2™ Indonesia	2022
FP1	Sam Lowes 1 "44.439
FP2
FP3
Q1
Q2
Warm up
Course
All time lap record

This is the first time that the category's riders have set off on the Indonesian track, unlike their MotoGP colleagues who carried out a test session on this track in February. However, the conditions are not optimal as has just been shown by the Moto3. As also during the premier category tests, the asphalt is very dirty and the rain which fell until a few hours before the session further complicated the situation. During the short break before the start after Moto3, cleaning vehicles drive around the track, but that doesn't help much. Now the Moto2 riders are also showing up with rain tires and getting to know the new track.

The first leader of these 40 minutes of exercise is called Tony Arbolino in 1'56.811. But as in Moto3, the references improve quickly. Aron Canet thus puts the mark at 1'53.954 after ten minutes of play. But the conditions remain delicate…

With 23 minutes to go, a few drops alerted the drivers. Aldeguer doesn't care and brings the mark to 1'53.041. Canet, the championship leader Drive, NAVARRO et Ogura close the provisional top 5. Dixon, Arbolino, Acosta et Sam Lowes do the same with the top 10.

Mid-session, Drive accelerates in 1'52.774. He is the only driver under 1'53 per lap. But Arbolino joins him and even better than that since here he is in 1'52.389. Then completely in 1'51.940. The time differences are significant. No risks should be taken in these slippery conditions. The main thing is to familiarize yourself with the track.

Ten minutes from the goal, Arbolino continues its festival in 1'49.618. It takes nine tenths to Canet while the third Ai Ogura is at 1s7… But we’re switching to slicks…

More and more drivers are showing up with slicks and virtually all drivers are posting better split times in real time. Canet has now improved the best time to 1'48.529 minutes. Under the checkered flag in Indonesia, it is Sam Lowes who achieved the best performance in 1'44.439. He is ahead Joe Roberts, Arbolino, Vietti et Dixon. Aldeguer leads the rest of the peloton ahead Zaccone, Canet, Kelly et fenati. Peter Acosta is out of the top 10 since eleventh, ahead of his teammate Augusto Fernández.

Results of FP1 of the Indonesian Moto2 Grand Prix at Mandalika Circuit:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com