Vietti Extends Moto2 Lead As Guevara Breaks Clear For Moto3 Honours In Catalonia
Grid Talk Reporter 12:24 05/06/2022
Valentino Rossi protege Celestino Vietti snatched victory in the Moto2 race at the MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix, as Aspar’s Izan Guevara took the spoils in Moto3.
The 21-lap Moto3 race kicked off Sunday’s action at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya, with poleman Dennis Foggia getting the holeshot on his Leopard Honda. But the Italian’s race only lasted a handful of laps when the chain on his Honda broke as he entered Turn 10, forcing him into his second retirement in the space of a week. At one stage the lead group extended to 13 riders, but was whittled down to four for the final push to the chequered flag. Aspar GasGas rider Guevara started to make decisive break with five laps to go, getting his lead up to seven tenths while the trio behind of team-mate Sergio García, Leopard’s Tatsuki Suzuki and Boé SKX KTM rookie David Muñoz engaged over the final podium places. This ultimately allowed Guevara to get to the chequered flag 1.9 seconds clear for his second win of the season.
Behind, Muñoz - who made his debut last week at Mugello, having only reached the minimum age limit to race in Moto3 of 16 ahead of the Italian Grand Prix - snatched second by 0.010 seconds for a sensational maiden podium having started 20th. Suzuki stole third from García at the final corner, with Tech3 KTM rider Deniz Öncü fifth at the chequered flag ahead of Prüstel GP CF Moto’s Carlos Tatay, Sterilgarda Max Racing Husqvarna’s John McPhee, Jaume Masià on the Red Bull KTM Ajo, Tech3 KTM’s Adrian Fernandez and the sister Prüstel GP bike of Xavier Artigas. García’s championship lead has come down to just 16 following Guevara’s victory, with Masià and Foggia 47 and 55 points further back respectively.
In the 22-lap Moto2 contest, there was heartbreak for long-time race leader Joe Roberts after the Italtrans Racing Team rider crashed out at Turn 5 at half-distance, having built up a dominant advantage of 2.5 seconds. Poleman Celestino Vietti slipped back to sixth in the early stages of the race on his VR46 Kalex, but rallied in the second half of the grand prix to get into the podium places. Over the final few laps, Vietti and Flexbox HP 40 Pons rider Arón Canet locked horns over the lead, with the latter holding the advantage going onto the final tour. Canet tried to hold a tight line into Turn 10, but ran slightly wide and allowed Vietti to scythe up the inside to take the lead and the victory.
Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Augusto Fernández took third away from Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon on the final lap, with Marcel Schrötter completing the top five on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Kalex. Mugello race winner Pedro Acosta was sixth on the sister Red Bull KTM Ajo bike ahead of Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura, Boscoscuro Speed Up’s Alonso Lápez, VR46 Yamaha Master Camp rider Manuel Gonzalez and Elf Marc VDS’ Tony Arbolino. Vietti’s championship lead is now 16 points from Ogura, with Canet a further 24 adrift in third.
