San Marino Moto2: Raul Fernandez battles his way to Misano pole

Raul Fernandez got the better of the weather, his on track rivals and his injury to move into pole position for the Moto2 San Marino Grand Prix, round fourteen of the championship.

The Red Bull KTM rider arrived with a positive run in Spain bringing his Aragon win, while fighting injury after fracturing a bone while training. Raul Fernandez once again battled the pain barrier, running solo to produce a superb late lap of 1m 36.264s.

That time brought the fifth pole of his rookie season as he found the best of the track as the intermediate class once again had a drying session after a wet spell in Q1. Fernandez was also fastest on the Kalex in the dry FP3 session earlier in the day.

Sam Lowes, who took pole at the Misano round at World Circuit Marco Simoncelli last year (but started at the back of the grid to serve a penalty),had been set for provisional pole before Fernandez posted his best, finishing 0,351s behind for second on the grid for Elf Marc VDS.

His team-mate Augusto Fernandez completes the front row after moving up from seventh to second on his final run as the chequered flag waved.

Championship leader Remy Gardner was a solid fourth on the second Ajo team entry.

Aron Canet managed another great save after losing the front while pushing hard on his Boscoscuro for Inde Aspar. Using his knee to avoid a crash, the Spaniard recovered to claim fifth on the grid.

Fellow countryman Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) saw late improvements lift him to sixth as the track dried rapidly. He posted exactly the same time as Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Xavi Vierge, with their next best lap deciding grid position.

Marco Bezzecchi spent much of his time circulating with class veteran Tom Luthi, who had been fast in the wet. He will start eighth for Sky Racing Team VR46.

Fabio Di Giannantonio was ninth quickest for Gresini, while Lorenzo Dalla Porta was the best of the riders to move up from Q1, pushing hard to complete the top ten on the grid for Italtrans.

Tom Luthi , who lead the way in the wet FP1 session again looked good in the rain. The Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team rider was competitive in Q1, moving to the second session with the fourth best time, but could not match his performance on a drying track, finishing Q2 in 14th.

Jake Dixon had only just missed out on moving straight to Q2 after being shuffled down to 15th in FP3. The first half of qualifying was all about getting out early before the rain worsened. The British rider found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time again, dropping down the order as the rain became heavier, he was not in the group of riders who made the leap to the second session all of whom got the best of the conditions before the rain returned. 

Sixth in Q1 behind Hafizh Syahrin, The Petronas rider will line up in 20th  for Sunday’s race.