Austin Moto2: Final run fires Raul Fernandez to back-to-back poles
Raul Fernandez left it to the final moments of qualifying to pull out the fastest lap of the weekend and topple his Ajo team-mate, taking pole ahead of the Moto2 Americas Grand Prix, round fifteen of the championship.
The Red Bull KTM Kalex pair dominated the latter part of the session with championship leader Remy Gardner leading the way despite having his best lap removed as it was set under yellow flag conditions.
The Australian stalked rookie Raul Fernandez around his final run but was not near enough to prevent his colleague snatching up pole in the dying seconds of the session, with a best of 2m 08.979s, only just outside setting a new lap record.
It is the number 25’s second successive pole and sixth of the season. It came after leading the way in all three practice sessions. Fernandez converted his most recent pole to a race win last time out in Misano.
Third went to a resurgent run from Fabio Di Giannantonio. The Federal Oil Gresini rider looked back to the form that had seen him become a title contender earlier in the season.
Their performances saw Marco Bezzecchi drop back to fourth for Sky Racing Team VR46.
The Italian is joined on the second row by home rider Cameron Beaubier. The Californian blitzed his previous best qualifying of 14th (earned back at the Portuguese round) by using his track knowledge to put in a lap strong enough for fifth at COTA with the American Racing team.
Elf Marc VDS Racing’s Augusto Fernandez spent the session chipping away at his lap time while in a group with Q1 graduates Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) and Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly IntactGP) to climb to sixth, finishing just ahead of Arbolino, who took seventh.
Ai Ogura worked hard to claim eighth for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia.
Albert Arenas set the next fastest lap on the timesheets in ninth for Inde Aspar, and was the highest placing Boscoscuro rider.
Vietti found enough pace in his on track group to complete the top ten best times.
Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) came through Q1 with the best time and went on to place eleventh - the last rider to improve as the chequered flag waved.
It was a tough day for the Brits with Jake Dixon going straight into Q1 but only managing 13th in the final part of qualifying for Petronas Sprinta Racing.
Sam Lowes crashed in Q2 leaving him to drop to 16th on the second Marc VDS entry.
Marcel Schrotter was on pole last time Moto2 got the chance to speed around Austin in 2019, this time around the German was fifth in Q1 so lines up 19th on the grid.
Stefano Manzi was low on track time after being banned from FP1 And FP2 for riding in the World Supersport championship last week at Jerez without FIM permission. He went on to qualify 22nd for Flexbox HP40.
The second home rider in America, fellow Californian Joe Roberts, lacked his spark from earlier in the season. The Italtrans rider will line up in 26th on the grid.
A shoulder injury has kept Lorenzo Dalla Porta away from Texas. He is replaced by Tetsuta Nagashima (21st) in the Italtrans team.
Nicolo Bulega was also absent after a lack of strength in his leg lead to further ultrasound checks which revealed muscle bruising and he was declared unfit to race.
