Intact GP’s Tony Arbolino completed Saturday’s FP3 at the top of the Moto2 times after a more sedate session due to challenging conditions in Italy.
Marco Bezzecchi and Augusto Fernandez claimed second and third with the Marc VDS rider maintaining his place at the head of the overall standings due to the wet weather.
Moto2’s final practice got going without Joe Roberts after the American broke his collarbone in Friday’s FP2 turn three crash. The Italtrans rider hoping to be back at Portimao for the final two races.
Jake Dixon topped the times in the opening minutes with a 1’50.100, Bezzecchi bettering with his fourth lap before the Brit hit back once again thanks to a 1’49.7. Remy Gardner took third while the leading pair continued to battle, Friday’s fastest man Fernandez sat fourth from namesake and birthday boy Raul Fernandez - who turns 21 today.
The midsession saw progress from Arbolino, to third, while Stefano Manzi and Jorge Navarro claimed seventh and eighth, before the times shuffled again. Marc VDS were on the move as Fernandez rose to second and Sam Lowes took seventh with Xavi Vierge narrowly behind. The Petronas rider improved next time round, as he joined his teammate Dixon in fifth and sixth.
Arbolino and Nicolò Bulega sat second and third as the second half began, but with times vastly down on Friday afternoon the top three remained outside of the Q2 promotion places.
Lowes fine-tuned his pace on his 12th and 13th lap as he made his way up the standings, sitting sixth with 12 minutes to go, to match his place in the overall times. Fernandez advancing to circulate half a second down on front runner Bezzecchi in the closing minutes.
The final shuffle saw the top two demoted by Arbolino and Ktm’s Fernandez rising to dorth at the flag. Navarro was trailed by Aron Canet and Somkiat Chantra while Garzo, Celestino Vietti and Gardner headed Dixon, Bulega and Vierge with Lowes down in 19th. Although Friday’s times still stood in regard to Q2 promotion.
