Moto2: Lowes takes Teruel pole as Martin, Bezzecchi clash

Qualifying for the 12th round of the 2020 Moto2 World Championship took place at MotorLand Aragon for the Grand Prix of Teruel, the second race in MotorLand in one week. Sam Lowes was the fastest rider in free practice, as he looked to take back-to-back pole positions.

In Q1, Bo Bendsneyder was fastest and the only rider to dip into the 1’51s in that session. Joining the Dutchman in moving through to Q2 were Marcel Schrotter, championship contender Luca Marini and Stefano Manzi. 

Q2, as most of the two weekends in Aragon, belonged to Sam Lowes who took his 11th pole in the intermediate class. The #22 is just three points off the championship lead and now has given himself a good opportunity to seize the advantage for himself tomorrow with all of his championship rivals starting behind him. 

Indeed, none of Lowes’ title rivals are even on the front row with him, as the Brit will be joined by Jorge Navarro – despite a crash in Q2 – and Remy Gardner on the front row. Lowes is not known for getting off the line well, so there is an opportunity there for both Navarro and Gardner at the start to try to take control of the race. Lowes’ pace is superior but if they can get in front of him, the #22 will have no way to use it. 

Heading up the second row will be Fabio di Giannantonio on the second Speed Up, making it two of the Italian chassis’ in the top four. The #21 will start alongside Marcos Ramirez who impressed again in fifth and Enea Bastianini, the championship leader who will have to defend his slender points lead from sixth on the grid.

Jake Dixon was unable to match his fourth place grid slot of one week ago but instead will start from seventh, alongside Hector Garzo and Augusto Fernandez on row three; while Bo Bendsneyder heads up row four from Luca Marini and Jorge Martin. That is quite provisional, however, as Martin was caught up in some antics with Marco Bezzecchi at the end of Q2 and could face a penalty, as could Bezzecchi who qualified 14th. 

Either side of Bezzecchi will be Joe Roberts (13th) and Edgar Pons (15th), although there is an argument that Roberts should have been on the front two rows, but made a mistake in the final corner of his fastest lap. 

On row six, Marcel Schrotter will start from 16th, ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Stefano Manzi. 

Somkiat Chantra was the fastest rider not to make Q2, and the Thai will start from 19th alongside Hafizh Syahrin and Nicolo Bulega on the seventh row; while row eight will be headed up by Xavi Vierge who suffered a crash in Q1 and will start from 22nd alongside Lorenzo Dalla Porta and Simone Corsi. 

Tetsuta Nagashima was only 11th-fastest in Q1, meaning he will start from the front of the ninth row on the #45 Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex ahead of Tom Luthi and Kasma Daniel; while Xavi Cardelus heads up the 10th and final row from Andi Izdihar and Piotr Biesiekirski.