Fernández Takes Second Moto2 Win Of 2022 In Germany

Grid Talk Reporter 12:27 19/06/2022

Augusto Fernández prevailed at the Sachsenring in dominant fashion to move closer to the world championship lead.

Fernández dominated on his Red Bull KTM Ajo to score his second win of the season as championship leader Celestino Vietti endured a nightmare race. Elf Marc VDS’ Sam Lowes grabbed the holeshot from pole, but Fernández overhauled him on lap six and quickly pulled away from the chasing pack. Over the course of the 28-lap race Fernández moved over eight seconds clear of the field as he eased to the chequered flag to pull himself back into championship contention. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider is now back in the hunt courtesy of a crash with seven laps to go for VR46 Kalex rider Vietti. The Italian was fighting outside of the top 10 for much of a difficult race, before sliding off at Turn 1. Lowes lost second to Pedro Acosta on the sister Red Bull KTM Ajo around mid-distance when he made a mistake at the Turn 3 right-hander 'Omega' corner.

But the Briton got back on terms with the Spanish rookie when he started to struggle with edge grip, with Lowes engaging over second again on lap 26. Acosta, however, put up a stubborn defence and allowed home hero Marcel Schrötter on the Liqui Moly Intact GP and Boscoscuro Speed Up rookie Fermín Aldeguer to get into the battle for second. As Fernández eased to the win, Acosta and Lowes touched at the final corner on the last lap - but both stayed on their bikes. Acosta got to the line in second, with Lowes 0.140 seconds behind to take a podium on his 150th start. Schrötter was fourth on home soil ahead of Aldeguer, Aspar’s Albert Arenas, Alonso López on the sister Speed Up machine, Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura, Arón Canet (Pons) and Elf Marc VDS’ Tony Arbolino. Vietti now leads the championship by just eight points from Ogura, with Fernandez 12 points behind in third and Canet 17 points back in fourth.