Remy Gardner wins his first-ever Moto2 race, while Enea Bastianini wins the world title after a tense battle.
Four riders were in contention at the start of the Moto2 race, and only one will prevail. Enea Bastianini has a 14 point lead but was starting well down. Sam Lowes was injured, but Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi could be outside champions. It was Australia’s Remy Gardner on pole, from Marini and Fabio diGiannantonio.
For the final time in Moto2, it was lights out, and 27 Triumph powered bikes were let loose at Portimaõ. Immediately diGiannantonio was out, crashing into Nicolo Bulega. Gardner was leading, then Bastianini and Marini. Then Marini passed Bastianini for second, Lowes got through too, as did Augusto Fernandez. Jorge Navarro and Hector Garzo both crashed, meanwhile, the title battle was hotting up.
Suddenly, there was a battle for the lead between Gardner, Marini, and Lowes. Gardner went from first to third, and Marini took the lead. Only four points separated the top three. Bezzecchi then passed Bastianini and he was no longer safe, if Lowes won, he was champion. Jorge Martin then passed him too, only two points separated the top three.
The lead battle began to heat up, Marini and Gardner traded fastest laps, while Lowes gradually slipped back. Gardner just couldn’t find a way past Marini, and out of the blue Lowes found a pile of pace. The title was still wide open. Finally, Gardner made it with a lap and a half to go. Immediately he made a gap. It seemed like he would win the race and Bastianini the title.
Indeed it was, Remy Gardner wins his first Moto2 race, and Enea Bastianini wins the 2020 Moto2 World Championship. Marini was second, and Sam Lowes with the broken hand took a miraculous third.
In the end, nine points separated the top three. Marini and Lowes came close, but for the first time in his career, Bastianini could call himself a world champion.
