Fernandez pips Lecuona to Moto2™ FP1 top spot in Spielberg

FlexBox HP40’s Augusto Fernandez is the early pacesetter in Moto2™ at the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich after edging 0.046 of a second clear of American Racing KTM’s Iker Lecuona, who remained inside the top two despite a late crash.

Fernandez and Lecuona were a part of an extremely tight top four with Marcel Schrötter, another of the riders to have crashed, ending third, 0.072 adrift, and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Brad Binder ending fourth, himself 0.095 behind Fernandez’s lap.

Incidentally, at their home Grand Prix, both factory KTM riders, Binder and Jorge Martin, have reverted back to the chassis that they started the season on, with further development on the chassis that debuted in Brno taking place at the intermediate class Official Test on Monday.

SKY Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini completed the top five ahead of fellow Italians Mattia Pasini (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) and Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP40). Beta Tools Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro had a crash halfway through the session, as did teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio, but closed the opening Moto2™ session ahead of title leader Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team).

The competition looks extremely competitive in the intermediate class this weekend with the top 25 riders covered by just 0.970 of a second. FP2 at the Red Bull Ring closes today’s action later today at 15:10 (GMT+2).

Top 10:
1. Augusto Fernandez (FlexBox HP 40) – 1:29.264
2. Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM) + 0.046
3. Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.072
4. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.095
5. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.188
6. Mattia Pasini (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) + 0.190
7. Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.198
8. Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up) + 0.261
9. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 0.273
10. Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.295

Click here for the full results!