It was a dramatic finish to the Moto2 Practice session at TT Circuit Assen, with Filip Salač leading the fourteen other riders into Q2. The Czech rider set an all-time lap record of 1:34.869 despite the numerous late-stage crashes bringing out yellow flag conditions in several sectors.
Less Practice Time, More Pressure
The Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands is the perfect location for another Moto2 battle. With the championship points between first and second still in the single digits, every lap time counted. There was even more pressure due to the delayed start and reduced morning Free Practice 1 session time following the track’s clearance after the Moto3 incident. World Championship leader Manuel González finished that session second behind Folladore Speedrs Team rider Alonso López. With the track drying quickly despite the cool weather, the conditions were primed and ready for a fast Practice session.
Forty Minutes for Fourteen Riders to Advance
All was smooth sailing for all the Moto2 riders when, suddenly, a massive plume of smoke started billowing out of Jake Dixon’s bike. Thankfully, there was no repeat of the earlier morning session, and the session continued without any oil spills. It did mean that the British rider’s session was over. However, he maintained his one-lap time, which advanced him to Q2.
A name we hadn’t seen pop up at the top in quite a while was Tony Arbolino. He found himself leading the session at one point, but González, in a predictable fashion, was able to put in a faster lap. Joe Roberts, Arón Canet, and Filip Salač also maintained their positions within the Top 10 as the session had less than fifteen minutes remaining.
Yellow Flags Out
Celestino Vietti and Darryn Binder both crashed in consecutive incidents, bringing out the yellow flags and cancelling many fast laps. With less than five minutes to the end of the session, riders raced back to begin the laps again and maximise the remaining time. Daniel Holgado and David Alonso had a near miss right before Jorge Navarro and Barry Baltus came off in separate crashes, setting off another yellow flag mess. With a minute left, Albert Arenas became another victim of the Cathedral of Speed.
Moto2 Q2 Advancers
- Filip Salač
- Arón Canet
- Manuel González
- Tony Arbolino
- Iván Ortolá
- Joe Roberts
- Izan Guevara
- Jake Dixon
- Marcos Ramírez
- Alonso López
- Diogo Moreira
- Senna Agius
- Celestino Vietti
- Albert Arenas
It’s looking like another action-packed weekend for the Moto2 World Championship at TT Circuit Assen. Some riders will be investigated and sanctioned for crashing under yellow flag conditions, which is considered unsafe and irresponsible riding. Home heroes Zonta van den Goorbergh and Collin Veijer both struggled in the session and will have to battle through in Q1. Will we finally see a Dutch winner for the first time in 36 years? Or will González continue to extend his championship lead? Look out for more action to come over the next 48 hours.