Manuel González won more than just the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera. The #18 has also kept his Moto2 Championship hopes alive with a much-needed points boost in the standings. But while one LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP succeeded, another was taken out after a strong weekend. Read on for all the action in our Moto2 race and weekend report of the San Marino GP.
González Tops the Board in FP1
The grid was full as the Moto2 weekend began at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. This included another wildcard race weekend for Marcos Ramírez at Klint Forward Racing. Riders had a few moments in Free Practice 1 as they got their bearings around the track. Iván Ortolá almost came unstuck on the wet track surface coming through Turn 2. González and Filip Salač got a little too close for comfort at Turn 15.
But it was González who had the pace, clocking in a lap of 1:35.677. His LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP teammate, Senna Agius, beat that time by a tenth of a second. The order switched again as González recorded a final time attack of 1:35.031. Meanwhile, last year’s San Marino GP winner Celestino Vietti crashed down at Turn 1. Xabi Zurutuza also ended his session early in the gravel with a nasty slide and tumble at Turn 15.
Agius Puts in Flying Result During Practice Session
David Alonso may have been caught yawning in the CFMoto Aspar Team box, but he was wide awake on track. The #80 rider jumped up to the top spot as times in the 1:34s started rolling in.
Collin Veijer got all bent out of shape at Turn 4. Salač disrupted Ramírez and exchanged a few hand waves in apology and frustration, respectively. Tony Arbolino also got in Alonso’s way through Turn 13. The #14 did not realise the Colombian rider was directly behind him.
Agius was all business as he started making ground. With six minutes remaining on the clock, the Australian rider put in a stunning flying lap to secure a new all-time lap record of 1:34.142.
However, the pressure to move up the board started to take its toll. Joe Roberts and Adrián Huertas made contact, with the latter coming off in a high-speed crash. The FIM stewards investigated the incident immediately, but took no further action. José Antonio Rueda had a massive highside at Turn 6, looking a little rattled but otherwise fine.
Arbolino Clinches Fastest Time in FP2
As is customary at San Marino, riders got creative with their helmet designs. Vietti took inspiration from the popular Japanese manga and anime, One Piece, with One Celin written on the back. Barry Baltus decided on a more traditional approach, sporting a Roberto Locatelli replica helmet.
Lap times continued to improve in the relatively quiet session. Riders were waiting for the track to dry out. Arón Canet, Ortolá, Mario Suryo Aji, Alonso López, and Huertas were up in the top five. But Arbolino came up to P1 with a time attack of 1:35.207. His best lap of the session was a whole second slower than the record-breaking time from Agius on Friday. Even so, Arbolino looked pleased with his efforts as he and Alonso did wheelies on the straight.
Rueda ended his FP2 down at Turn 14, a much less dramatic crash than the highside from the previous day.
Agius Claims Pole Position in Electric Moto2 Qualifying
There was certainly no time wasted for riders battling it out in the Moto2 Q1 session. Both Italtrans Racing Team riders were up into the top four straight away. However, Huertas had his lap time cancelled due to track limits. Rueda’s chances at moving forward were dashed with his third crash of the weekend. In the final minutes, Álex Escrig clocked a fantastic final sector while Daniel Muñoz set the fastest time of the session. Both moved up to Q2, along with Roberts and Huertas.
Another 15 minutes on the board and the competition for pole was immediately underway. González quickly moved to the top and beat his teammate’s lap record with a 1:34.084. Muñoz had his best time attack cancelled for going on the green at Turn 16. And Baltus held on to his bucking REDS Fantic Racing machine at Turn 6.
Agius wouldn’t let anyone beat his record, not even his teammate. Twice, the #81 rider put a lap into the 1:33s, blitzing past González, Muñoz, and Daniel Holgado. The Australian finished the session on pole and with the all-time lap record once again in his name.
However, not everyone finished the session on a positive note. Alberto Ferrández and Alonso came down together at Turn 10. The #54 crashed right in front of the #80 with no way to avoid the incident. Both were up in the gravel trap, but did not set a qualifying lap.
Drama From the Start in Sunday Feature Race
Before the race got underway, major penalties reshuffled the grid. Izan Guevara received a 6-place grid penalty for riding slow online and disturbing Agius. Ferrández was handed a 3-place grid penalty for the incident with Alonso. Arbolino and Huertas each received a 9-place grid penalty.
It was a disastrous start for the front row, with all three coming together and crashing at Turn 1. Holgado looked to have the lead before Ángel Piqueras tapped his rear tyre and then ricocheted into Agius.
Luca Lunetta also didn’t finish the first lap in a separate incident. The beneficiaries of the first-corner crash, Veijer, González, and Ortolá, stormed ahead. Alonso had his own scary moment, staying upright but dropping a few places.
González, now given a golden opportunity to extend his championship lead, slowly pulled ahead. Meanwhile, Zurutuza ended his Moto2 race down at Turn 14. While this was happening on the track, Piqueras made his way to apologise to Agius. The Australian was clearly frustrated with the #36 for trying the same move MotoGP rider Marc Márquez pulled on Saturday.
Salač had all the pace to fight for a podium. But a mechanical or technical issue sent him straight into the gravel at Turn 10. He then retired from the race. Both Baltus and Muñoz received a long lap infringement for exceeding track limits. They served the penalty, with Baltus still maintaining P3.
González was also given a warning that he was in danger of being handed his own long lap. Further down the order, things heated up between López and Vietti. Sergio García was the next rider to be penalised, while the gap between the front two riders increased with a few laps to go.
In the final lap, it looked like the race standings for the podium spots would remain unchanged. Sure enough, González crossed the line on one wheel to win the San Marino GP.