Sam Lowes starts the opening Moto2 race of 2021 from pole position after a commanding performance in Saturday’s qualifying.

There was little doubt who was in charge in the intermediate class as Lowes commanded the times from the start of the 15-minute Q2 session. Rookie Raul Fernandez, the only rider to come close, in similarly imposing style, to close the session second and just over a tenth off the Brits pace. Bo Bendsneyder completed the front row with a late charge as he demoted Marco Bezzecchi for third.

Moto2 qualification began in somewhat unwanted style with two massive crashes, for Simone Corsi and Marcos Ramirez - both riders falling on hot laps and looking pained as they left the track heading for the medical centre. Barry Baltus already passed unfit after his FP3 accident due to a left wrist fracture is not expected back until Jerez.

Ai Ogura was the first to claim the top-spot with a 1’59.498 before the times began to tumble, Fabio Di Giannantonio holding court with just two minutes to go from Celestino Vietti and Somkiat Chantra. Lorenzo Dalla Porta held the final coveted Q2 promotion place as the clock counted down with challenges from Augusto Fernandez and Cameron Beaubier failing to land as the flag came out.

Ogura will start his first Moto2 race from 19th on Sunday’s grid with Ramirez and Fernandez for company. Beaubier claimed 22nd for his debut race back on the world stage, heading Albert Arenas and Stefano Manzi on row eight, with Hector Garzo, Lorenzo Baldassarri, Yari Montella, Hafizh Syahrin and Simone Corsi completing the grid.

Green lights signalled the start of Q2 as Lowes and last year’s pole-man, Joe Roberts, headed out under the cover of night for the 15-minute session. The first shuffle found Lowes leading Jake Dixon in the standings before the Marc VDS man had his time deleted due to track limit infringements.

Eight minutes to go and it was the KTM’s in command, as Remy Gardner headed rookie teammate Fernandez before Lowes hit back with another authoritative 1’58.7 lap. Fellow Brit, Dixon emulated his countryman by returning to the top, this time in second, before Bendsneyder dropped him to third.

Bezzecchi was the next to challenge, again slotting into second as Lowes maintained his lead with a three-tenth margin. Dixon dropped off the front row to sit fourth ahead of Di Giannantonio before the times shuffled once again.

The KTM duo were back working in tandem as they locked out the front row, still behind Lowes, but there was further disappointment for Gardner as his time too was deleted. Roberts raised his game, to sit fifth as the Australian joined him on the second row, with Dixon forced to settle for seventh.

The flag dropped with Xavi Vierge sitting on the deck at turn 10 after a fast highside, the yellow flags impeding on any hot laps underway. Lowes claimed pole, 0.14s from an equally impressive Fernandez with Bendsneyder completing the front row. Bezzecchi, Roberts and Gardner maintained their second row positions with Dixon heading row three from Di Giannantonio and Jorge Navarro. Celestino Vietti starts his first Moto2 race from the head of row four alongside Nicolò Bulega and Aron Canet, with Marcel Schrotter, Dalla Porta, Vierge, Chantra, Tom Luthi and Tony Arbolino completing the set.