Moto2: Fernandez leads Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 at the Dutch TT

Raul Fernandez led yet another Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 over the line at the Dutch TT. Despite a mistake on the second lap that relegated him into ninth, Fernandez picked his way up the order and eventually won by a comfortable margin over his teammate Remy Gardner.

Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was back on the podium in third while Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) had to settle for fourth after struggling with tyre life in the final stages of the race.

Gardner holds a comfortable 31 points championship advantage over his teammate Fernandez going into the summer break. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) remains third in the title standings, 56 points adrift of the lead.

Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2) stole the holeshot from the second row of the grid while the Ajo riders Fernandez and Gardner made the slightest of contact contesting for P2. Both machines stayed in the race in third and fourth respectively as Lowes capitalised and slotted in behind Canet.

Gardner was on the move on Lap 2 and picked up first Lowes swiftly followed by Canet to hit the front. Raul Fernandez was in trouble behind and gave himself all the work to do, running off the circuit at T7 and dropping down to ninth. Canet too had to surrender positions, losing out to Lowes as well as Augusto Fernandez.

Out front, Gardner tried to escape already four laps in with Lowes the only rider able to stay within touching distance. The pair touched fairings through the final chicane on Lap 5 and as they both lost exit speed, Fernandez was in place to capitalise for the lead.

The two Marc VDS riders began to gap Gardner who was increasingly reeled in by his teammate Raul Fernandez back in fourth. As Lowes and Augusto Fernandez exchanged punches, Gardner was invited to re-join the mix and claimed second on Lap 8.

Three swiftly became four as Raul Fernandez edged in ever closer on the group and caught up with 14 laps to go. Lowes did the leading while Augusto and Gardner exchanged positions and Raul looked content in fourth for the time being.

The VDMs looked to have an edge, now with Augusto in the lead, and unwilling to allow them to break, Raul claimed third and closed the gap back down. Gardner gradually lost ground with 10 laps remaining while his teammate Raul took second off Lowes.

Lowes too was unable to run the pace and the race turned into a Fernandez versus Fernandez shoot-out. Raul took the lead for the first time through T1 going into Lap 18 and immediately pulled the pin to grind out an advantage. His namesake fell back into the clutches of Lowes and Gardner who engaged in a fiercely contested battle for the podium positions.

Lowes started to struggle for grip with a few laps remaining and although he managed to cling on to Gardner and Fernandez, he was fighting with blunt edges. Gardner executed a clinical manoeuvre through T15 on the penultimate lap to claim P2 but was still under pressure from Augusto.

Raul Fernandez only had himself to beat and brought a comfortable advantage over the line. Gardner kept Augusto Fernandez behind him for P2 while Lowes was left without a chance in fourth. Bezzecchi was fifth ahead of Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Jorge Navarro (+EGO Speed Up) while Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Marcel Schrotter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) and Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) rounded out the top 10.

Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) took the flag in 11^th from Albert Arenas (Aspar Team Moto2) and Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP40) while the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team bikes of Thomas Luthi and Bo Bendsneyder bagged the final points on offer in 14^th and 15^th respectively.