Manuel Gonzalez was one of the stars of the intermediate class today at the Qatar Grand Prix, which was his first podium in the category. The Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team rider still came second after a sprint at the end of the race where he beat Aron Canet, almost at the finish line.

Watch the video where the 21-year-old confirmed his podium finish in what is his third season in Moto2:

O conteúdo Video: Manuel Gonzalez makes podium debut in Moto2 with thrilling race finish aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Fermín Aldeguer won again, this time at the Qatar GP in Moto2. It’s the third consecutive victory for the Spanish rider, who is having an almost perfect end to the season to fight for the final championship podium.

The top two got off to a good start, with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team/Kalex) keeping the lead and Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing/Kalex) in second place. Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp/Boscoscuro) was in third, but was soon overtaken by Arón Canet (Pons Wegow Los40/Kalex) in the first lap.

The #40 overtook Vietti to move into second place, while Roberts had managed to secure a lead of around two-tenths of a second. However, in the second lap, Aldeguer widened his trajectory and dropped to ninth. Jake Dixon (Inde GasGas Aspar/Kalex) then moved up to fourth position.

A change in leadership occurred in the second lap, with Canet overtaking Roberts. Vietti started losing ground, and Dixon moved up to third, followed by Manuel González (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team/Kalex) in fourth and Aldeguer in fifth. With 12 laps to go, Dixon passed Roberts and became Canet’s main pursuer… but not for long. The American lost his position to Aldeguer.

Aldeguer continued to advance, overtaking Dixon and Canet in the following laps to become the new leader. Dixon lost his podium positions when he was passed by González in the 11th lap. The Spaniard was determined to go further and, with five laps to go, moved into second place. At that time, Aldeguer led by almost two seconds, and not even a new race record lap by González could challenge him.

At the front, Aldeguer was never caught, securing his third consecutive win. The battle for second place was intense, with González resisting Canet’s pressure… crossing the finish line with a 0.009s lead. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia/Kalex) and Dixon completed the top five. The already-crowned champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo/Kalex) finished no higher than eighth.

Results:

O conteúdo Hattrick: Fermín Aldeguer keeps hi winning streak in Losail aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The Moto2 lap record in Losail was broken again, this time by Joe Roberts to claim pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix. The American already held the record before this round, momentarily losing it during Q1.

After dominating the practices, Fermín Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp/Boscoscuro) started Q2 in the lead, with his teammate Alonso López in second. Both were overtaken eight minutes from the end by Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing/Kalex) and Arón Canet (Pons Wegow Los40/Kalex). On the following lap, Vietti set a new record: 1m57.312s.

Canet came close to overtaking the Italian, trailing by just 21 milliseconds, while Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team/Kalex) moved up to third place. It was the American who managed to dethrone Vietti, being seven milliseconds faster with two minutes to go. Canet held third place, and Aldeguer was in fourth, with championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo/Kalex) in seventh.

In the last minute, there was an anticlimactic end with a red flag and an early session conclusion. The issue arose from a failure in Alex Escrig’s Forward, with the engine giving out and leaving an oil trail on the track.

Q2 results:

Overall results of the qualifying:

O conteúdo Joe Roberts secures pole position and sets new Moto2 lap record in Losail after interrupted qualifying session aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Celestino Vietti dominated the first qualifying for the Moto2 Qatar Grand Prix, securing a spot in the Q2 with a new lap record of the class at Losail. Three other riders also advanced to the battle for pole position.

Alonso López (Beta Tools SpeedUp/Boscoscuro) led after the initial flying laps, with Dennis Foggia (Italtrans Racing Team/Kalex), Filip Salac (QJMotor Gresini/Kalex), and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP/Kalex) in the other qualifying positions.

On the second lap, Binder rose to second, while Vietti (Fantic Racing/Kalex) settled in third and Izan Guevara (Inde GasGas Aspar/Kalex) in fourth. However, the standings changed when, with less than seven minutes remaining, Marcos Ramírez (OnlyFans American Racing/Kalex) and Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo/Kalex) secured second and fourth positions, respectively.

But the best laps came in the final three minutes. Vietti set a new record at 1m57.870s, further improving to 1m57.568s. Consequently, the Italian secured qualification. In the last lap, Salac claimed second, also earning a spot in Q2 alongside Ramírez and López. Alcoba finished fifth, missing out on Q2 by just 0.039s.

Results:

O conteúdo Celestino Vietti crushed the record lap and moves on to the Moto2 Q2 in Losail with three more riders aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Fermín Aldeguer once again led the third practice session of the Moto2 Qatar GP, being on the top position in all Losail sessions so far and establishing himself as a strong contender. A significant number of riders improved in Saturday’s session.

Manuel González (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team/Kalex) held the fastest time after the first flying laps and confirmed the position with his second attempt… before being overtaken by Aldeguer.

The Beta Tools SpeedUp rider held the lead for about seven minutes before being overtaken by González, who stayed at the top for nearly a quarter of an hour until Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team/Kalex) beat him.

Towards the end, Aldeguer clocked the fastest time of the practice with 1m57.895s, leaving the American 0.192s behind. Jake Dixon (Inde GasGas Aspar/Kalex) secured third place, trailing by 0.308s, followed by González and the surprising Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Husqvarna IntactGP/Kalex). Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo/Kalex), who is already the champion, settled for eighth place.

In the combined standings of the three practices, Arón Canet (Pons Wegow Los40/Kalex) claimed third position, despite not improving from yesterday, with Dixon in fourth and González in fifth. Acosta landed in 11th, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS/Kalex) secured the final spot to advance directly into the second qualifying by finishing 14th, with an 18-millisecond advantage over Marcos Ramírez (OnlyFans American Racing/Kalex).

P3 timesheet:

Combined standings P1 + P2 + P3:

O conteúdo Fermín Aldeguer made it 3 out of 3 in the Moto2 Qatar Grand Prix practices aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Fermín Aldeguer set the pace in the second Moto2 practice session at the Qatar GP. The rider dominated the opening day at Losail, also securing a new lap record at the circuit.

Following a strong performance in the first practice, Manuel González (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team/Kalex) began this session at the top, ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS/Kalex), setting the best time of the day at that point. The Spaniard was later overtaken by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo/Kalex) and Arón Canet (Pons Wegow Los40/Kalex). However, he reclaimed the lead with his third flying lap.

With 24 minutes left, Arbolino clocked a time identical to González’s, resulting in a tie for the lead. Meanwhile, Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS/Kalex) held third. The trio was overtaken by Jake Dixon (Inde GasGas Aspar/Kalex), but Lowes improved to secure the second spot.

Lap times continued to drop, and the next rider to claim the top position was Canet, later overtaken by Lowes. The fastest times came in the session’s final phase, with Aldeguer standing out by setting a new record: 1m58.059s. Canet improved but settled for second, 0.104s behind, with Lowes in third. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia/Kalex) secured the fourth spot, while Dixon finished fifth.

Combined standings P1 + P2:

O conteúdo Fermín Aldeguer broke the lap record to lead second practice of the Moto2 Qatar GP aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

The good period of the season continues for Fermín Aldeguer. The Spanish rider clearly led the way in the opening session of the Qatar Moto2 Grand Prix, which just concluded moments ago at Losail.

Barry Baltus (Fieten Olie Racing GP/Kalex) surprised by being the initial leader of the session, setting a time in the 2m07s range. The already crowned champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo/Kalex) initially held second place. He surpassed Baltus but was then overtaken by Arón Canet (Pons Wegow Los40/Kalex), Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp/Boscoscuro), and Manuel González (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team/Kalex)… who became the new leader.

With 25 minutes remaining, González was dethroned, with Aldeguer topping the timesheets. At the same time, Acosta dropped back to third, only to be surpassed shortly after by Baltus. The Spaniard managed to secure third place moments later, with Jeremy Alcoba (QJMotor Gresini/Kalex) rising to fourth.

The top positions remained stable. Significant changes occurred within the last ten minutes, with Acosta moving into first place, being 0.142s quicker than Aldeguer. However, González then surpassed the champion before being overtaken by Aldeguer, who regained the lead.

Around the same time, Alex Escrig (Forward Racing) surprised by setting a time that placed him in fourth. González was the first to clock a time in the 2m01s range to lead again, while Aldeguer could only match that pace later, surpassing his rival by 0.232s. Towards the end, Aldeguer improved once more, securing the lead, with González in second at 0.343s. Jake Dixon (Inde GasGas Aspar/Kalex) finished third, with Acosta in fourth. Escrig completed the top five.

Timesheet:

O conteúdo Fermín Aldeguer keeps the impetum setting the pace in the first Moto2 practice session at Losail aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Contrary to usual, the Qatar GP takes place this weekend, in the final phase of the MotoGP World Championships season. It’s the penultimate round of the year at a revamped Losail circuit that could witness the crowning of the MotoGP champion.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) holds a 13-point lead over Jorge Martín (Prima Pramac/Ducati) in the standings. The Italian will be champion if he leaves Qatar with a 37-point advantage over his rival. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team/Ducati) could secure third place, given his current 69-point lead over Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM).

In Moto2, Pedro Acosta has already secured the championship, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS/Kalex) has secured third place. Therefore, the major battle is for third place. Currently held by Jake Dixon (GasGas Aspar/Kalex), four other riders have mathematical chances of reaching that spot.

As for Moto3, Losail could be the stage for the crowning of Jaume Masiá (Leopard Racing/Honda). The championship leader holds a 13-point lead over Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), and if that lead extends to 25 points, he will be champion. David Alonso (GasGas Aspar), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3), and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) also have mathematical chances to surpass Masiá, but even a victory in Losail might not be enough for them.

Below are the schedules (CET) for the Qatar GP.

Friday, November 17
12:00-12:35: P1 Moto3
12:50-13:30: P1 Moto2
13:45-14:30: FP1 MotoGP
16:15-16:50: P2 Moto3
17:05-17:45: P2 Moto2
18:00-19:00: Practice MotoGP

Saturday, November 18
11:30-12:00: P3 Moto3
12:15-12:45: P3 Moto2
13:00-13:30: FP2 MotoGP
13:40-13:55: Qualifying Q1 MotoGP
14:05-14:20: Qualifying Q2 MotoGP
15:50-16:05: Qualifying Q1 Moto3
16:15-16:30: Qualifying Q2 Moto3
16:45-17:00: Qualifying Q1 Moto2
17:10-17:25: Qualifying Q2 Moto2
18:00: Sprint MotoGP (11 laps)

Sunday, November 19
13:40-13:50: Warm-up MotoGP
15:00: Race Moto3 (18 laps)
16:15: Race Moto2 (20 laps)
18:00: Race MotoGP (22 laps)

O conteúdo Night of Losail could crown champions: Schedule for the Qatar GP aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Pedro Acosta secured the Moto2 World Championship title last Sunday, with two rounds remaining before he begins preparations for MotoGP – during the test after the Valencia Grand Prix in less than two weeks.

During a press conference, the talented Spanish rider was asked about what he expects from MotoGP with GasGas Tech3. In his response, he emphasized that his current focus is entirely on Moto2:

– I don’t think about that. It’s true that in Moto3 maybe when I won the championship I started to think about Moto2 too quickly and I didn’t really enjoy the class. And now it’s the moment to finish in the best way in Moto2, trying to fight for teams’ title and try to enjoy. At the end MotoGP arrives on Tuesday after Valencia, and I’ll have a long winter to think about it.

O conteúdo Pedro Acosta doesn’t think about MotoGP: ‘It’s the moment to finish in the best way in Moto2’ aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.

Alex Criville is a fan of Pedro Acosta’s talent and says that the 19-year-old’s ceiling knows no bounds.

‘What can we say about him that hasn’t already been said? Firstly, he’s already won the world championship twice in just three years, and he’s also the youngest Moto2 champion in history. But more than words, it’s the results that speak for themselves. And they speak loud and clear and looking at his statistics is an easy task for anyone inexperienced in motorcycling’, the former rider said, speaking to Marca.

And his words didn’t stop there: ‘Behind the results, there is sacrifice, suffering, determination, talent, tension, training and more training. You don’t make a champion out of nothing, everyone knows that. His character, humility, spontaneity, willingness to learn and having his feet on the ground in any situation have all led him to achieve what he has already achieved. And the most beautiful thing of all is that Acosta will achieve everything he wants, because there’s only one Acosta’, praised the former 500cc champion and current commentator.

O conteúdo Pedro Acosta’s ceiling has no limits, believes Alex Criville aparece primeiro em Motorcycle Sports.