Moto2 Doha: Back-to-back poles for Lowes at Losail
Sam Lowes took his second pole of the season after another consistent, fast qualifying session ahead of the Moto2 Doha Grand Prix.
On his timesheet topping lap the Elf Marc VDS rider slipped in behind Jake Dixon, his track position leaving him able to chase him around the Losail track for a pole lap of 1m59.055s. He had one final run at improving his time but pulled out of it, leaving his run behind his fellow Briton as his best.
The number 22’s return to the front spot of the grid in Doha marks his 13th time on pole in the Moto2 class.
Remy Gardner had been in the provisional top spot before Lowes took over, he used his final flying lap for one final chance at pole, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider set a new personal best but fell just short, 0.137s slower.
The all Kalex front row will be completed by title rival Marco Bezzecchi in third for Sky Racing Team VR46, moving up from fourth on his final run, briefly holding second before improvement from the Australian.
Rookie Raul Fernandez set the pace for the weekend ahead of qualifying with his FP2 best. That lap was better than Lowes’ pole time from last weekend and today. His best run in qualifying left him a solid fourth on the second Red Bull KTM entry.
Jake Dixon was only 18th after practice, so pushed hard while he recovers from injury to come through Q1. The Petronas Sprinta rider then gave everything on his lap with Lowes to set the fifth best time in the session - his second best qualifying performace after starting fourth in Aragon last year.
Ai Ogura was another rookie out to impress - the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia rider surprised by moving up from last to sixth in Q2 as the chequered flag waved.
Fabio Di Giannantonio was an emotional podium finisher last time out in Qatar. The Gresini rider will be looking for another rostrum result from seventh.
Joe Roberts hold the lap record at Doha after his pole lap at the 2020 Qatar Grand Prix, this time out he will start eighth with Italtrans.
Ninth went to Aron Canet for Inde Aspar - the best of the non-Kalex riders on a Boscoscuro, with Augusto Fernandez improving on his performance from seven days ago to complete the top ten on the second Elf Marc VDS entry.
Reigning Moto3 champion Albert Arenas also made gains and looked more at ease in the intermediate class as he was twelfth after moving up from Q1 this time out for Inde Aspar.
Cameron Beaubier went straight into Q2 on his second time qualifying in the intermediate class. The American Racing rider will line up in 14th on the grid.
Marcos Ramirez, Barry Baltus and Simone Corsi are all absent from the Doha weekend following the injuries they picked up at the same track last weekend. Corsi is replaced by Tommaso Marcon at MV Agusta Forward Racing, who will start last on the grid.
