The Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon has set the fastest Moto2™ lap of the weekend so far after FP3 at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich. Six different riders held top spot during the final eight minutes of the session, but it was Dixon who went quickest of all with a 1:34.016 around the Red Bull Ring - Spielberg. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) was among those six and while he could not reclaim the ascendancy with his final laps, the man who is second in the title race closed to just 0.005 seconds off the pace set by the Briton. Third went to Albert Arenas, who set a 1:34.097 on the other Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team entry, with Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), World Championship leader Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) rounding out a top six covered by only 0.172 seconds.
A superb late charge to claim P1 ????@jakedixonracing will lead the charge into Q2 this afternoon ????️????#AustrianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/gBUxOIWITA
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) August 20, 2022
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) earned a spot in Q2 on his return weekend from injury, claiming seventh, ahead of long-time FP3 pace-setter Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™), and Flexbox HP40 team-mates Aron Canet and Jorge Navarro. Canet was one of three World Championship contenders who had a serious struggle on their hands to make the cut, but all got into the top 14 – just. Former Championship leader Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) managed to claim 13th with a 1:34.466 on his last lap, meaning Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) snuck through in 14th on a 1:34.490.
Also into Q2 are Alonso Lopez (CAG Speed Up) in 11th and Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP) in 12th, while Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) missed out on a berth in the top 14 by 0.078 seconds. Keminth Kubo (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) finished up 29th on the timesheet after a mid-session spill at Turn 4 – rider okay.
The action hots up even more with Q1 later on Saturday at 15:10 (GMT +2)!
Moto2™ Combined Top 10:
1. Jake Dixon (Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team) – 1:34.016
2. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.005
3. Albert Arenas (Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.081
4. Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.133
5. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.166
6. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.172
7. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.264
8. Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™) + 0.281
9. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) + 0.304
10. Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40) + 0.342