Chantra ends Friday fastest and denies Roberts the top spot

The #35 was the fastest at the end of Friday ahead of Roberts and Aldeguer with the top three separated by less than one-tenth

Moto2™ action resumed at the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo with an intense Practice 1 which gave riders their first chance to fight for direct entry to Q2. Ending Friday fastest and with some added confidence was Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) – after setting a 1:50.841. However, it was tight at the top with Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) ending Friday a mere 0.011s behind in second position. Meanwhile, it was good day for Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp), who after finishing fastest on Friday morning, took third at the end of the day and continues to look competitive at Mugello.

Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) and Roberts shared the top spot throughout the opening stage of the session before Chantra began to improve. However, for Jaume Masia (Pertamina Mandalika GAS UP Team) there would be a small issue during Practice 1 – losing his brake guard on the front straight. Then later in the session, it would be a tough end to Mario Aji’s (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) day after crashing during the last 10 minutes of Practice 1 on the exit of Correntaio.

Taking fourth and coming back after a tough morning was Alonso Lopez, who completed a solid starting point for the MB Conveyors SpeedUp squad. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) rounded out the top five as he continues to search for his second victory of the season. Canet was ahead of RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP’s Barry Baltus who took a strong sixth as Moto2™ continues to be as competitive as ever. Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was seventh – setting 16 laps across Practice 1 and ahead of the Championship leader after Garcia could not improve late in the session - finishing in eighth.

Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) had an incredible save at the final corner to take ninth, in front of Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), who rounded out the top 10. Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Celestino Vietti was 11th ahead of Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team). The final spot inside the top 14 went the way of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with some big names missing, including CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team’s Izan Guevara and Jake Dixon – the latter down in 25th.

The Moto2™ category will return to track at 9:25 local time (UTC +2) on Saturday before an unpredictable qualifying at 13:45 local time, so make sure you don’t miss anything on motogp.com!

Top 10:

1 Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) 1:50.841
2 Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) +0.011
3 Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp)   +0.075
4 Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp)   +0.087
5 Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) +0.136
6 Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) +0.215
7 Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team)  +0.223
8 Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets - MSI) +0.278
9 Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team)  +0.407
10 Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™)  +0.534

 

FULL RESULTS!

 

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