The rookie converts threatening pace into a stunning first race win as Vietti crashes, Canet gains, and Fernandez just edges back ahead of Ogura.

Alonso Lopez is now a Grand Prix winner! The rookie took victory in the Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, leading from lights to flag to take to the top step in style. After losing his Moto3™ ride and moving through the European Moto2™, it was an emotional first win and the first non-Kalex win since 2019. Just over a second behind, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) came home second to get back on the podium and move into third overall, with Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) taking third and with it the points lead. The big drama saw Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) crash out, and with it the Italian cedes a place in the Championship top three…
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Lopez launched well enough from third on the grid and while he went deep into Turn 1, he emerged with the lead, ahead of Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) and pole-sitter Vietti. Despite attacks from behind, that was where Vietti finished the standing lap, ahead of Canet, Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Fermin Aldeguer (+Ego Speed Up), and Fernandez.

Fernandez put a move on Aldeguer through the quick Turn 15 on Lap 2 and set about trying to catch the top five before Canet passed Vietti at his second attempt and was into third on Lap 6. He soon got ahead of Arenas too, but only briefly, and their battle allowed Lopez to skip several tenths of a second clear. It was soon a full second, as Vietti re-passed Canet at Tramonto on Lap 8 and then Canet returned the favour at Rio on Lap 9.

Suddenly though, it was over for Vietti as the Italian lost the front and crashed out of fourth position just a lap later at the Rio corner. That meant Fernandez’s overtake on Ogura at Rio on Lap 11 was for fourth and the live World Championship lead.

Up at the front though, Lopez was putting the hammer down and setting a new personal best as he moved his advantage over then second-placed Arenas to 1.2 seconds. Canet then forced his way past Arenas through Turn 5 on Lap 14, but the man up the road on the Boscoscuro chassis continued to extend his lead.

Despite one lap with a couple of small errors, by 20 laps down and five to go, Lopez’ margin over Canet was back to almost 1.6 seconds, with Arenas third from Fernandez and a distant Ogura next up. Fernandez took a couple of attempts on Arenas to get past, but get past he did soon after.

Meanwhile, Lopez remained unstoppable and gives the Boscoscuro chassis its first win since a certain Fabio Quartararo prevailed at Catalunya in 2018, breaking 46-race streak for Kalex. Behind Canet, Fernandez finished strongly in third and with it takes the lead as Ogura . Arenas got home just over a second further back in fourth, from Ogura, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), and Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) in 10th.

Of 31 starters, only 17 finished, with the rest of the points scorers in the top 15 being Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) from Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team), Barry Baltus (RW Racing GP), Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), and Alessandro Zaccone (Gresini Racing Moto2™). Vietti pitted after his crash then, possibly in a bid to capitalise on all of the other falls, went back out but would eventually relent. Another notable DNF was Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team), who highsided at the second corner of the race, and teammate for the weekend Mattia Pasini crashed out too, as did Fermin Aldeguer (+Ego Speed Up).

That’s a wrap on Misano. A new GP winner and a new – or at least, returning – Championship leader now head for MotorLand, so tune in for more in two weeks!

Moto2™ PODIUM
1 Alonso Lopez (+Ego Speed Up) – Boscoscuro – 40’35.332
2 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) – Kalex – +1.253
3 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +3.305

Alonso Lopez: “It was incredible, I don’t have any words, because I am really, really happy. I didn’t expect it. I think that the bike was incredible, I am really happy for Luca because he is a fighter, and very happy for everyone who supports me. I don’t know, I don’t have words, sorry. Thank you for the team, and all the sponsors who support me, my family, my friends, everyone.”

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