Unexpected competitors and KTM drama gives way to a new winner in 2021.
With the clouds coming in, but staying to themselves, Moto2 is declared a dry race.
Remy Gardner had an excellent start off the line, but Bezzecchi got him on the breaks and took an early lead. Gardner went too wide on the turn and let both Bezzecchi and teammate Raul Fernandez goes by. While it isn’t the most ideal start, the race has just begun. Knowing Gardner, he might wait behind R. Fernandez if Bezzecchi wasn’t trying to get away. The Italians on the track have a habit of putting distance out in the front for an early start.
Gardner takes second back from R. Fernandez with an ease that shows his experience, putting in the fastest lap in order to catch up to Bezzecchi.
Simone Corsi, Barry Baltus and Joe Roberts crash out in separate incidents. These conditions are nearly trickier than those of Moto3, because while the track is basically dry, there are still damp patches. If the riders aren’t careful, they will continue to fall.
Once Gardner made quick work of R. Fernandez, Aaron Canet uses that momentum to overtake him as well. This is clearly a track where R. Fernandez struggles, since he is usually in the top two positions. He could be playing the long game and patiently wait for Gardner to catch Bezzecchi. That battle would bring the pair back down to Canet and himself, meaning he just has to wait and keep his cool.
His plan for keeping his cool may be stopped as Sam Lowes puts in the fastest time, pushing to catch the KTM. The Marc VDS Team is holding up well in their respective 5th and 7th positions, which is an improvement to their track record.
Back to the front battle, Gardner has caught up with Bezzecchi, dragging Canet with him. As they begin the next lap, Bezzecchi makes a mistake and has contact with Gardner. This allows Canet to sweep in front of both riders and also brings them back to R. Fernandez.
It isn’t long before Gardner overtakes Canet- in fact, it happens on the same lap. But, at the same time, R. Fernandez goes out wide and falls down to seventh. This gives Lowes the chance to catch up to the leading group. First, he has to close the nearly one second lead Bezzecchi has on him.
Rookie Ai Ogura is also showing his hand. In the lead ahead of the Marc VDS Riders, he instantly creates a small gap between himself and Lowes. He clearly believes that he can catch up to Bezzecchi and puts in a fastest lap time to prove it.
With 16 laps to go, R. Fernandez already has a track limits warning and is struggling with mentality. He cannot get himself back into the 1:29’s and struggles to hold onto 7th place. It would be a massive championship blow if he continues at this rate.
At the same time, Gardner is putting in fastest lap after fastest lap, daring Canet to keep up with him. This would not be the first time he has used this tactic, as he did the same thing and caused R. Fernandez to crash out. But it seems that Canet cannot keep up, letting the gap grow.
One team that has not been able to show up this week is the SAG Team riders of Bo Bendsneyder and Thomas Luthi. While Luthi was showing pace and it looked like he would be able to compete more than usual, he is in 18th place and struggling to get further up the track. As for Bendsneyder, he is in 22nd place. This is surely a week for the SAG Team to forget.
With 11 laps to go, Bezzecchi and Canet are fighting for second place. Where Canet has the skill in the corners, Bezzecchi has the ability to outbreak him and hold his position. With Ogura right behind him, though, Canet might not be able to keep a podium position.
Or, as Ogura is given a track limits warning, Canet will be just fine if Ogura makes another mistake.
Where Augusto Fernandez has been able to hold 5th place for a while now, Sam Lowes has fallen from 6th to 10th after going wide through turn 1.
Back to the front, Ogura and Canet are battling for the final podium position. Ogura temporarily takes third, but Canet takes it right back. If Ogura wants to battle Bezzecchi for 2nd, then a battle with Canet is not what he needs.
On the other hand, Bezzecchi is responding to Gardner’s lead. He puts in the fastest lap and begins to close the gap between them, wanting a victory after being denied one for so long. His bike has the drive that the KTM of Gardner doesn’t and Bezzecchi easily overtakes him in the straight away. In turn three, though, he makes a mistake and Gardner slides back through. Not for long, because Bezzecchi instantly responds and retakes the lead back.
This is allowing Ogura to watch himself, as the battle between the KTM and Sky VR46 bike will bring them to the Honda Team Asia rider. Canet, while he is still close, is far enough where he isn’t a threat.
But right as things were getting intense, Gardner makes a rare mistake and goes into the gravel. He falls down to 5th place, just one ahead of his teammate.
While it isn’t great for him, Ai Ogura has a chance at the race win. But just as his eyes lit up, Ogura is given a long lap penalty whilst in 2nd place. It’s incredibly unfortunate, but the rules are the rules. A. Fernandez could greatly benefit from this. Being in 4th place, he could possibly take third.
And as Ogura goes through his long lap penalty, he finds himself on the wrong side of the white line. He might have to take yet another long lap penalty.
With four laps to go Bezzecchi is in the lead with Canet recovering with an impressive 2nd while A. Fernandez is in 3rd.
As Bezzecchi continues at the front, Canet sees the possibility of winning his first Moto2 race. He has absolutely nothing to lose, as he isn’t a championship contender. He is the fastest man on the track, but it might be too late to take the win. On the last lap, there’s too much time to make up. As long as no one makes a mistake, the order is set.
Marco Bezzecchi takes the win, with Aaron Canet in 2nd and Augusto Fernandez in 3rd.
But this isn’t over yet. If there is anything that this race has shown, it’s that KTM is not as untouchable as they seem.
Will Bezzecchi keep this momentum through next week and have a championship charge?
Tune in next week to find out!
