Gonzalez took advantage of first corner chaos to extend championship lead

Australia’s Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) claimed his second pole position of the season at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera this weekend. Joining Agius on the front row of the grid were Dani Holgado (CFMOTO Aspar European Privilege Team) and Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – Green Power – MSI), with Daniel Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team), Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), and Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) making up the second row of the grid for the 14^th race of the season.

Row three consisted of Barry Baltus (REDS Fantic Racing), Filip Salac (OnlyFans American Racing Team), and Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2). Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) – second in the championship heading into the race – had qualified in 8^th place, but a grid penalty saw him start the race from 14^th.

The sun was shining on the Adriatic coast as the Moto2 riders lined up on the grid on Sunday morning, and although Agius grabbed the holeshot, he was passed by Holgado and Piqueras in the run to turn one. Piqueras ran into the rear tyre of Holgado’s bike at turn one, and wiped out the entire front row of the grid as Piqueras and Holgado went sliding into Agius.

Veijer now found himself in the lead of the race, with Gonzalez, Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – Green Power – MSI), Lopez, and Salac hot on his heels. Luca Lunetta (BETA Tools SpeedRS Team) was another victim of turn one – his race ending with a crash at the beginning of the second lap.

Gonzalez made his way past Veijer to lead the race on lap five, before Baltus passed Ortola for 3^rd on lap nine. Lap nine also saw the end of Salac’s race as the Czech rider ran through the gravel with a technical issue on his bike.

There were track limits penalties being handed out up and down the grid – with no less than five riders having to complete long lap penalties throughout the race. The most noticeable of the penalties went to Baltus in 3^rd place – luckily for the Belgian he had enough of a gap to Ortola in 4^th place that when he rejoined, he was able to remain ahead of Ortola.

Further back, Celestino Vietti (BETA Tools SpeedRS Team) and Lopez were engaged in battle for 7^th place, while Tony Arbolino (REDS Fantic Racing) was having his best race of the season battling with Ortola to claim 5^th place.

Back at the front of the race Gonzalez was waving to the crowd through the last few corners of the race before pulling a stand-up wheelie across the line to celebrate his first win since the Hungarian GP. Veijer also wheelied across the line for his second podium of the season in 2^nd place, with Baltus managing to hold off Ortola for his first podium of the season.

With Ortola claiming 4^th place, the top ten was rounded out by Arbolino, Guevara, Vietti, David Alonso (CFMOTO Aspar European Privilege Team), and Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team).

Gonzalez extends his championship lead over Guevara to 47.5 points, with Ortola a further 27.5 points behind in 3^rd.

Moto2 returns to action for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Austria next weekend – 18^th to 20^th September.  

Featured Image: intactgp