Aragon Moto2: Lowes breaks lap record for pole position
Sam Lowes won the battle for pole position with lap record pace needed to secure the top spot on the grid for the Moto2 Aragon Grand Prix.
The EG 0,0 Marc VDS man was one of several riders to smash the old lap record, including Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Di Giannantonio and fellow Brit Jake Dixon.
Fresh from Le Mans victory, Lowes was the last to attack of the quartet and rode a smooth, near perfect lap on his way to his second pole of 2020, with a best of 1m 51.651s.
Those riders fill up the grid slots behind, with Sky Racing Team VR46 rider Bezzecchi securing second, just 0.148s behind pole pace.
Di Giannantonio had lead the way in showing fast times were possible when he went below Alex Marquez's old lap record for the first time in FP3, making him the man to beat.
The Italian brought that pace back for qualifying, showing his consistency ahead of race day. He prevented an all Kalex front row by claiming third for MB Conveyors Speed Up.
Dixon may have just have missed out on a first front row start but he still posted a best ever qualifying result with the fourth best time for Petronas Sprinta racing as he continues his upward trajectory this season.
Fifth went to Marcos Ramirez for Tennor American Racing, with Jorge Navarro a close sixth on the second MB Conveyors Speed Up. The pair were split by just a thousandth of a second.
Championship leader Luca Marini was still feeling the effects of his recent injuries as he gave everything he had to secure seventh on the second Sky Racing entry.
Eighth went to Jorge Martin after he topped Q1 for a second shot at setting a strong lap.
Augusto Fernandez completed a good day for the EG 0,0 Marc VDS team by ensuring both of their bikes made the top ten, with his time just beating Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) to ninth.
Le Mans polesitter Joe Roberts could only manage a lap good enough for eleventh this weekend. He will line up next to title hopeful, Italtrans man Enea Bastianini. The Italian holds second in the overall standings, but has work to do to make gains in Aragon from twelfth.
Tom Luthi climbed in to Q2 late on and progressed to 13th. His Liqui Moly Intact GP team-mate Marcel Schrotter was eighth in Q1 - putting him 21st on the grid.
Xavi Vierge is also among the walking wounded and rode with the injuries he picked up at the last round, so understandably lacked a little pace. He pushed through the pain barrier for 19th on the grid on the second Marc VDS entry.
Moto3 champion Lorenzo Dalla Porta failed to make an impact for Italtrans, he lines up 23rd.
Aron Canet misses the race weekend following surgery to the finger he injured in Le Mans. He is replaced by Xavi Cardelus, fresh from his turn in MotoE. He qualified 28th for Kipkin Energy Aspar.
