Aragon Moto2: Injured Fernandez dominates after Lowes slides away
Raul Fernandez pulled out a gutsy performance to win the Moto2 Aragon Prix, round thirteen of the championship.
The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider battled not only his on-track rivals but also the pain barrier after picking up a broken bone in training between races. With his team managing his track time and the Spaniard visibly in pain often over the weekend Fernandez used the opening laps to find his way around pole man Sam Lowes and championship leader Remy Gardner.
Once in front, Lowes appeared to be managing the gap ahead, and was looking to emulate his previous successes at the MotorLand track. However, as the rookie responded Lowes pushed too hard and saw his front fold - with eight laps remaining the gap was now almost six seconds back to Gardner.
Initially the Spaniard pushed and took the gap up to eight seconds, but soon relaxed, leading over the line by 5.408s with another 1-2 for the Ajo team.
Fernandez is now the first rider to win five Moto2 races in their rookie season since Marc Marquez made his debut in the intermediate class.
Remy Gardner was also managing his race and gap in second, bringing home a valuable twenty championship points. The Australian now has a total of 251 - a 39 point advantage over Fernandez.
The battle for third was fierce with Elf Marc VDS rider Augusto Fernandez back on the podium after finally finding a way past Jorge Navarro on the penultimate lap. He attempted to reel in Gardner, but did not have enough laps left to do so. It still marks a great Sunday turnaround for the Spanish rider after a poor start and finishing qualifying twelfth. The number 37 showed his race pace after topping morning warm-up.
Navarro was the best of the Boscoscuro riders in fourth for +Ego Speed Up. Aron Canet crossed the line in a lonely fifth for Federal Oil Gresini.
Gresini's Fabio Di Giannantonio was sixth, while Seventh went to Fermin Aldeguer, in again for Yari Montella at Speed Up, for his best finish so far this season.
He passed Rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honds Team Asia), who held onto eighth after late interest in the position from Tony Arbolino, who flew through the field for Liqui Moly Intact GP, after qualifying down in 23rd.
Marcel Schrotter took the chequered flag in tenth on the second Liqui Moly entry, but was handed a three second penalty after the race for exceeding track limits, dropping him to eleventh.
Tenth was inherited by MV Agusta after a solid performance from veteran Simone Corsi for Forward Racing.
It was almost four more seconds before Marcos Ramirez crossed the line in twelfth for American Racing, with a further wait for Joe Roberts to take thirteenth for American Racing.
The final points on offer went to Cameron Beaubier on the second American Racing entry in 14th and Sky Racing VR46 rider Celestino Vietti in 15th.
Manuel Gonzalez completed his ride replacing Lorenzo Baldassarri at MV Agusta in 17th, while John McPhee, who is in for Jake Dixon as he enjoys another outing in MotoGP with Petronas, was 20th on his Moto2 debut. Wildcard Xavi Cardelus ( Cerba Promoracing Team) was the last rider to finish in 21st.
There were eleven riders who crashed out over the course of the race. Marco Bezzecchi saw his distant title hope dealt a hammer blow when he sufferd a front end crash on lap eleven. It is his first fall in a race this season.
Wildcard Piotr Biesiekirski had a bad day at the office. With a double long lap penalty for a jump start, he was under pressure from the off and soon crashed out of proceedings.
Tom Luthi and Xavi Vierge only lasted one lap longer, with their race ending on lap five.
Hector Garzo, who is hunting for a new ride, was pushing hard to keep his top five slot which proved too much when a move from Navarro saw him out wide on the dirty part of the track and out of the race.
Albert Arenas exited next, with Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Bo Bendsneyder, Nicolo Bulega and Somkiat Chantra all also failing to finish.
