MotoGP Catalunya: Canet clinches Moto2 Friday honours

Flexbox HP40’s Aron Canet claimed the fastest time on Friday with a 1’44.450, set in the morning practice at Barcelona-Catalunya.

It was a Spanish one-two as Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez sat second from a British one-two with Jake Dixon leading Sam Lowes in the top four.

Lowes and Canet vied for dominance as Friday morning’s action fired up in the intermediate class. The Elf Marc VDS time bettered by just 0.001 as the Flexbox took charge with a 1’44.574 lap.

Bo Bendsneyder sat third on the Pertamina SAG with Intact GP’s Marcel Schrötter topping the Aspar pairing of Albert Arenas and Dixon. Mugello victor Pedro Acosta, Speed Up’s Alonso Lopez and Italtrans’ Lorenzo Dalla Porta heading championship leader Celestino Vietti in the top ten at the halfway stage.

Joe Roberts moved his own Italtrans up to sixth as the final quarter of an hour prepared before Fernandez bettered for position next time around. Lopez demoting the American further with his tenth effort as the final runs began.

Fernandez put the Red Bull in contention in the closing ten minutes with a 1’44.474 before Canet hit back 0.024s clear. Vietti improving to ninth ahead of Roberts and Dixon before the Brit claimed third at the expense of Lowes.

Tony Arbolino sat just outside of the top 14 on the second Marc VDS as the session counted down, Gresini’s Filip Salac holding the provisional gateway with a 1’45.286. Honda’s Ai Ogura rising to tenth as the final minute fired up.

The afternoon began with a near-miss for Vietti as he saved a moment on his Mooney VR46 at turn four. Acosta leading the way as the session warmed up with 1’44.9 pace. Dalla Porta was the first to improve on FP1 as he made his way to 13th overall, the Italtrans rider and Bendsneyder