Lady luck shines on Roberts for first USA win in 32 years

Italtrans Racing's Joe Roberts is a Moto2™ winner at last after grabbing his golden opportunity in a red-flagged and hugely dramatic intermediate class encounter at the Tissot Grand Prix of Portugal. An isolated rain shower at Turn 2 caught out eleven riders, including the top six at that time, halfway through, which caused the red flags to come out. From the restart, Roberts took full advantage to take a debut win and the first for America in the intermediate class since John Kosinski in 1990. He was joined on the podium by a relived World Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing) and Jorge Navarro (FlexBox HP40)

PART 1: CANET VS BEAUBIER

American Racing's Cameron Beaubier made a lightning start from second on the grid to take the holeshot ahead of the poleman Aron Canet (FlexBox HP40). The former MotoAmerica Superbike king found a strong early pace as the rain flags began to wave. The light rain didn't deter Canet though, and he had just a little bit more pace than Beaubier. After a couple of laps of watching the American, he made his move at the opening corner.

Further back, Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was making progress through the field after taking a trip through the Long Lap Penalty loop for his misdemeanor at the Americas Grand Prix. The Thai rider's teammate, Ai Ogura, was also making progress, diving past Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) at Turn 3.

Then, on Lap 9, the leading trio of Canet, Beaubier and Ogura flicked it into Turn 2 and all three were spat off their bikes as heavier rain caught them all out. They were joined in the gravel trap seconds later by Chantra, Arbolino, Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing), Albert Arenas (Autosolar GasGas Aspar), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW Racing) and Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing). As a result, the red flag was shown immediately and the race halted.

PART 2: THE AMERICAN DREAM

None of the riders involved in the Turn 2 pile-up were able to take part in the 7-lap restart, meaning we had a revised grid of now just 18 riders. Autosolar GasGas Aspar Team's Jake Dixon fired from pole position and took the lead on the opening lap. But disaster struck for the Brit at Turn 7 when the front-end let go and his hopes of a debut Moto2™ win were dashed. 

That saw Roberts take over at the front and he quickly got his head down. The Californian was three seconds clear of the fight for second in the blink of an eye, before managing his nerves on the final couple of laps to take a historic win eleven years on from the last American Grand Prix victory and 32 years on from the last in the intermediate class.

Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing) also had his fair slice of fortune as he extended his title lead out to 34 points. The Italian managed to find a way through on Jorge Navarro (FlexBoxHP40) on the penultimate lap, before defending well on the final lap to secure his fourth podium in the opening five races of 2022. Navarro was delighted with third though, a first rostrum visit since Silverstone last year. Strong rides came in from Marcel Schrötter and Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 MasterCamp) to take fourth and fifth.

Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) ended up sixth after Fermin Aldeguer (Lightech Speed Up) was demoted a place to seventh on the final lap. Rounding out the top ten were Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Barry Baltus (RW Racing) and Gabriel Rodrigo (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team).

Moto2™ Portuguese GP Top 10:
1. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing)
2. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing) + 2.818
3. Jorge Navarro (FlexBox HP40) + 2.991
4. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 3.104
5. Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp) + 3.199
6. Jeremy Alocba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 3.821
7. Fermin Aldeguer (Lightech Speed Up) + 3.784*
8. Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) + 4.648
9. Barry Baltus (RW Racing) + 8.103
10. Gabriel Rodrigo (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) + 8.880