Moto2 Valencia GP: Fernandez secures title as Ogura crashes out
8th November 2022Red Bull KTM’s Augusto Fernandez secured the title after Idemitsu Honda Team’s Ai Ogura crashed out, at turn eight, in the early laps of the Valencia Grand Prix.
How the race unfolded…
It was a fantastic start from Speed Up Racing’s Alonso Lopez who cut across the track to block off the advance of Red Bull KTM’s Pedro Acosta into the first corner. Despite the block, Lopez managed to remain out in front of the pack throughout the first lap.
While, in the final sector at the end of the first lap, MV Augusta Forward’s Simone Corsi became the first rider to see his race end prematurely as he crashed out.
In the second lap, the elbows were out as Lopez made contact with Acosta into turn two and this allowed ELF Marc VDS’s Tony Arbolino to slip through and into the lead ahead of Idemitsu Honda Team’s championship contender, Ai Ogura, who moved up into second place.
Alonso soon crashed out, himself, as he battled hard to return to the front. The rider fell off his bike at turn 11 as his bike couldn’t hold onto the asphalt any longer.
American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier, Pertamina Mandakuja SAG’s Taiga Hada and Mooney VR46 Racing’s Celestino Vietti soon joined the likes of Corsi and Lopez as the three riders crashed out on lap six (Beaubier and Hada) and seven (Vietti).
On lap eight, the championship came crashing down as Ogura crashed out after his fight with Acosta was too much for his bike to handle. As the Japanese rider raced around turn eight, the bike slipped from underneath him and dragged him towards the gravel trap.
This reduced the pressure on Fernandez’s shoulders with 17 laps left to go. Regardless of result, the Red Bull rider would be classified as the 2022 Moto2 World Champion.
On lap 12, the lead changed hands as Acosta slipped passed Arbolino down the main straight and solidifyed his track position into turn one.
On lap 16, Ogura’s teamate, Somkiat Chantra, crashed out at turn eight in a carbon copy of his championship-ending crash.
RW Racing’s Mattia Pasini became yet another rider to see his 2022 season end prematurely after he was barged off his bike by Liqui Moly Intact GP’s Jeremy Alcoba, at turn 14. Alcoba was quickly issued with a long-lap penalty for ‘irresponsible riding.’
Aron Canet soon crashed out as his front tyre slipped as he curled around turn five, on lap 20.
Podium:
- Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM
- Augusto Fernandez, Red Bull KTM
- Tony Arbolino, ELF Marc VDS
That’s it for the article; Moto2 Valencia GP: Fernandez secures title as Ogura crashes out! With the season done and dusted, what has been your favourite moment of the season? Let us know in the comments!
Read more MotoGP here:
- Moto3 Valencia GP: Guevara converts pole into win after commanding race
- Moto3 Japanese GP: Guevara wins in crash-filled race
- Moto2 Japanese GP: Canet on pole in poor conditions
- Moto3 Japanese GP: Suzuki on pole position for home race
- MotoGP Japanese GP: Miller fastest in only Friday practice
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
