Moto2: Lowes pole, title contenders struggle in cold Misano qualifying

The Moto2 World Championship is in Misano this weekend for the second time in just over a month. The intermediate class was the only one of the three grand prix classes to get any dry track time on Friday, when there was a dry line in FP2, and when Augusto Fernandez was the fastest rider.

Rain had started to fall just before the start of qualifying, but not enough to require wet tyres, and with cool track temperatures there were 10 crashers in Q1, including Tony Arbolino, Marco Bezzecchi and Lorenzo Baldassarri. 

The rider who made the best of the conditions was Jorge Navarro, who topped the times from Boscoscuro stablemate Albert Arenas, while Hector Garzo and Bo Bendsneyder also found their respective ways through to Q2 in third and fourth. 

The crashing continued in Q2, of particular note was the crash of the winner of the last three races: Raul Fernandez; and of the two Petronas Sprinta Racing teammates, Xavi Vierge and Jake Dixon, who went down moments apart at the same corner. 

Sam Lowes avoided crashing and for much of the session avoided pole position. He had the speed for the top spot, but yellow flags cost him. Eventually, Lowes was able to set provisional pole, and from there he was not bettered. Jorge Navarro came the closest, and will start second, while Augusto Fernandez will start third. 

Aron Canet was fourth-fastest, although his lap was baulked by the aforementioned Fernandez on the exit of turn 14, which might have cost the #44 a front row start. As it is, he will start from row two, alongside Celestino Vietti and Marcos Ramirez. 

Stefano Manzi took his best qualifying of the season with seventh, alongside Tom Luthi with his best 2021 qualifying in eighth, and Albert Arenas who was ninth. 

Raul Fernandez’ crash meant he could do no better than 10th on the grid, but he will start ahead of Remy Gardner who struggled for speed throughout Q2. Fernandez will have Somkiat Chantra and Bo Bendsneyder alongside him on row four; and Fermin Aldeguer is a third rider between the #25 and his teammate and championship rival, #87 Gardner who will start 14th – his worst qualifying of the season. 

Completing the fifth row will be Hector Garzo; while Xavi Vierge and Jake Dixon will be on row six, in 16th and 17th, respectively. Ai Ogura was the slowest rider in Q2, and will start 18th.

Cameron Beaubier was the fastest rider to miss out on Q2 and will start 19th. The American will be alongside home favourite, MotoGP-bound Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Marcel Schrotter on row seven tomorrow; while the aforementioned Baldassarri qualified 22nd before his late crash at turn nine. Baldassarri will head up row eight, where he will be joined by Tony Arbolino and Simone Corsi. 

Mattia Casadei, the MotoE regular who is replacing the injured Lorenzo Dalla Porta this weekend, will start 25th, ahead of Barry Baltus and Marco Bezzecchi on row nine; while Tomasso Marcon will head up row 10 from Nicolo Bulega and Joe Roberts, the latter two not setting a time in Q1.