Moto2: Lowes back on pole in Aragon

Round 13 of the 2021 Moto2 World Championship takes place this weekend in MotorLand Aragon. Ahead of qualifying, Raul Fernandez – nursing a broken little finger on his right hand – was fastest in the combined free practice times.

Hector Garzo topped a relatively uneventful Q1 session, ahead of Joe Roberts, Marcel Schrotter and Tom Luthi, who all moved through to Q2. 

Sam Lowes dominated Q2 to take pole position. He was not able to better his lap record from last season, but in any case the Briton will be starting tomorrow’s race from the front of the grid. 

Lowes was also the only rider to go under 1:52, with his 1:51.778, but in second place it was Remy Gardner, ahead of Raul Fernandez. With Fernandez’ injury, even with Lowes’ pace at the front there is a good chance for Gardner to further extend his championship lead in tomorrow’s Grand Prix of Aragon, but at least for the #25 he is in the perfect position to try to disrupt his teammate and championship rival tomorrow. 

Hector Garzo was on the provisional front row until Fernandez’ late lap pushed him down to fourth. In any case, it was a season best performance from the #40, who is now confirmed to be leaving the Pons team next year, as they bring in Aron Canet and Jorge Navarro. For now, though, Garzo will start tomorrow’s race from the front of the second row, alongside Ai Ogura and Albert Arenas, who was the top Boscoscuro chassis as the reigning Moto3 champion took his best qualifying in Moto2 with sixth.

Jorge Navarro was not too far behind his Boscoscuro stablemate, the Pons-bound #9 finishing qualifying in seventh, ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi who complete the third row. 

Marcos Ramirez had his best qualifying of the year in 10th, ahead of Aron Canet and Augusto Fernandez; while Xavi Vierge was 13th, and will start alongside Nicolo Bulega and Marcel Schrotter on row five tomorrow. Meanwhile, on row six, Tom Luthi will start 16th, alongside Fermin Aldeguer and Joe Roberts.

Cameron Beaubier was the fastest rider to miss out on Q2, and he will start from 19th, ahead of Simone Corsi and Lorenzo Dalla Porta on row seven. Behind, Barry Baltus will head up row eight in 22nd, alongside Marc VDS-bound Tony Arbolino, while Stefano Manzi will complete the eighth row in 24th. 

Hafizh Syahrin had featured in the top 10 at times on Friday, but in Q1 he could only manage 11th fastest and the Malaysian will therefore start from 25th, alongside Celestino Vietti and Somkiat Chantra on the ninth row. 

There have been surprisingly few crashes in all classes at turn two in Aragon this weekend, but Bo Bendsneyder went down there in FP3 on Saturday morning. In Q1, the Dutchman could only manage 14th, so will start from the front of the 10th row in 28th, ahead of Moto2 debutant John McPhee, and returning fill-in at MV Agusta, Manuel Gonzalez, who won in WorldSSP last weekend in Magny-Cours and is replacing the injured Lorenzo Baldassarri this weekend.

The final row is comprised of two wildcard riders, with MotoE regular Xavi Cardelus starting from 31st, alongside Piotr Biesiekirski in 32nd and last.