Remy Gardner brought his Moto2 title dreams to within touching distance at Portimao with a dominant victory on the Algarve.
The KTM Ajo rider denied Raul Fernandez at mid-race distance with the rookie holding fast for second as he struggled with tyre life late on. Sam Lowes pushed from eighth to secure the final podium position, with the Elf Marc VDS man just running out of laps to make further progress.
The final race of the afternoon brought the final championship battle as Red Bull’s title fighting teammates lined up at the head of the Moto2 grid. Fernandez taking the advantage in qualifying with Gardner eager to turn the tables in the 23-lap race.
Warmer conditions than experienced all weekend found the grid deliberating over tyre choice with a near-equal spilt on soft and medium Dunlop rear options.
The leading duo maintained control as the lights went out, Marco Bezzecchi launching to third from seventh on the grid as Aron Canet headed Lowes in the top five. Cameron Beaubier sat sixth from Fabio Di Giannantonio with Xavi Vierge, Ai ogura and Augusto Fernandez completing the early top 10. Somkiat Chantra becoming the first faller of the race, at turn 13.
Fernandez pulled a half-second gap by the start of lap two, Bezzecchi homing in on Gardner in second as Beaubier got the better of Lowes for fifth. The American advancing to fourth moments later as Bezzecchi bettered the Australian and Albert Arenas crashed out. Joe Roberts running wide to avoid the stricken Aspar machine as he dropped to 24th.
The KTM rookie pulled the pin on lap three, building a nine-tenth gap to Bezzecchi, as Ogura fell from ninth position. Jake Dixon running just adrift of the points, in 16th, with five laps dispatched.
The opening pair maintained control on soft rubber as the trio in pursuit ran hard. Lowes capturing fifth from Canet as lap seven began before the Brit took fourth from the struggling Beaubier half way round. The American rider’s pace continued to fade as he dropped to eighth by the following lap, the second Marc VDS looking to strike as he battled with Di Giannantonio in seventh.
Gardner rose to second as Canet and Vierge squabbled for fifth, the pair repeatedly swapping positions with 15 laps to go, Beaubier and Fernandez doing likewise further back.
Dixon’s race concluded as lap 10 began, the Petronas rider crashing out at turn one while Beaubier regrouped to sixth back out front. Sepang Racing’s day went from bad to worse as Vierge followed Dixon into the opening corner gravel one lap later.
The championship leader took the advantage with 11 laps to go as Gardner claimed the lead, his rookie rival suffering for grip as the race entered the second half. A regrouped Beaubier bettering Canet for top five honours as Celestino Vietti moved up to eighth.
Bezzecchi also seemed to be struggling as he dropped over three seconds back from the duelling duo ahead. Lowes and Beaubier biting into the Italian’s advantage as their hard rear tyres came into their own with the American currently fastest on track.
Lowes sat firmly on the wheels of the Sky VR46 machine with eight laps to go, before claiming the podium position next time around. Vietti continuing his climb to seventh as he dispatched Di Giannantonio, Jorge Navarro doing likewise moments later.
Beaubier had fourth in his sights once again as lap 18 began, the move successful at turn five as Canet too dropped the struggling Bezzecchi into his teammate’s path.
Three to go and Fernandez’ tyre woes continued, Gardner pulling over a second gap to his season long rival with Lowes pushing exceptional pace. The Brit unfortunate to run out of laps in his bid to reel in the leaders as the race counted down.
Gardner cruised home to consolidate his title lead to an almost certain 23 points as Fernandez held off a hard-charging Lowes for the final podium places. Canet denied a brilliant ride from Beaubier to steal fourth by a mere 0.005s at the flag with Vietti sealing sixth from Navarro, and Bezzecchi.
Fernandez finished ninth ahead of Marcel Schrotter, Di Giannantonio, Hector Garzo and Stefano Manzi with Marco Ramirez and Bo Bendsneyder securing the final points.
