Moto2 Portimao RACE: Raul Fernandez takes a rookie win

April 18, 2021 EMR Writer

Raul Fernandez takes his first Moto2 win after a stunning race.

People always complain that Moto2 is boring, I don’t know about you but that was not boring in the slightest, we had drama from the very first corner with Sam Lowes being hi-sided in the first corner of the first lap trying to avoid Gardner, we then saw massive crashes, fires and even a scrap in the gravel between Celestino Vietti and Niccolo Bulega in the gravel after a boneheaded move from Bulega.

Not many expected Raul Fernandez to take the win today but flippin’ heck he was on rails today, he had a stunning race once he hit the front putting a second between him and second place, he was the race winner here last year and has done the same again in a new category after a stunning ride to take his first victory in the intermediate class, what a huge talent he is. He battled his way through the pack to arrive at the front and from there he was completely untouchable leaving Canet, Roberts and Gardner to battle for second place.

The battle for second was as tough as it gets with Roberts’ leathers being blessed with a rather nice tyre mark as he blasted past Canet before Remy Gardner had his say in the proceedings pushing his way past Roberts to take the final podium position, it really was a race for the brave today with many riders putting it all on the line to take those extra points with Gardner now leading the Moto2 championship standings, the Red Bull KTM Ajo team enjoying victories in Moto2 and Moto3 today from their rookie riders.

Joe Roberts was in good spirits following the race smiling at the camera showing off the tyre mark but you know he will be out for revenge next time after being so close to glory in the Moto2 class in Portugal which is the country he has chosen to live in currently. Augusto Fernandez took a P5 finish after confirming he is getting good feelings from the front tyre he struggled with massively last season, the Spanish rider is a massive talent and it won’t be long until he is once again back on the box.

Marco Bezzecchi isn’t having the year he expected finishing in P6, he was a title favourite before the year but is not running well enough to take consistent podiums or even a single podium, he led the race by 1 second at one point before his lead was eaten up and eventually quashed by the riders behind him demoting him down the order.

In P9 was Cameron Beaubier who is impressing each time he races, the American rider showing much promise despite being a rookie in the class, the American talent looks very strong in the medium class at the moment.

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