Red Bull KTM Ajo’s rookie Pedro Acosta rode into the history books on Sunday with victory in the Italian Moto2 GP.
Just four days after his 18th birthday, Acosta becomes the youngest ever intermediate class winner in just the eighth race of his Moto2 career. Italtrans’ Joe Roberts showcased his own impressive pedigree thanks to a stellar second with Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura completing the podium celebrations.
The second race of the day saw Pertamina Mandalika’s Gabriel Rodrigo withdrawn before the action even began due to pain in his right shoulder resulting from his Saturday crash. Flexbox HP40’s Aron Canet heading the grid from pole position with Acosta and Elf Marc VDS’ Sam Lowes alongside on the front row. Championship leader Celestino Vietti started his home race from fourth with Inde Aspar’s Mattia Pasini showcasing his impressive talent in fifth after four years away from full-time competition and two years since his last wildcard outing.
Lights out for 21 laps and Canet claimed the holeshot before Acosta took charge into the first corner. The Marc VDS duo locking out the top four as Tony Arbolino launched from eighth. Lowes up to second as the lap bedded in with Aspar’s Jake Dixon sitting tenth behind Vietti.
Roberts was running fifth as lap two began. The American quickly bettering Ogura and Pasini and on the tail of Arbolino as Canet got back through on Lowes in the podium fight.
Cameron Beaubier made moves on Dixon next time around as the American Racing rider joined the top ten. Vietti just 0.07s ahead as the Californian continued his charge. A major moment for Acosta allowed Canet through Arrabbiata two as Arbolino bettered his teammate shortly after.
Roberts was defending from Ogura on lap five as Vietti climbed to eighth over Jorge Navarro on the second Flexbox machine. Somkiat Chantra’s difficult weekend coming to an early end as the Honda crashed out at turn ten.
Lowes was back on the podium and Acosta back in charge with 16 to go as Vietti scalped Pasini for seventh. Roberts running impressive pace as he looked to hunt down the Marc VDS pair while Red Bull Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez struggled back in 18th.
Ogura was though to fifth and Arbolino captured third down the home straight as lap seven got underway. Pasini fading as Beaubier claimed ninth from the veteran Italian and immediately gapping him by half a second.
The leading duo upped the pace on lap eight as they pushed to break free of the Elf riders behind. Ogura gaining the advantage on Lowes for fourth as Acosta maintained his two-tenth advantage over Canet out front before the Honda made his move for podium contention with 12 to go.
Dixon bettered his experienced wildcard teammate in the top ten at the halfway stage as Arbolino struck back at Ogura. Half a second the gap to bridge for the Italian to the duo out front as Vietti reeled in the leading group.
Marcos Ramirez crashed the MV Agusta out of the final corner with ten to go. Lorenzo Dalla Porta doing likewise next time around.
Lowes lost out to both Roberts and Vietti as lap 13 played out and the series leader built momentum. Canet crashing out of Bucine with Acosta gifted a 1.7s second lead.
The pack continued to shuffle as Vietti strove for the podium alongside Roberts, the American running second with eight laps to go as Ogura dropped to fourth.
Acosta’s dominance sat at 2.5s with six laps remaining. Roberts defending hard from Vietti with Ogura firmly in check as Arbolino and Lowes bickered in fifth and sixth. Dixon headed the second group, five seconds adrift of his countryman with Beaubier, Alonzo Lopez and Fernandez behind and rounding out the top ten.
The interterm battle continued on the edge of the top five as Lowes and Arbolino continued to swap places as the laps counted down. Arbolino challenging again with three to go and taking out Lowes for his fifth DNF in a row. Vietti suffering a technical moments later for his own heartbreaking home no score.
The drama promoted Dixon to fifth with two laps to go, Fernandez and Beaubier behind in the top seven before the Ajo rider challenged the Brit for position.
Fernandez sat fourth as the final lap began with teammate Acosta firmly in charge out front. The rookie securing history as the youngest intermediate class winner from Roberts and Ogura with Arbolino clinching fourth by a mere 0.015s at the flag from Fernandez.
Dixon secured sixth from Beaubier, Lopez, Marcel Schrotter and Albert Arenas with Bo Bendsneyder, Navarro, Filip Salac, Fermin Aldeguer and Pasini collecting the final points.
