Moto2: Fernandez annihilates competition in rain-affected Moto2 qualifying

The 14th round of the 2021 Moto2 World Championship takes the series to Misano this weekend, for the San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix. Raul Fernandez had suffered dramatically in wet conditions on Friday, but in the dry on Saturday morning the Aragon Grand Prix winner from a week ago was fastest in FP3, and overall on the combined times.

In Q1, the session was effectively over five minutes before time, at which point Celestino Vietti was fastest. In the MotoGP qualifying, rain clouds became visible in the distance, and were clearly closing in on the Misano circuit. They arrived after 10 minutes of Moto2 Q1, and it cost several riders the chance to make the all-important top four for Q2. As it was, Vietti was fastest, and went through to Q2 with Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Joe Roberts and Tom Luthi, who was second fastest in Friday’s wet FP1.

By Q2, the rain had stopped and the track was dry, so slicks were the order of the day for the Moto2 top 18. Pole position was taken late on by Raul Fernandez, who put more than three tenths of a second between himself and second placed Sam Lowes. None of those were bothered in the closing stages, as Augusto Fernandez made it a 2-3 for Marc VDS, displacing namesake Raul’s championship rival and Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate, Remy Gardner who will start tomorrow’s race from fourth.

Alongside Gardner on the second row tomorrow will be Aron Canet, who survived a huge front slide at turn three in impressive fashion, and Jorge Navarro who improved late on to demote Xavi Vierge to the front of row three in seventh. There, Vierge will start alongside Marco Bezzecchi, who will fancy his chances in the rain tomorrow after topping FP2 yesterday afternoon, and Fabio di Giannantonio whose final lap promoted him to ninth.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta was the major victim of di Giannantonio’s late lap, as he dropped from row three to row four, and will start 10th tomorrow. The Italian will be alongside compatriot Nicolo Bulega, and rookie Ai Ogura on the fourth row; while Marcel Schrotter will head up row five from Tom Luthi and Joe Roberts. 

Stefano Manzi will start from 16th, alongside compatriot Celestino Vietti, and Somkiat Chantra who was last of the 18 Q2 runners. 

Hafizh Syahrin was the fastest rider to miss out on Q2, setting the fifth fastest time in Q1. The Malaysian will start from 19th, alongside Jake Dixon and Hector Garzo on row seven; while Tony Arbolino will head up row eight ahead of Marcos Ramirez and the – for now at least – returning Yari Montella. Simone Corsi will start from 25th, ahead of Albert Arenas and Bo Bendsneyder on row nine, while Cameron Beaubier will head up the back row in 28th, ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Barry Baltus in 30th and last.