Moto2 Algarve FP3: Raul Fernandez leads Ajo 1-2
Raul Fernandez leads a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 despite a crash.
Raul Fernandez led the Moto2 FP3 session heading into qualifying, beating his teammate Remy Gardner by a small margin of 0.036 seconds, the pair are going head to head this weekend for the Moto2 championship with the advantage lying with Remy Gardner who just needs to outscore Fernandez by eight points to add another title to the Gardner family name. Raul was able to lead the session despite a crash later on in the fast final sweeping corner, waving to the camera as he entered the pits to confirm ‘Rider OK’.
Marco Bezzecchi finished up in third place only 0.161 seconds behind the Ajo pair, Bezzecchi cannot win the title anymore so now it is a case of him trying to finish the season on a positive note before he graduates to MotoGP for the 2022 season with the VR46 squad, finishing in fourth was Augusto Fernandez who no doubt will be itching to get on the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine after watching them dominate the entire season and each session, fourth is strong ahead of rookie Celestino Vietti who is improving session by session, really excited to see him in 2022.
Sam Lowes came home in sixth ahead of another rookie namely Albert Arenas, another rider improving session by session leading the Boscoscuro machines in the FP3 session ahead of Jorge Navarro in P8 and Aron Canet in P10, Hector Garzo squeezed between them in P9.
Completing the Q2 spots are Stefano Manzi, Ai Ogura, Xavi Vierge and Cameron Beaubier who is making progress at a track he has prior knowledge of, being forced to go via Q1 is his countryman Joe Roberts, Fabio Diggia, Jake Dixon and Tony Arbolino down in P28.
Full results –