Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) is a Moto2™ race winner! The Spaniard broke his victory drought with a stylish win by two seconds as the podium fight exploded behind him in Portugal.
Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) completed a brilliant weekend at Portimao to take second, fighting off polesitter Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) before Gonzalez had his own showdowns to secure that third place. Meanwhile, Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) had to do two long laps after jumping the start, leaving him down the order but still fast as ever as the new Ducati signing set off on a charge.
Aldeguer led into Turn 1, but soon teammate Alonso Lopez hit the front, launching an attack on his teammate even before Aldeguer served the first of his penalties. The #54 then took his first LLP on lap four, dropping down to 11th before the second on lap seven, dropping to 13th.
Canet set the pace early on, stealing the fastest lap of the race while sitting in second – setting sights on a first Moto2™ win. Polesitter Gonzalez sat in third position after finding a way through on the fast-charging Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI). Ogura’s fourth did not last long as Roberts and Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) found a way through.
As laps ticked down, Lopez maintained an advantage at the front until lap 11, when the race was blown wide open as the Spaniard lost the front at turn 13 – crashing out the lead. That promoted Canet to p1 and Roberts into second at the venue where the American claimed his first win in 2021.
All eyes were now on Canet in the lead and Aldeguer, who was carving through the field and back inside the top 10 in two laps. The Spaniard soon set the fastest lap, circulating quicker than Canet at the front of the field with 10 laps remaining.
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was having a ferocious battle with Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) for seventh position, allowing Arenas to escape in front. They could not match the pace of Aldeguer on his mission to the front, as the #54 flew down the inside and remarkably entered fifth place.
It was beginning to build to be an incredible end to the race with a battle brewing inside the front group. Gonzalez found a way through on Roberts, trying to up the pace and catch Canet at the front.
Now with just three laps to go the gloves were off after Aldeguer launched a brave attack at turn three to pass Ogura briefly before the Japanese rider responded. Meanwhile, Roberts entered second position before Gonzalez quickly responded – putting pressure on the American.
Two laps remained as the dream began to look like a reality for Canet, crossing the line with a lead of almost two seconds with just 2.85 miles to go. You could cut the tension with a knife on the last lap of the race with Canet leading as an all-out battle for the final place on the podium was happening behind.
As the chequered flag loomed, Canet even celebrated round the final corner before finally becoming a Moto2™ race winner. Roberts continues to celebrate success In Portimao, finishing second ahead of Gonzalez, who finally got the better of Aldeguer after Ogura dropped to fifth on the final lap after a near highside on the exit of turn four battling the #54.
Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) battled to sixth place, in yet another impressive race from the Spaniard, ahead of Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Arenas, Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) rounding out the top ten. Alcoba and Arbolino continued their battle to the line but dropped down to 11th and 12th at the end of 21 laps.
Now it’s destination: Texas for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, with another 25 points on the table.
