Alonso shines and Pedro is back at Phillip Island

October 17, 2022

Moto2 – Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Phillip Island

Qualification:

The young Fermin Aldeguer put his Boscoscuro bike in pole position, underlining his recent good form. Augusto Fernandez was P2 and Alonso Lopez in P3, who would have to take a long lap penalty for a pre-race incident.

The Race:

Tony Arbolino shot away from the line, the previous race winner looking on form once again, but within two laps Alonso Lopez was in the lead, and within a lap already creating a gap, which he needed to do with the long lap penalty looming. This left Arbolino P2 and Fermin Aldeguer P3.

On lap four Lopez had a 2.7 second gap over the chasing pack and took the long lap penalty. Coming out of the loop he was still 1.243 seconds ahead, an amazing feat and all planned from the time he left the grid. Alonso was pushed out of the paddock and went to supersport until Boscoscuro gave him the chance, and that was an inspired choice because Lopez is sensational. This class riding from Lopez, left Aldeguer in P2, Arbolino in P3, Augusto Fernandez P4 and Pedro Acosta P5, looking very quick now back to fitness from his broken femur.

On lap eight Tony Arbolino slid out in an own fault crash, not the race he wanted after his recent win. At the front Alonso Lopez had a 3 second lead, championship leader Augusto Fernandez in P2 and teammate Pedro Acosta in P3. Ai Ogura was not doing his championship points any good down in P14, but coming through the field very steadily was Jake Dixon in P8.

On lap 17 Augusto Fernandez was following teammate Pedro Acosta, who had been very respectful to the championship leader, he suddenly lost the front end and hit the deck. It was an own fault incident for Fernandez, and a gift to Ai Ogura, who was now the championship leader.

For the last eight laps of the race, Alonso Lopez lapped consistently to keep the lead, with Pedro Acosta P2 and now Jake Dixon P3, and this is how it finished, with a superlative ride from the likeable Alonso Lopez, well deserved.