The Brit pulls clear at the top as a rainy morning gives way to a sunny – and hot – afternoon.
Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) has ended Friday at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia as the fastest rider in the Moto2™ class, and by some distance. The British rider’s 1:35.897 was a substantial 0.431s quicker than Celestino Vietti’s (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) effort in a dry FP2, with FP1 pacesetter Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top three.
FP1
Lowes dominated FP1 with a 1:44.439 in mixed conditions, with American Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) second but a whopping 1.043s behind. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was third quickest on Friday morning, the Italian 2.4s off his teammate after Lowes switched to slicks late on to pull clear.
Qatar GP winner Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) rounded out the fastest five riders in the tricky conditions, the duo both over two and a half seconds down on Lowes.
There were no crashes in FP1.
FP2
After there were no crashes in the FP1 sessions in any class, three riders then went down early doors in Moto2™ FP2. Turn 2 caught out Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™) and Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), before Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) suffered a highside at the same corner moments later. All riders were ok, but Acosta had crashed under yellow flags while the marshals cleared Canet’s bike. The number 51 was given a Long Lap penalty for the race on Sunday for the infraction.
The session then settled down, with FP1 pacesetter Lowes a tenth clear of impressive rookie Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) heading into the final 10 minutes of action on Friday. That soon changed, however, as Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) leapt to P1. Dixon then moved the goalposts a further quarter of a second in his favour, before going 0.5s clear of compatriot Lowes on his next lap. Lowes, on a personal best lap, then crashed unhurt at Turn 10 – with Vietti snatching P2 off the British rider on his last flying lap.
Provisional Q2 places
Behind Dixon, Vietti and Lowes, Acosta ended the day in P4 but with a Long Lap in his name for Sunday. His teammate Augusto Fernandez ends Friday in P5, ahead of Aldeguer as the Boscoscuro was shuffled down to P6 in the end. Still, it was another strong showing from the reigning Moto2™ European Champion ahead of seventh place Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team). Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Canet and impressive rookie Gonzalez complete the top 10 ahead of FP3.
Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40), Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), Marcos Ramirez (MV Agusta Forward Racing) and Romano Fenati (MB Conveyors Speed Up) currently make up the rest of the top 14 riders, and they’re the final riders provisionally heading into Q2.
That could all change on Saturday morning, with FP3 giving the grid chance to improve their lap times. Tune in for that before qualifying from 13:25!
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) – Kalex – 1’35.897
2 Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.431
3 Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – Kalex – +0.594
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