Motorsport

Augusto Fernández celebrates this year’s Moto2 title! Helped by the second crash in a row of rival Ogura. Salač ends the season with a thirteenth place

In addition to MotoGP, the Moto2 World Championship was also decided in Valencia. Augusto Fernández and Ai Ogura entered the final race of the season as direct contenders for the title.

Published

2 years ago

6. 11. 2022

Lukáš Jungmann

Zdroj: Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

In addition to MotoGP, the Moto2 World Championship was also decided in Valencia. Augusto Fernández and Ai Ogura entered the final race of the season as direct contenders for the title. Unfortunately for Japanese motorsport, Ogura’s second miss in the last two races resulted in a prolonged wait for the Japanese champion, while Spain can boast two titles among the riders of the three World Championship categories thanks to Fernández.

Ahead of the Valencia Grand Prix, the twentieth race of the season, Spain’s Augusto Fernández led the championship by 9.5 points ahead of Aio Ogura.

Two weeks ago, the Japanese youngster could have taken the championship for himself in Malaysia or at least come significantly closer to it in Valencia. However, an accident on the last lap put him in a very uncomfortable situation in which he had to perform at his best.

The misery of López and Ogur

Pole position in qualifying went to Alonso López, who managed to shake off the competition and hold on to the race lead after the start. Last year’s Moto3 champion Pedro Acosta stamped on his compatriot into the first corner of the second lap.

However, Lopez wasn’t having any of it and Acosta hit back hard. Both lost out, however, as they fell behind Tony Arbolin and Aie Ogura, for whom the duel was a great fit.

López subsequently failed grossly in the following laps. He missed the apex of Turn 8 on lap four and dropped to fifth behind Fernandez. Just three corners later, he failed to control his machine, again missing the ideal braking point, and fell off.

Ogura, meanwhile, tried to challenge Arbolin, who held the key to the Japanese racer’s success. In the event of his triumph in the Valencia Grand Prix and Fernandez’s fourth place, it would have been the Saitama native who would have celebrated the title.

What happened, however, was an unexpected crash for Ogura on the run into turn eight on lap eight. The twenty-one-year-old talent fell at high speed under braking. This crash finally cemented Fernandez as Moto2 World Champion.

Winning Acosta Moto2 Rookie of the Year

The twelfth lap of the race saw Acosta’s overtaking manoeuvre on leader Arbolin. Behind them was the already confident champion Fernández, who had nothing left to prove in the race. Nevertheless, he made a pass on Arbolin on the very next lap, allowing Aki Aja’s team to enjoy a provisional double.

No one attacked this trio anymore, with Arón Canet in fourth place more than three seconds behind the last position on the podium. However, the Spaniard tried to close in on Arbolin in the final third of the grand prix, but unfortunately crashed with five laps to go.

Nothing else of significance happened for the leading trio until the chequered flag flew. Acosta not only went on to claim his third win of the season, but also the Rookie of the Year title. Fernández eventually lost 1.2 seconds to his teammate at the finish. Arbolino came in third, with Albert Arenas and Manuel González still in the top five.

Fernández became the 12th World Champion since the Moto2 class was founded in 2010. Only Johann Zarco has triumphed twice in this category. Fernández thus encouraged his fans in the best possible way to continue supporting him in his journey in the World Championship. Next year we will see him alongside Polo Espargar in a KTM satellite team dressed in GASGAS colours.

Filip Salač has also completed his first season in Moto2, finishing thirteenth despite a hand injury. Overall, the 20-year-old Czech rider ended the year in 20th place with 45 points.