Red Bull KTM took its sixth Moto2 pole of 2021 at Assen as Raul Fernandez ran lap record pace to head the Dutch GP grid for the fourth time in his rookie career.

Denied a new all-time lap record by just one-hundredth of a second, the Spaniard was challenged in the closing stages by teammate Remy Gardner, securing another one-two for the Ajo squad. Sam Lowes completed the front row, just three-tenths adrift of the orange duo, while Jake Dixon concluded his qualifying day in 22nd.

Dixon was fighting for promotion as Q1 began for the Moto2 class. The Brit heading his Petronas teammate in sixth and seventh as Aron Canet took charge of the standings with a 1’37.3 on his opening effort.

Local rider Bo Bendsneyder sat P1 next time around as the pace advanced to 1’36.775, Dixon improving to fourth and the gatekeeper to Q2, four-tenths down. Canet and Simone Corsi held second and third with Hector Garzo claiming fourth in the closing five minutes. The Americans, Cameron Beaubier and Joe Roberts, seemingly struggling in 12th and 13th before the latter improved two positions.

Marcos Ramirez entered the top-four in the penultimate minute, capturing third with Roberts matching him, 0.013s ahead, moments later.

Closing efforts saw Dixon bail out of a personal best in the final sector as the flag prepared with one more shot ahead as he pushed to advance from eighth. It wasn’t to be, however, and the 25-year-old starts 22nd for tomorrow’s race, with a long lap penalty also in the mix.

There was further heartbreak for Roberts as Albert Arenas and Garzo captured third and fourth in the dying seconds, the Italtrans rider demoted to fifth and lining up 19th on Sunday’s grid, with his own long lap penalty to boot. Bendsneyder and Canet safe at the top as they looked ahead to final session.

Fernandez, Lowes and Marco Bezzecchi controlled the front row spots as the opening laps registered for Q2, the standings shuffling again as the second hot-laps came in with Canet joining the party as the Sky rider dropped dramatically to 13th. Garzo, Ai Ogura and Jorge Navarro sat fourth to sixth with the trio separated by just 0.014s and Gardner a further tenth back, in seventh.

Bezzecchi continued to struggle as the session wound down, Celestino Vietti rising to 11th on the second Sky machine as Gardner finally took his shot at pole. The Australian losing out to the rookie sensation seconds later as Fernandez skimmed the lap record with a 1’36.356.

Navarro crashed out in the first sector in the final minute as Augusto Fernandez denied his teammate the front row in the dying seconds. Lowes dropping to fourth before being reinstated as the Spaniard’s time was deleted due to the flying yellow flags.