Moto2 Japanese GP: Canet on pole in poor conditions
24th September 2022Flexbox HP40’s Aron Canet fought his way through Q1 to secure pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix despite a red-flag stop, due to poor weather conditions.
How qualifying unfolded…
Q1
Due to an earlier rainfall, within the Moto3 qualifying session, the track was damp and wet. As a result, the riders rushed out of the pit lane to set their banker laps while the rain stayed at bay, in the early minutes of the session.
After the opening laps, RW Racing’s Barry Baltus jumped to the top of the timing board but the Belgian rider was soon beaten by the likes of FlexBox’s Aron Canet.
Shortly after, Liqui Moly Intact’s Jeremey Alcoba became the first rider to crash out of the session, at turn four. ELF Marc VDS’s Sam Lowes soon followed with a horrific tumble over the his handlebars at turn four, after the British rider temporarily lost control of his bike on the exit of the corner.
Mooney VR46’s Niccolo Antonelli became this circuits next victim to crash out of the session after the Italian suffered a high-speed crash into turn 11. The Mooney bike slipped across the corner exit as Antonelli slid across the run off area. Antonelli managed to come to a stop before the gravel trap while his bike rolled across and into the trap.
Through to Q2:
- Aron Canet, Flexbox HP40
- Barry Baltus, RW Racing
- Keminth Kubo, Yamaha VR46 Master Camp
- Cameron Beaubier, American Racing
Q2
With a risk of thunder in the background, the remaining riders – including those who progress from Q1 – quickly raced out onto the damp circuit for their banker laps.
Due to the poor weather conditions, Pertamina Mandalika SAG’s Bo Bendsneyder almost found himself in the gravel trap as the rain poured down into turn one. As the Pertamina rider broke into turn one, his bike failed to slow down enough to make the corner due to the amount of standing water.
Despite the conditions, Canet was able to set the fastest lap but the Flexbox rider almost failed to make the first corner as he crossed the start/finish line, like Bendsneyder before him.
Due to the poor weather conditions, race direction opted to wave the red flag.
Once the session got back underway, Canet was able to remain out in top but the Flexbox rider was soon beaten by a number of riders as the track conditions improved. However, the Spaniard was able to improve his time and return back to provisional pole position.
Albert Arenas and Alonso Lopez soon crashed out with a handful of minutes left on the clock, at turn eight and 11 respectively, as both their bikes slipped from underneath them in their respective corners.
In the final minute, CAG Speed Up’s Fermin Aldeguer went to the top of the timing sheets but Canet was able to regain pole position with a quick 2:04.939 lap on his penultimate lap.
Flexbox HP40’s Jorge Navarro crashed out in the final minutes of the session, to end his session prematurely, as he suffered a similar crash to Lowes earlier on. The Spanish rider temporarily lost control of his bike on the exit of turn four and flipped over his handlebars, before he landed in front of his bike on his way to the gravel trap.
After the stewards looked into Aldeguer’s fastest lap time, which put him – temporarily – in second-place on the grid, the stewards deleted the Spanish riders lap time and this demoted the CAG Speed Up rider down to sixth.
At the same time, the change promoted Shimoko GASGAS’ Jake Dixon and ELF Marc VDS’s Tony Arbolino up into second and third on the grid, respectively.
Top three:
- Anon Canet, Flexbox HP40
- Jake Dixon, Shimoko GASGAS
- Tony Arbolino, ELF Marc VDS Racing Team
That’s it for the article: Moto2 Japanese GP: Canet on pole in poor conditions! Who do you think will lead the race into the first corner, in tomorrow’s grand prix? Let us know in the comments!
Read more MotoGP here:
- Moto3 Japanese GP: Suzuki on pole position for home race
- MotoGP Japanese GP: Miller fastest in only Friday practice
- MotoGP Japan GP: Preview
- Moto2 AragonGP: Acosta heads all-Spanish podium
- Spanish Catalan Grand Prix: Celestino Vietti wins on last lap
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