Moto2 Thailand J3 Race: Rain upsets the forecasts!

The Moto2 Thailand Grand Prix takes place in a context where Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) is only 2 points ahead of Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia). The latter crushed FP3 but had to bow to his teammate, the stage local Somkiat Chantra, et Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team). He will therefore start from 3rd place on the first starting line, five places ahead of the championship leader who is content with 8th position at the start.

Among the other contenders for the world crown, Aron Canet not only was 57 points behind after his fall in Japan but he again lost control of his Kalex at the start of qualifying on the Chang International Circuit, forcing him to start 18th without having recorded a single time. The former leader Celestine Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will have a smaller handicap with its 5th position on the grid, but with already a deficit of 72 units, its title chances are almost purely theoretical.

The battle for the championship will therefore take place in the background of a 24-lap race which promises to be lively, with the first pole position ever achieved by a Thai, moreover at home and who has already won at Mandalika this year , Somkiat Chantra. Will undoubtedly come to mingle, in addition to the aforementioned names, Peter Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed ​​Up) from the 2nd line, Jake dixon (India GASGAS Aspar Team) and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40) since the 3rd.

Despite an overcast sky, it was a dry track which welcomed the 30 drivers in the intermediate category this morning for a warm-up in which Somkiat Chantra once again thrilled his people by finishing in front Alonso lopez, Tony Arbolino, Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Ai Ogura et Augusto Fernandez.

 

 

The drivers who were preparing to battle it out for 24 laps, with temperatures of 26° in the air and 38° on the ground, were surprised to receive a few drops of rain on the grid.

 

 

As the rain increased in intensity, the procedure was extended to allow time to fit the rain tires, causing the reduction of a declared WET race to 16 laps.

 

 

Albert Arenas (India GASGAS Aspar Team), Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) and Manuel Gonzáles (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) will start at the end of the grid because they have not finished changing their wheels.

 

 

Here is the table which summarizes past references:

Buriram Moto2™	2019	2022
FP1	1'35.969 Tetsuta Nagashima	1'36.806 Augusto Fernandez
FP2	1'35.956 Luca Marini	1'36.280 Jake dixon
FP3	1'35.962 Nicolò Bulega	1'35.556 Ai Ogura
Q1	1'35.698 Andrea Locatelli	1'36.038 Celestine Vietti
Q2	1'35.297 Alex Marquez	1'35.625 Somkiat Chantra
Warm up	1'35.910 Luca Marini	1'36.054 Somkiat Chantra
Course	Bagnaia, Marini, Oliveira	Arbolino, Salač, Canet
All time lap record	1'35.297 Alex Marquez 2019

 

When the red lights go out... Ai Ogura made the best start but Somkiat Chantra regains the advantage at the exit of the first corner.

He is followed by Alonso lopez, Jake Dixon, Filip Salač while Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) falls without gravity.

 

 

Unfortunately, the local hero Somkiat Chantra fall in the second round. Dismay in the stands!

On your mind, Alonso lopez et Arón Canet compete for command and it is ultimately the latter who seizes the leadership in the third round before conceding it to Filip Salač in the next round.

 

 

Nine rounds from the checkered flag, the hierarchy is made up of Filip Salač, Tony Arbolino, Arón Canet, Jake Dixon, Alonso López and Ai Ogura but only the first two stand neck and neck, it is ultimately due to an error of Filip Salac which Tony Arbolino takes command.

A few seconds later, the bikes start aquaplaning on the straight, the riders raise their hands and red flags are out !

 

 

The race will restart for five laps.

Augusto Fernandez is currently seventh, just behind Ai Ogura, which separates the two men by a single point in the championship!

 Tony Arbolino, Filip Salač, Arón Canet, Jake Dixon, Alonso Lopez, Ai Ogura, Augusto Fernández, Joe Roberts and the Thai Kevin Kubo (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) form the first three lines of a new start postponed several times due to bad weather.

 

 

As the drivers make their turn to get into position on the grid, we realize that the track is still flooded and it is a new red flag which interrupts the process.

 

 

Finally, the race will not restart and half of the points will be awarded to the drivers concerned.

 

Moto2 Thailand Grand Prix Results:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com