Fermin Aldeguer wins as Aron Canet settles for another second place as home rider Senna Agius gets his first Grand Prix career podium

Fermin Aldeguer was on pole position for the Australian Moto2 Grand Prix, joining the Beta Tools SpeedUp rider on the front row of the grid was Fantic Racing’s Aron Canet and Aldeguer’s team-mate Alonso Lopez.

Canet got the hole shot into turn one, Jake Dixon and Dennis Foggia collided at turn two and both went down. Lopez took the lead by the end of the opening lap.

Ai Ogura who had his first match point of the season was running in fifth place meaning the championship would roll onto Buriram should things stay the same.

Canet and Aldeguer muscled their way passed Lopez at turn six, Aldeguer made a late pass into MG to take the lead with his team-mate Lopez getting a good drive out of turn 11 to overtake Canet then Aldeguer into turn one. Canet then passed Aldeguer at turn two.

Ogura lost touch of the front group, running wide at turn four avoiding Manuel Gonzalez who was in fourth and Tony Arbolino moved into fifth place ahead of the Japanese rider.

Home rider Senna Agius was on the move from 13th on the grid and passed Arbolino who had also been re-overtaken by Ogura and the IntactGP rider was in sixth place.

The battle for the lead continued to rage on as Canet retook the lead of the race from Lopez into turn one on the fifth lap. Gonzalez took a long lap penalty for impeding Aldeguer in qualifying and the Spaniard dropped to fifth behind Ogura.

Canet pulled out a 0.6 second lead in one lap setting the fastest lap of the race with a 1:31.0, Aldeguer didn’t want the number 44 the get away and went up the inside of Lopez at turn two and began to close down the gap to Canet and Aldeguer was the first rider into the 1:30 bracket.

Fermin once again took control of the race, Canet and Lopez were dicing for second place. Deniz Oncu crashed out of 11th place on lap 11. Jaume Masia also crashed out of the race at turn nine.

Agius was in fourth place, great going for the Aussie rider! Fermin was setting the pace at the front of the field, Alonso’s pace was dropping whilst in third place, could Senna catch the Spaniard and get a home round podium?

On lap 17 Canet took advantage of a mistake by Fermin to lead the race, Aldeguer wasn’t giving up on the victory, there was nothing between the two leading Spanish riders.

Alonso Lopez crashed out of the race, a front end tuck on lap 21, just as Aldeguer took back the lead from Canet. Senna was now in a podium finishing place after Lopez’s crash. Canet passed Aldeguer on the last lap, the battle was on! They collided at turn nine, which unsettled Canet, Aldeguer took the lead and crossed the line to take the victory.

Another second place for Canet, Senna got his first Moto2 podium, Ai Ogura finished in fourth place, Diogo Moreira finished in fifth place.

Featured Image: Team SpeedUp.