#samlowes

The rookie is back on top with another pole position, with the Championship leader alongside as Bezzecchi gets shuffled down to P17 Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took his fourth pole of his rookie Moto2™ season at the Motul TT Assen, the Spaniard edging out teammate Remy Gardner in another Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) took third, the Brit back on the front row as he looks to gain back some ground. Q1 Home hero Bo Bendseyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) headed through first, shadowed by German GP podium finisher Aron Canet (Aspar Team Moto2) and Canet's teammate Albert Arenas as the reigning Moto3™ World Champion continues to make solid progress in Moto2™. Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40), on the comeback from injury, was the final graduate... with Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) just missing out. Q2 World Championship leader Gardner was the first rider to dip into the 1:36 bracket in Q2 to briefly lead the way, but teammate Raul Fernandez quickly took the initiative. The rookie landed a 1:36.567 to beat Gardner by over three tenths, as Lowes and Q1 graduate Canet placed provisional P2 and P3. Having been demoted to P7, Gardner then came back out of the box with gritted teeth. The three-time 2021 winner returned to top spot but once again, Raul Fernandez struck back to go just 0.010 away from the all-time lap record. On his final flying lap, Augusto Fernandez seemed like he'd snatched a front row away from teammate Lowes too,but a yellow flag infringement for the Spaniard sees him demoted back to P8. The Grid Raul Fernandez, Gardner and Lowes line up on the front row, with Canet taking P4 in the end and a fantastic result after finishing Free Practice in P21. The same can be said for Garzo as he took fifth and a best qualifying result since the 2020 Valencia GP. Rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) starts sixth in yet another impressive result from the Japanese rider. Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) was a late crasher but lines up seventh on the Assen grid, and just 0.460 splits the fastest seven riders in Q2. Augusto Fernandez will be more determined than ever to try and fight for the podium having had his lap cancelled, the Spaniard down in eighth ahead of Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) – his best Moto2™ qualifying result – and rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP). Third overall, Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) had his last lap cancelled and will start from P17. That's it from Saturday, with Raul Fernandez turning the tables in qualifying once again. Can he get some revenge on his Sachsenring misfortune on Sunday this time round? Find out at 12:20 (GMT +2)! Moto2™ front row: 1 Raul Fernandez - Red Bull KTM Ajo - Kalex - 1:36.356 2 Remy Gardner - Red Bull KTM Ajo - Kalex - +0.186 3 Sam Lowes - Elf Marc VDS Racing Team - Kalex - +0.330 Raul Fernandez: "Unbelievable, I’m really happy to get my fourth pole position. It’s really important because the last race with the crash. We are really strong, I think that at this moment I am a little bit stronger than my teammate, but in the end, he has experience I don’t have. This is one really good point for him but yeah, we will try tomorrow to push, to break the group from the beginning but you don’t know, because you could exit bad or something like this. I want to enjoy, I want to fight for another podium, I want to go to the summer break with a podium, to enjoy the holidays really well and this is my main goal!" For more Moto2 info checkout our dedicated Moto2 News page Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com Follow us on social media: Instagram: @superbikenews Twitter: @sbknews Facebook: @superbikenews

Moto2™ front row L-R: Lowes, Fernandez and Gardner SBN Directory - add your motorcycle related business here

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The Brit tops Day 1 from the rookie, with Augusto Fernandez completing the top three after more top form in France Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) is once again the man to beat on the Moto2™ timesheets, but once again it wasn't by much. On Day 1 of the SHARK Grand Prix de France the Brit led the way by just 0.075 ahead of rookie sensation Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completing the top three after winning a tight squabble for third. MotoGP™ almost managed it in FP1, but Moto2™ were very much back on slicks by the conclusion of their first session of the weekend and the laptimes picked up some speed. Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) was top of the pile from Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP 40), with Lowes fast in third but just 0.035 in further arrears. Bezzecchi crashed, rider ok, but Yari Montella's (MB Conveyors Speed Up) weekend came to an early end as the Italian broke his right wrist in his tumble. Alonso Lopez has been drafted in on replacement duty, the Spaniard fresh from three Moto2™ European Championship podiums to start his rookie season on the Boscocuro chassis. How will the Moto3™ podium finisher adapt to Moto2™ competition with Triumph? Meanwhile, later in the day and despite the threatening cloud cover, FP2 stayed dry and Lowes took to the top, only a tenth and a half off outright the lap record. Raul Fernandez was less than a tenth off and Augusto Fernandez got promoted to third as Bezzecchi had his best effort scrubbed off, with Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) within half a tenth of the top three. Fifth went to Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) as the Italian put some more Friday speed on show, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) pipping Canet to sixth. Jerez winner Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) took P8 despite a tumble, and the Italian was one of 11 crashers including the likes of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing), who both suffered rough days at the office down in P28 and P25 respectively. All riders were ok in FP2, although Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) must also be reviewed before FP3. After getting his best scrubbed for Yellow Flags, Bezzecchi's next lap puts him in ninth, ahead of Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) completing the top ten. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP), Manzi, Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) and Garzo currently stand to move through to Q2 if no one can improve on Saturday... and rain is a distinct possibility! Will the weather halt improvers in FP3 or will there be another mad dash to the line? Find out at 10:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying for the intermediate class from 15:10. Moto2™ Friday top five: 1 Sam Lowes - Elf Marc VDS Racing Team - Kalex - 1:41.515 2 Raul Fernandez - Red Bull KTM Ajo - Kalex - +0.075 3 Augusto Fernandez - Elf Marc VDS Racing Team - Kalex - +0.298 4 Remy Gardner - Red Bull KTM Ajo - Kalex - +0.333 5 Nicolo Bulega - Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 - Kalex - +0.441 For more Moto2 info checkout our dedicated Moto2 News page Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

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Sam Lowes joins Gresini Racing Moto2 in 2019

Gresini Racing extends its involvement in the middleweight class of the MotoGP World Championship to the 2019 season, and it will once again field one bike as Sam Lowes makes a welcome return to the Indonesian-backed Italian squad.

In his first season with the team led by Fausto Gresini (2016), the British rider scored six podium finishes – two of which were race wins – and five pole positions. After what was undoubtedly a successful year, the rider stepped up to the premier class with Team Gresini.

The 2019 season will see the return of a winning partnership that will aim as high as ever, with Federal Oil back onboard as title sponsor for the eighth year in a row.

Sam Lowes #22: “I am very happy to be working again with Gresini racing and Federal Oil; we have good memories together and unfinished business from both sides. I have learnt a lot the last couple of seasons and now it’s the time to show it. I know the high level of this team and have 100% faith in them: my motivation is as high as ever and look forward to enjoying a new successful partnership with Gresini Racing, its partners and sponsors. Onit!”

Patrick Adhiatmadja, PT Federal Karyatama CEO & President: “We are very pleased to have Sam back onboard. With the excellent support of team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2, he has the potential to be among the protagonists next year and challenge for the title. All Federal Oil fans cannot wait to see the brand back on the podium!”

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Joan Mir and Sam Lowes lead the Italians in Mugello

After finishing fourth quickest in FP1, Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) made his mark in the second Free Practice session to end Friday at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley as the fastest man in the Moto2™ class, with rumours about his plans for 2019 equally continuing to make headlines. Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) was second in both of Friday’s sessionsas he gets back in the groove, with his best of a 1:52.236 just 0.112 behind Mir. Third overall was Championship leader and home hero Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46), who was just 0.001 off Lowes’ time after finishing FP1 in P7 – an incredibly small margin of difference given the two men are on two different chassis; the Brit a KTM and the Italian a Kalex.

Last year’s race winner Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) was fourth quickest overall, making a huge improvement from FP1 where he finished P17, with the Italian only 0.028 back from compatriot Bagnaia’s time. Rounding out the top five was Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), the only rider in the top 20 who failed to go quicker in the afternoon session.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40), after finishing fifth after FP1, was P6 overall on Friday, with rookie Remano Fenati impressing as he rides a Moto2™ bike for the first time at Mugello – he was seventh fastest, improving from P10 in FP1.

Sky Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini continued the Italian trend in the afternoon, improving from P12 in the morning session to end FP2 eighth fastest on board his Kalex. Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) was 0.037 behind his fellow Italian in P9, improving his time but not position at the close of play. Fabio Quatararo (MB Covenyors – Speed Up Racing) rounded out the top ten on Friday; the Frenchman jumping up ten places from FP1 to continue the good form he found in Le Mans.