Valencia Moto2: Fernandez wins race, Gardner takes the title from tenth

Raul Fernandez knew he had to win the race to stand a chance of taking the Moto2 crown but Remy Gardner managed his race behind to stay out of trouble. Only needing a top thirteen finish the Australian took the title from tenth in the Moto2 Valencian Grand Prix, the final round of the championship.

The Moto2 race was a shortened affair with the original start seeing contact between Marco Bezzecchi and Xavi Vierge. The Italian’s bike swung straight in front of Lorenzo Baldassarri, who could not avoid it. That lead to a red flag to clear up the resulting oil spill.

The restart saw polesitter Simone Corsi have bike issues and try a pit lane start before retiring back to his garage.

The opening laps were frantic and Raul Fernandez had to run at the front and take risks to keep his diminishing title hope alive. Augusto Fernandez found his way to the front to give the Spaniard a tough job. 

When Fabio Di Giannantonio moved up the inside to the lead the rookie slotted in behind the Gresini bike instead, making his move to the front at the start of lap fourteen and remaining ahead to the line.

As the number 25 collected his eighth win of the season by 0.517s - one more than Marc Marquez managed in a then slightly shorter season - Remy Gardner had found a way past Tom Luthi and to clear track to finish tenth and take the title.

Remy and Wayne Gardner are just the second father and son pair to win world championship titles, following in the footsteps of Kenny Roberts and his son, Kenny Roberts Jr.

Missing out by just four points, Raul Fernandez was among the first to congratulate the Australian, and helped in the celebrations for his Red Bull KTM Kalex team-mate - wearing the t-shirt celebrating Gardner’s Portimao win in the season.

Federal Oil Gresini’s Di Giannantonio went on to finish second in his last race before he too moves up to MotoGP.

Augusto Fernandez topped warm-up and carried that speed into the frantic first few laps. The Elf Marc VDS racing rider proved to be a hard man to pass at the front on his way to third to complete the podium.

Celestino Vietti turned up ready for a battle and produced his best result in Moto2 after a fiery performance, the rookie making sure his replica Valentino Rossi helmet to commemorate his retirement got plenty of airtime on the Sky VR46 Racing team bike.

He fought hard with Xavi Vierge who brought home the Petronas Sprinta Racing bike in sixth - he was passed by a determined Aron Canet late in the race for fifth on the Boscoscuro, breaking up the Kalex dominance with Inde Aspar. 

Sam Lowes pushed through the pain barrier after hurting his foot earlier in the weekend to take the chequered flag in seventh.

Termozeta Speed Up's Jorge Navarro was eighth ahead of Marcel Schrotter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), who had a lonely last few laps for ninth , well behind Lowes but clear of Gardner as he tried to remain as safe and sensible behind.

Tetsuta Nagashima was back again to replace Lorenzo Dalla Porta at Italtrans.The Japanese rider kept Gardner honest, racing him all the way as he crossed the line in eleventh.

Tom Luthi took his world championship bow in twelfth for Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team. The retiring Swiss rider will be back in the paddock next season as Sporting Director at Pruestel.

Stefano Manzi was just over a second further down the track in 13th for Flexbox HP40. The Italian had American Racing’s Marcos Ramirez for company in 14th. 

Hafizh Syahrin brought home the NTS RW Racing machine home in 15th to collect the final point on offer. Jake Dixon just missed out in 16th on the second Petronas entry.

Ekky Dimas Pratama took over the wildcard appearance available after Piotr Biesirkirski had to withdraw due to a positive Covid test. He was the first to exit after the restart. Hector Garzo also failed to finish.

Joe Roberts had made it through Q1 before a fall on Saturday. The American was later diagnosed with a collarbone injury so was absent from the race.

Ai Ogura had already been declared unfit to ride following his foot fracture, picked up in Portimao.