Moto2 CrytoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Osterreich. Red Bull Ring 2022
Qualification:
It is tight at the top of the championship in Moto2, and the two contenders were at the front once more as Ai Ogura took pole with Augusto Fernandez P3. Alonso Lopez was P3, after showing so well at Silverstone with a P2 finish. The previous favourite Celestino Vietti was P7. Pedro Acosta was back and in P6, having mostly recovered from his broken femur, although walking with a heavy limp. The scene was set for a showdown in the medium class, which of late has produced some exciting races.
The Race:
It was a textbook start from Ai Ogura as he shot away from the line, with Alonso Lopez showing good form again in P2, with Somkiat Chantra P3, Jake Dixon P4 and Pedro Acosta P5. Alonso Lopez showed why he nearly won Silverstone by taking Ai Ogura on the second lap with a clean move on the stylish Ogura. Ai soon regained his form and with 22 laps to go, took the lead from Lopez who went a little wide under pressure from Ogura, and Somkiat Chantra was P3 and looking feisty.
With nine laps to go, Ai Ogura had been leading for ten laps with his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia teammate Somkiat Chantra a close second, and Celestino Vietti P3. Then Vietti made a mistake trying to overtake Chantra, lost the front end and went sliding off to the outside tarmac, leaving Pedro Acosta now in P3. Seven laps to go and Tony Arbolino shunted into Lorenzo Dalla Porta, taking them both down and in the middle of the track, with riders only just avoiding them and the bikes, it was a tricky and dangerous situation and all credit to the riders who threaded their way through the carnage.
As it came to the last lap, Ai Ogura was still in command at the front, but teammate Somkiat Chantra was closing in and looking determined to take the victory from his teammate. Pedro Acosta was P3, but Jake Dixon had good late race form and was bringing it on to Pedro. As it came to the final corners Chantra overtook Ogura, but Ai had it on the cutback to take the win. Pedro Acosta tried to hold off Dixon for P3 but seemed to struggle with the bike under acceleration, and Jake took him on the line, maybe Pedro was weak at this late part of the race, but Jake’s move was class.
The Result:
P1, Ai Ogura, Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, Kalex. P2, Somkiat Chantra, Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, Kalex. P3, Zinia GASGAS Aspar Team, Kalex.
The championship is even tighter with one point between Ai Ogura and Augusto Fernandez. Celestino Vietti is now trailing after the disaster of this race.
Author: Martin Northern
Founder of Bike Directory
