Moreira takes victory ahead of Aron Canet and Manuel Gonzalez

The Moto2 paddock arrived at the TT Circuit Assen – affectionally known as the Cathedral of Speed –for the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands this weekend. Brazilian Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) was the fastest man on Saturday afternoon and took his third consecutive pole position ahead of rookie Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI), and Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP). Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego), Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) lined up on the second row of the grid – with Baltus having to serve a double long lap penalty for crashing under yellow flags during Practice.

Sunday’s weather was warmer than the rest of the weekend had been, and there was a haze of orange behind the riders on the grid as Dutch fans lit flares in the stands. Ivan Ortola took advantage of his first Moto2 front row start and grabbed the holeshot ahead of Moreira and Canet, but Moreira wasted no time in taking the lead from Ortola, with Canet soon passing the rookie too.

By lap 2, Canet had moved into the lead of the race with Moreira and Ortola hot on his heels, while Mannuel Gonzalez had dropped down to 9^th. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) moved past Ortola to take 3^rd place on the third lap, before reigning Moto3 champion David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) crashed out of the race at the final chicane. Ortola was quickly demoted through the field as Arenas, Joe Roberts (Onlyfans American Racing Team), and Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) all passing him and dropping him down to 7^th.

Nakarin Atiratphuvapat (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) crashed on lap 5, before Barry Baltus – having completed his double long lap penalty – and Jorge Navarro (KLINT Forward Factory Team) crashed out on lap 7 at turns 1 and 3 respectively. Meanwhile, Albert Arenas was being relegated as Roberts, Dixon, and Gonzalez all passed the Spaniard.

As Canet and Moreira pulled away at the front of the pack, Manuel Gonzalez seemed to be finding his rhythm as he made up more places over the next few laps, making his way up to 3^rd place ahead of Deniz Öncü by lap 12. There were crashes for Darryn Binder (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), reigning World Supersport champion Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team), and Yuki Kunii (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) in separate incidents, before Öncü crashed out of 4^th place through the final chicane on lap 14.

The last few laps of the race saw Moreira climbing all over the rear of Canet – and the Brazilian looked to have the pace to pass – before Canet appeared to allow Moreira through on the penultimate lap. Ivan Ortola crashed out on the final lap of the race, but focus returned to the front of the race where Moreira and Canet crossed the line to finish the race – with Moreira managing to hold Canet off to take his maiden victory in the class, and in turn become the first Brazilian ever to win in Moto2.

Gonzalez rounded out the podium in 3^rd place in spite of some issues with the rear of his bike throughout the race, and he holds onto the championship lead which has closed to 5 points ahead of Canet, with Moreira a further 26 points back.

Britain’s Jake Dixon finished in 4^th after a solid ride through the field having started in 11^th place, with Joe Roberts, Marcos Ramirez (Onlyfans American Racing Team), Albert Arenas, Alonso Lopez (Folladore SpeedRS Team), Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), and Dani Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) rounding out the top 10. Dutch riders Zonta VD Goorbergh (RW – Idrofoglia Racing GP), and Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished in the points in 12^th and 14^th at their home GP.

Moto2 returns to action for the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany from the 11^th to 13^th of July.

Featured Image: Italtransracingteam