Moto2: It isn’t easy, but winning from P8 on the grid was made to look it on Sunday afternoon by Moto2 Grand Prix winner Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) as the title race leader claimed a classy fourth win of the season.
The Spaniard fended off an impressive challenge from second place Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), that’s the Spaniard’s first podium finish of the season, as Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) earns P3 after an absolute throwdown with Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team).
Polesitter Moreira got the launch he would have wanted, but the star of the start was Gonzalez. The title race leader was up to P3 from eighth on the grid, but that was soon P4 as chief rival Canet grabbed P3 into T10 as a great battle at the front played out on the opening laps. Nine riders were split by 1.3s, with the chasing pack 0.7s adrift.
On Lap 7 of 19, Arenas led from Gonzalez and Canet, with Moreira fourth as a small gap appeared between the leading quartet and Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). Then, on the same lap, Gonzalez led the chase for victory for the first time – but not for long. Arenas led again, with the top four now a second clear of the likes of Salač, Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
Gonzalez’s pace, once he hit the front again, was proving too hot for everyone bar Arenas. Moreira and Canet had dropped to over a second behind the front two, and with six laps to go, Gonzalez’s lead was over 0.5s for the first time. And with four to go, the lead was up to just north of a second. This was Gonzalez’s race now, as a fierce fight between Canet and Moreira played out for the final rostrum spot.
The duo weren’t giving each other an inch. A proper elbows out, fairing bashing scrap rolled on and on in brutal glory, and all this allowed home hero Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) to latch onto the back with half a lap to go. But in the end, Canet held onto P3 after an almighty dog fight at the chequered flag, with Gonzalez eventually clinching victory by 1.4s ahead of Arenas.
Moreira held Vietti behind as the Brazilian and Italian finish P4 and P5 at Mugello. Öncü and Guevara ended the Italian GP in P6 and P7, with reigning Moto3 World Champion David Alonso (CFMOTO European Privilege Aspar Team) a close eighth. Meanwhile, OnlyFans American Racing Team’s Joe Roberts and Marcos Ramirez rounded out the top 10.
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