Fernandez: ‘Great end was key to achieving victory’, Gardner content with P2

Raul Fernandez recovers from difficult opening laps to claim a stunning Dutch Moto2 victory, while a hard-fought second place puts ‘a smile on my face’, for Remy Gardner going into the summer break. 
Raul Fernandez , Moto2 race, Dutch MotoGP, 27 June 2021
Raul Fernandez , Moto2 race, Dutch MotoGP, 27 June 2021
© Gold and Goose Photography

For the fourth time in five races, Moto2 Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Raul Fernandez and Remy Gardner took a 1-2 for the team at Assen. 

After suffering a crash in Sachsenring when second and on course to make it another 1-2 finish, Fernandez rebounded with a stunning Assen victory after recovering from ninth place. 

The pole man was relegated to sixth on the opening lap, before that turned into ninth when running wide at turn 7 on lap two. 

But the Spanish rookie had superior pace all weekend to his main rivals, and subsequently made his way back to the front before stretching out a one second gap in the end. 

The key to victory was remaining calm at the start which Fernandez credited team boss Aki Ajo for.

"Aki [Ajo] has taught me to stay calm in moments like the ones I experienced today at the beginning of the race," added Fernandez. 

"The first few laps were tough, as my plans for this contest were different: to try to push from the start. However, we managed to keep focused and regained positions, little by little. 

"I felt very comfortable when at the front of the leading group and I pushed to the fullest. We had a great end to the Grand Prix and that was the key to achieving this victory."

The win for Fernandez also halts a three race winning streak for team-mate Gardner, who took an impressive second place. 

Late moves on Elf Marc VDS riders Sam Lowes and Augusto Fernandez saw him reduce the points loss to just five with Fernandez heading into the summer break.

Gardner added: "Raul [Fernandez] was very strong, and we knew that this weekend he had something extra compared to us. We gave everything we had, but the fight with the rest of the rivals didn’t allow us to set a high pace either. 

"It was enough of a struggle to stay with the group. However, I knew that normally I am strong on the last three laps; I started to hunt them down one by one and I passed them to take second. 

"We did a good job and the other riders didn’t take many points from us. I’m going into the summer break with a smile on my face."

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