An early slice of drama into the Moto2 title deciding weekend, then. Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) will be battling it out in Q1 on Saturday afternoon at the Grand Prix of Valencia after finishing Friday’s Practice session in P19, while title rival Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) sails into Q2 with a P10 result on Day 1. Meanwhile, despite a late tumble, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) led the way with a 1:32.408, with Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Daniel Muñoz (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top three.
Moments after going fastest, Holgado was forced to lay his Triumph-Kalex machine down in the gravel at Turn 2 after a mistake under brakes, which meant both CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team riders crashed in Practice after David Alonso’s earlier off.
Holgado held the lead heading into the final three minutes, but Moreira found himself in P17. On his penultimate lap, the Brazilian couldn’t find an improvement, so it all came down to the Championship leader’s final lap of the session. And again, a time good enough for Q2 didn’t come. A Friday shock in the Moto2 title race, with Moreira in Q1 for the first time since the Czech GP.
Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) – after a heavy crash on the exit of Turn 4 in FP1 – and the impressive Alex Escrig (KLINT Forward Factory Team) rounded out the fastest five on Day 1, as attention now turns to Q1 on Saturday afternoon.
Joining Moreira in the first part of qualifying are the likes of 2025 Grand Prix winners Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) and Alonso, and with the times so tight on Day 1, the rider at the top of the standings summit has an uphill climb heading into the weekend.
Tune into Moto2 qualifying at 13:40 local time to see if Moreira can salvage a good grid slot for Sunday’s title showdown.