Flexbox HP40’s Aron Canet claimed his second Moto2 pole position of the season with a 1’51.121 lap at Mugello.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta and Marc VDS’ Sam Lowes completed the front row celebrations with Jake Dixon rounding out row three just half a second back.
Marc VDS’ Tony Arbolino was in the hunt for promotion as intermediate qualifying began in Tuscany. The Italian sitting fourth after his first flying laps, behind Speed Up’s Alonso Lopez, Mattia Pasini and Marcel Schrotter on the Intact GP. The Aspar wildcard was in charge next time around with a 1’51.872 with the second Speed Up of Fermin Aldeguer narrowly adrift in fifth.
Idemitsu Honda’s Somkiat Chantra lost out at the end of a personal best as he rose to seventh. Schrotter upping the pace in the penultimate minute before he too faded in the closing sectors. Late improvements saw Pasini, Aldeguer and Arbolino consolidate the top three with Lopez in the danger zone as the chequered flag came out. The two Italians securing first and second with their final efforts as Marcos Ramirez claimed the final promotion spot in the dying seconds.
Q2 began with Acosta leading the way on 1’51.357 pace with the Aspar pair of Pasini and Dixon behind. Canet and Lowes muscled their way into contention shortly after, with the top trio separated by just 0.15s, with Barry Baltus in sixth. Arbolino maintained his Q1 momentum as he pushed to fifth on his fourth lap of the final session, splitting the GasGas machines three-tenths off the outright target with Celestino Vietti narrowly behind in seventh.
Canet was the next to take charge with a 1’51.121 as both Acosta and Lowes consolidated their front row pace. Ai Ogura aiming for a second row start as he found his way to fifth with Dixon heading the championship leader on row three.
Vietti was on the move in the final minute as the Mooney VR46 man claimed fourth. Cameron Beaubier failing to find his rhythm on the American Racing as the flag prepared, from 18th. His countryman’s last effort found more momentum as Joe Roberts advanced the Italtrans to seventh with the pack remaining as is in the closing stages.
Canet claimed pole from Acosta and Lowes with Vietti heading Pasini and Ogura on row two. Roberts, Arbolino and Dixon sat seventh to ninth with RW Racing’s Baltus in tenth. Lorenzo Dalla Porta and Jorge Navarro completed row four from Albert Arenas, Augusto Fernandez and Aldeguer with Ramirez, Bo Bendsneyder and Beaubier rounding out the pack.
