Moto2: Pedro Acosta fastest on final day

Pedro Acosta was quickest on the final day of preseason testing, just seven days before round one.

Red Bull KTM Ajo rider, Pedro Acosta set a lap time of 1:41.907 which allowed the Spaniard to end the day at the top of the timesheets. Acosta will aim to continue his pace from last year, which allowed him to win his first race in the class.

Fermin Aldeguer continues to impress in the intermediate class, finishing the final day of testing in second position. Aldeguer was just 0.072 from Pedro Acosta and was the highest non-Kalex rider.

Aron Canet allowed Spanish riders to finish in 1-2-3 on the final day and continued to show how strong he is on the Pons machine. Canet was less than two-tenths of a second from the first rider and wants to improve on third place in the Championship.

IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia rider, Somkiat Chantra was fourth in the final day of testing. Chantra continued the theme of the fastest riders setting their fastest times in the morning session.

Sam Lowes was the first rider to set his fastest time outside of the morning session, onboard his Marc VDS bike. Lowes was the fastest Elf Marc VDS Racing Team rider of the day, finishing ahead of Tony Arbolino. The Italian, Arbolino was behind his teammate in sixth position, continuing his consistent form from last year.

Bo Bendsneyder has continued to impress on the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team, ending the Portimao test in seventh. The Dutch rider finished the day ahead of 18-year-old, Barry Baltus.

Celestino Vietti switches to the new Fantic Motor team which will join the Moto2 class this year. Vietti ended his day in 13^th position after a tough 2022 season with the VR46 Academy squad.

GASGAS continue to improve

Jake Dixon continues for the GASGAS Aspar Team In 2023, ending the preseason test as the top GASGAS rider. The British rider finished in ninth position, ending the test as the second Brit.

Dixon said: “The beginning of the tests didn’t go as we expected. I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike, and it felt different compared to last year. Little by little, we got closer to what we were looking for and we ended with some very good days in Portimao. We are growing, I am getting more confident lap after lap, and I think we can still develop more.”

Izan Guevara was down in 28^th position, with the Spaniard hoping for success in the intermediate class. The reigning Moto3 World Champion is continuing to adapt to the bike and admitted that “adaptation to this category is not easy”.

Fellow Italian, Dennis Foggia completed his first Official Moto2 test in 21^st position, onboard his Italtrans Racing Team bike. Foggia has spent the last six seasons racing in the Moto3 class, fighting for the Championship in multiple occasions.

Joe Roberts will continue with the Italtrans Racing Team in 2023, ending the test in 19^th position. The American switched to the Italtrans Racing Team in 2021 after leaving American Racing for the Italian team.

Rory Skinner will join the American Racing Team this season, finishing his final test in 26^th before lights go out next week. Skinner was two seconds from Pedro Acosta, showing improvements in each test.

Image credit: motogp.com