MotoGP Jerez: Dixon dominates Friday’s Moto2, Lowes fourth

Autosolar GasGas Aspar’s Jake Dixon completed a stellar Friday in Jerez having topped both Moto2 free practice sessions.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Augusto Fernandez sat a quarter of a second behind the Brit’s late 1’41.646 effort with Honda Team Asia’s Ai Ogura and Elf Marc VDS duo Sam Lowes and Tony Arbolino completing the top five.

A somewhat battered and bruised intermediate class took to the track as Friday practice began after the dramatic conclusions to Sunday’s race day in Portugal. Aron Canet undergoing surgery on his left hand at the start of the week before returning to action on the Flexbox HP40 just four days later.

Dixon took charge of FP1 as the initial laps fired in with Portimao race winner Joe Roberts and Arbolino in the top three. Mooney VR46’s Celestino Vietti and Fernandez challenged moments later before Arbolino and Schrotter bettered overall on lap four. Lowes joined his countrymen in the leading group next time around as the two Brits sat third and fourth before the championship leader dropped them back and the standings began to shuffle again.

Marc VDS came out on top as Arbolino headed Lowes out front with a 1’42.763, Dixon and Schrotter sitting third and fourth from the second Aspar of Albert Arenas and Vietti. The American duo of Roberts and Cameron Beaubier held seventh and eight with Fernandez and KTM Ajo teammate Pedro Acosta completing the top ten with a third of the session done.

The orange bikes were soon on the move as the pair found the top five, Vietti splitting the purple pair in charge until Lowes improved to move the Italian back to third. Arenas getting a mouthful from his own teammate after cruising on the racing line as Dixon fired up a personal best at turn one.

The second half found