Xavi Vierge in action at Losail International Circuit yesterday. PIC COURTESY: MOTOGP.COM
Doha: Cometh the hour, cometh the six riders within just 0.089: that’s how the saying shall henceforth go.
The intermediate class in Qatar has been close in the current era, but never more so on Day 2 of the Official Moto2 and Moto3 Test at Losail International Circuit.
The leader of the pack was Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), and the rivals within 0.89 Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46).
It was windier on Day 2 and once again the morning session was a quiet one – lonely, even, for Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40) as the Italian was the sole rider to set a time.
By Session 2 though, the ante was upping and the pack heading out, with the final session of the day then seeing all but one improve to set the combined timesheets for yesterday. At the top was Vierge’s late charge with that five-rider gaggle on his tail, with Canet forced to settle for second for the second day in a row but looking threateningly fast, Navarro making waves up the timesheets, Gardner present once more, Dixon improving as he comes back from serious injury, and Bezzecchi leaping into the higher echelons after a more muted Day 1.
The gaps didn’t exactly get huge from there on out. Two and a half tenths off the super six, Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) slots into P7 as he settles in at his new team and on his new chassis, looking ever more impressive as track time goes on. Likewise the man in eighth: Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo).
The Spanish rookie impressed on Day 1, so a grander word is needed for Day 2 as he ended yesterday just 0.019 off Bendsneyder. Fernandez’ 1:59.204 is only just over a second off the 2020 pole lap…
Two veterans came next, with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) in ninth by just 0.007 and Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) completing the top ten by 0.034.
Both have shown good pace on both days so far too, and will likely be pushing for a statement time attack on today.
