Chaos in the Algarve has the stars and stripes flying high

April 28, 2022

Moto2 – Grande Premio Tissot De Portugal. Portimao. 24.4.2022

Qualification:

From the sketchy conditions on Saturday, the grid for Sunday was Aron Canet on pole, Cameron Beaubier, P2 and Jake Dixon P3.

The Race:

It was a gloomy overcast sky that greeted the riders on the start line grid, and there must have been nerves as they were on slicks, and already spots of rain on the tarmac.

Cameron Beaubier had a clean start and held the lead on the first lap with Tony Arbolino P2 and Aron Canet P3. Jake Dixon who had started P3 was P9, not what the Brit needed from this race. By lap two Aron Canet had secured the lead from Cameron, with Somkiat Chantra P3, but a long lap penalty looming over him would soon allow Tony Arbolino to take his spot.
As early as lap three there were spots of rain, probably not too much of a problem at that time, more psychological than physically inhibiting, but the rain flags were out, and the riders warned. Then, on lap nine with fifteen to go, disaster! A multiple rider crash had bikes and riders sprawled all over the tarmac and gravel, bikes spiralling through the air, and one catching fire. It was chaos and not good viewing. Red flag! A sudden downpour caused the carnage. Cameron Beaubier, Aron Canet, Tony Arbolino, Augusto Fernandez, Ai Ogura, Somkiat Chantra, Sam Lowes, Albert Arenas, Simoni Corsi, Pedro Acosta…..all these riders and more had crashed, and most, somehow, got away without injury, except for Aron Canet who suffered a broken right arm and finger, we wish him a speedy recovery.

A re-start was declared, and under the rules, riders had five minutes to get back with their bike, none of the riders that crashed were allowed to restart. So the Grid for race two was P1, Jake Dixon, P2, Joe Roberts, P3 Celestino Vietti.

The new race or race two was to be seven laps, a sprint by any other name! Jake Dixon had a very good start and led in to turn one with Joe Roberts on his tail, and Fermin Aldeguer P3. At turn 7 on the first lap Jake Dixon lost the front and crashed out, this left Joe Roberts in the lead, Fermin P2 and Marcel Schrotter P3.

This was such a short race it was difficult to really engage with, but those riders who had survived the race one crash to race thoroughly deserved their results.

It was a first win for Joe Roberts in the class, and emotions ran high as the American came across the line. Celestino Vietti had a sold race to consolidate his championship position with 90 points over Ai Ogura with 56.