It’s a new Mugello Moto2™ lap record for Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Spanish rookie set a 1:50.616 to head teammate Remy Gardner in FP3 at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) is third quickest as the leading trio are in a league of their own ahead of qualifying.
The flying @25RaulFernandez is the man in FP3! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) May 29, 2021
Teammate @GardnerRemy and @SamLowes_22 are hot on his heels though! ⚔️#Moto2 | #ItalianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/me9j75fKHY
Raul Fernandez, Gardner, Lowes: half a second clear of the rest
It was Lowes who slammed in the fastest lap of the weekend straight out the blocks in FP3 and for pretty much the whole session, the Briton sat over half a second clear of anyone else. Raul Fernandez clawed Lowes’ advantage down to just under a tenth though with seven minutes to go as both were under lap record pace, with Raul Fernandez then going top by 0.177s. Gardner then joined teammate Fernandez and Lowes in the ballpark to split the two, these three riders are looking in formidable form at Mugello.
The bar is raised even higher! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) May 29, 2021
All in a day's work for @25RaulFernandez! ????#Moto2 | #ItalianGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/DJSjzlmwex
The Q2 qualifiers
Despite a late crash at Turn 12, Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) sits P4 ahead of Italy’s Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) in fifth. Marcel Schrötter is sixth at the end of Free Practice and leads rookie teammate Tony Arbolino by just 0.004s, the latter is seventh ahead of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – that’s your top 10.
The other four riders heading straight into the second part of qualifying are Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46), rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team).
Tune into Moto2™ qualifying at 15:10 local time (GMT+2).
Top 10 combined:
1. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:50.616
2. Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.154
3. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.177
4. Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) + 0.728
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) + 0.808
6. Marcel Schrotter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.873
7. Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.877
8. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.882
9. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.948
10. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 1.035
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