Moto2: Fernandez takes Mugello pole, Aldeguer impresses

Moto2 qualifying for the 2021 Italian Grand Prix got underway just as the rain began to fall in the Tuscan circuit. This created awkward conditions, where the willingness to take a risk and the ability to feel the grip in uncertain conditions could prove vital.

In Q1, Fermin Aldeguer announced himself to the World Championship. The 16-year-old Spaniard was running in the European STK600 class last year, which is a category within the European Moto2 Championship. With his stock Yamaha R6, Aldeguer was able to run with Moto2, earning himself a ride with Team Ciatti in European Moto2 for 2021, to ride their Speed Up. Aldeguer has won every European Moto2 race so far this season. MotoE commitments kept the Spaniard from replacing Yari Montella as Speed Up in Le Mans, which is why Alonso Lopez was present, but the absence of MotoE from the Mugello schedule freed up Aldeguer to race in Mugello for the first time, and in the World Championship for the first time, and he topped Q1. 

Behind Aldeguer were Somkiat Chantra, Marcos Ramirez and Bo Bendsneyder, who all also moved through to Q2.

In Q2, Raul Fernandez continued his incredible rookie year form. The #25 took his third pole position of the season and in somewhat dominant style, with over two tenths of a second back to Sam Lowes in second place. Completing the front row was Jorge Navarro with his best qualifying of the season.

It was a late lap that bumped Navarro up to third, and it knocked Remy Gardner back to fourth simultaneously. The Australian will start from the front of the second row, with Italians Fabio Di Giannantonio and Tony Arbolino alongside him; while Marco Bezzecchi will head up row three from Xavi Vierge and Marcel Schrotter. 

Joe Roberts completed the qualifying top 10, qualifying ahead of his teammate, Lorenzo Dalla Porta, who had his best Saturday of the season in 11th, while Ai Ogura was 12th. In 13th was Augusto Fernandez, ahead of Marcos Ramirez and the aforementioned Aldeguer; while Bo Bendsneyder, Aron Canet and Somkiat Chantra make up row six, Canet having crashed during the session.

Hector Garzo made a big save on the front in Bucine towards the end of the session in Q1, but was unable to get through to Q2 and will start from 19th, alongside Hafizh Syahrin and Simone Corsi on the seventh row. Corsi, and teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri, are looking much cooler than usually do this weekend, thanks to a deep-tone Italian tricolore one-off livery. 

Jake Dixon was eighth in Q1, meaning he will start from 22nd, ahead of Stefano Manzi and Nicolo Bulega on the eighth row; while the aforementioned Baldassarri will start from the front of row nine, alongside Cameron Beaubier and Tom Luthi. 

Barry Baltus qualified 28th, ahead of Celestino Vietti and Albert Arenas, who complete row 10; while Tomasso Marcon will complete the grid in 31st.