Raul Fernandez recovered for a sensational sixth win in Moto2 at Misano on Sunday ahead of Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Remy Gardner.
The newly-crowned ‘rookie of the year’ had a fight on his hands in the final lap as the Australian challenged throughout, with the rising star holding fast despite increasing pain levels in his injured right hand. Aron Canet featuring at the front throughout the contest before collecting third at home in the closing stages.
Moto2’s 25-lap race got underway on dry conditions but with heavy threatening clouds. Raul Fernandez launching from pole, after his morning crash, and maintaining control as the opening lap unfolded, Sam Lowes holding hard on his wheels before taking the lead half way round. His Marc VDS teammate dropping to seventh from the end of the front row.
Canet was the biggest mover as he joined the podium fight in third, Xavi Vierge sitting fourth from Marco Bezzecchi with Gardner down in sixth after the latter three battled for position.
Jorge Navarro found himself down In 14th after a dreadful start from sixth, a similar story finding Jake Dixon circulating in 29th.
Lowes pushed the pace as he looked to maintain control, Simone Corsi bringing out the yellow flags in sector one as he crashed out at turn four.
The gap out front extended to over half a second as lap four began, Canet honing in on the KTM in second as Vierge began to lose touch. Fernandez succumbing to the Aspar rider as the Italian set a fastest lap.
Gardner was up to fourth next time around, albeit over a second back off his Ajo teammate, as Vierge fell into the clutches of Bezzecchi behind. Navarro receiving a long lap penalty for irresponsible riding and causing Corsi’s earlier crash.
Canet was reeling in Lowes out front as the pair circulated less than two-tenths apart, the Italian taking the lead of his home race as lap eight neared its completion after Lowes ran wide at turn 14. The Brit seemed to be in trouble as he was immediately picked off by Fernandez as the next lap began and the gap instantly extended to six-tenths.
Gardner could smell the podium by lap 10 as he neared his early-season sparring partner, the top-eight bunching together as Ai Ogura picked up the pace further back.
The top-two pairs were split by just two-tenths each at mid-race distance, Bezzecchi bettering Vierge for fifth as Ogura took a look at Augusto Fernandez for seventh.
Yari Montella and Barry Baltus crashing out at turns three and 14 respectively with 13 laps to go.
The battle for the lead lit back up as Fernandez took a shot at Canet, the rookie finally making the move stick with 11 to go. The top four were almost inseparable as the action continued, Gardner making his own play for the podium two laps later as Lowes was dropped to fourth.
Further back Dixon was back up to a rather solitary 21st, Cameron Beaubier running a second adrift with Nicolò Bulega the same again in front.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta crashed out with five to go with the Italian looking to have suffered a potential collarbone fracture in the aftermath.
The battle for the lead intensified again as the race neared its climax, Canet upping the pace as he hunted for a home win while Fernandez breached track limits as he tried to defend.Gardner putting himself into contention as he too picked up speed.
Somkiat Chantra suffered a late fall as lap 23 completed, Gardner taking second from Canet as the penultimate lap began with his KTM teammate pulling a seventh-tenth gap out front.
Fernandez brought the Orange Kalex home, for his sixth victory despite his injured hand and his determined teammate hassling hard in the closing stages. Gardner secured second despite a late moment with Canet completing the podium at his home race.
Lowes was forced to settle for another fourth from Bezzecchi and fellow Marc VDS man Fernandez with Ogura heading Vierge in the top eighth. Fabio Di Giannantonio ran a subdued race by the Gresini rider’s standards in ninth coming home ahead of Celestino Vietti, Tom Luthi and Marcel Schrotter. Navarro, Marcos Ramirez and Tony Arbolino completing the points positions with Dixon finding the flag in 19th.
