MotoGP Portimao: Maiden win for Roberts amid red-flagged Moto2 chaos

Italtrans’ Joe Roberts claimed his maiden Moto2 victory amid a chaotic and red-flagged Portuguese GP on Sunday afternoon.

The first American in 11 years crossed the line three-seconds clear of championship leader Celestino Vietti with Jorge Navarro completing a heroic podium despite suffering from a damaged cruciate ligament following a recent training incident.

Pons racer Aron Canet initially sat on pole ahead of the final race action of the afternoon. American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier and GasGas Aspar’s Jake Dixon completing the front row with Marc VDS’ former and current riders Tony Arbolino, Augusto Fernandez and Sam Lowes locking out row two. Championship leader Vietti had his work cut out after a difficult qualifying resulted in a 13th place grid start ahead of 23 laps around the Algarve International Circuit.

Beaubier took charge as the lights released the pack, Arbolino up to second with Canet third as the Brits went backwards off the line. Dixon was running ninth with Lowes two behind as the opening lap unfolded and the clouds threatened rain overhead.

Canet was back up to second as the first lap completed, Honda Team Asia’s Somkiat Chantra and Ai Ogura running fourth and fifth before the Thai rider pushed through to third and Canet took the lead.

Roberts sat seventh on the Italtrans machine ahead of Dixon and Aspar teammate Albert Arenas, as Lowes retuned to the top ten. Vietti a second adrift of the Marc VDS with Marcel Schrotter and Navarro further back.

The rain flags began to wave as lap three fired up and Chantra dispatched his long lap penalty from the Austin incident. The number 35 returning to the pack and splitting the Aspar pair in eight.

Dixon made a move on Roberts for sixth as Marcos Ramirez