The best win of his career? Surely the answer is yes. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) completed a stunning comeback ride to claim a first victory of the season and with it, the Moto2 World Championship lead.
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) finished P2 and P3 in Qatar, as Argentina and USA winner Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) crashed out of the race.
Gonzalez got the getaway he would have wanted from pole, with Dixon also launching well from the middle of the front row – but it was a disastrous start for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing). A big wheelie as the lights went out saw the Spaniard got from third down to P14 on Lap 1, as Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) made a rapid start – the rookie was P3 on Lap 1.
That was then P2 on Lap 2. Holgado shoved his Triumph Kalex up the inside of Dixon’s #96 machine, before Öncü and Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) carved past the Championship leader too. Then, those aforementioned riders attacked Gonzlaez. Öncü led from Holgado and Arenas, with Gonzalez shuffled down to P4 ahead of Dixon on Lap 4 of 18.
Canet’s climb back through the pack was impressive. The #44 was up to P5 on Lap 7, ahead of Gonzalez, as Öncü still led the pack that were locked together in the victory battle. That was then P2 with eight laps to go, as teammate Barry Baltus set the fastest lap of the race to cling onto the back of the top seven. Then, it was the top six because title race leader, Dixon, crashed at Turn 13 as he tried to chase down Gonzlaez. Not the night the #96 was searching for in Lusail.
With five laps to go, Canet hit the front for the first time after a small mistake from Öncü handed the Spaniard the lead and from there, Canet began to stretch his legs. Heading onto the final lap, Canet was 1.1s clear of Öncü who in turn was doing a great job to keep Gonzalez behind him. And that’s how it stayed. A classy Canet comeback ride sees him clinch a first win of the season and the World Championship lead heading to Jerez, as Öncü grabbed a first podium of the year to finish ahead of third place Gonzalez.
Rookie Holgado finished 2.7s away from the podium in P4, a fantastic effort from the #27, as Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) beat Baltus in the P5 battle. Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun) was the lead Boscoscuro machine over the line in seventh, with Marcos Ramirez (American Racing Team), Arenas and Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top 10.
2024 Moto3 World Champion David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) claimed more points in P11, Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) was 12th as Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), recovering from a jump start and double LLP, and Joe Roberts (American Racing Team) collected the final points on offer in Doha.
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