Mooney VR46 celebrated a maiden Moto2 victory for Celestino Vietti in Qatar after a dominant performance from pole.
The second VR46 Riders Academy win of the day, alongside the recent arrival of team owner Valentino Rossi’s new daughter, meant the jubilation was clear to see for the Italian squad. Vietti crossing the line 6.154s ahead of Pons racer Aron Canet with Sam Lowes securing a hard-fought third place in the final seconds.
The second race of 2022 saw Moto3 Champion Pedro Acosta take on the intermediate class for the first time as the KTM Ajo rider lined up in tenth. VR46 rider Vietti took command as the grid prepared with Elf Marc VDS Tony Arbolino and Lowes locking out the remainder of the front row in second and third. Fellow Brit Jake Dixon sat seventh, and on the harder option rear Dunlop, as the lights prepared for the 20-lap race.
Lights out and Augusto Fernandez got the better of his former teammate off the line, Lowes dropping to eighth as the pack swallowed him up in the first corner melee. Turn one contact sending Aldeguer wide with the fall out forcing Dixon to sit his Aspar up and Acosta onto the run off as the pair dropped down the pack to 18th and 22nd respectively.
Vietti maintained control as Arbolino and Canet took second and third. Honda’s Ai Ogura overcoming Fernandez’ KTM for fourth and fifth with Filip Salac and Joe Roberts narrowly behind.
A highside at turn five saw Salac crash out on lap three, Lowes advancing to sixth over Roberts as countryman Cameron Beaubier made his way into the top ten, in ninth. The American Racing rider was on the move as the race unfolded, up to seventh two laps later and just over a second off the back of Lowes as he ran low 1’59 pace.
Vietti carved a near-one-second lead at quarter distance with Canet doing likewise over third-place rider Arbolino. Ogura denying the Marc VDS rookie moments later as the man he replaced, Fernandez also prepared to attack.
Arbolino fought his way back to the final podium position with 13 laps to go, Canet two-seconds ahead with Ogura, Fernandez and Lowes narrowly behind. Jorge Navarro headed the two Americans from seventh with Marcel Schrotter holding tenth despite the German’s broken hand. Dixon two seconds further back in 11th despite obvious podium pace
A mistake at turn six sent Arbolino wide as the trio behind capitalised quickly, the Italian regrouping from sixth and behind his Marc VDS teammate at the halfway stage as the Honda/KTM battle brewed for third.
Lowes locked himself firmly in the mix as lap 12 began, taking fourth from Fernandez as he set his sights on Ogura. The Japanese rider the sole front runner on the harder option rear tyre.
Acosta recovered his KTM to 13th as the second half played out, Dixon unable to advance from 11th as Lowes made moves on the podium and captured third with eight to go. A five-second gap separated the Brit from the duo out front as his concentration remained on the tight group behind him with Ogura looking to challenge once again two laps later.
Four laps to go and Arbolino and Fernandez began to bicker for fifth as the Americans did likewise for eighth further back. Vietti three seconds out front with Canet extending his second-place advanced to almost six seconds over Ogura. Italtrans’ Lorenzo Dalla Porta retiring from the race in the dying stages.
The four-rider battle for third raged on as the race counted down, the quartet inseparable as the penultimate lap began with Ogura holding off Lowes by less than a tenth as the Brit faced a track limits warning. Fernandez sliding up the inside halfway round.
Vietti took the flag over six seconds clear with Canet claiming an easy second. Lowes stealing the podium celebrations after Ogura and Fernandez came together on the final corner with the Honda dropping to sixth after losing the front. Arbolino settled for fifth in the closing chaos with Navarro seventh. Roberts bettering Beaubier for eight and ninth with Schrotter rounding out the top ten.
Dixon’s comeback concluded in 11th with Acosta behind but seven seconds adrift. Albert Arenas, Jeremy Alcoba, and Romano Fenati completed the points finishers.
