Dutch Moto2: Fernandez fired into title hunt after back-to-back victories

Round eleven saw Augusto Fernandez recover from a third row start to win the Moto2 Dutch Grand Prix by over half a second as his rivals fought behind. His only slip up was a crash as he parked up victorious in a damp parc ferme.

The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider was not the talk of the opening laps at Assen- that saw Alonso Lopez launch his way to the front, followed by Marcel Schrotter.

• Dutch Moto2: Determined Dixon powers to pole as Vietti falls
• Alex Marquez joins Gresini Ducati for 2023 MotoGP season
• Aleix Espargaro: I wasn’t blaming Jack, I was watching the big screen!

Undeterred, the Spaniard plugged away and had climbed to a lonely fifth after a handful of laps. 

Pushing his way into the podium places as many riders seemed to struggle for grip, the #37 was not done - hitting the front with eight laps to go, passing then-leader Albert Arenas.

Fernandez never looked back and pulled out a lead as his rivals fought each other behind to lead over the line by 0.660s. It is the second time in his career that Fernndez has pulled off back-to-back wins.

Second went to Ai Ogura after an unbelievable run through the pack.

Fourth on the grid, the Japanese rider tumbled down the timesheets after a series of out of the seat moments in the early laps.

Lucky to still be on board his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia bike, Ogura found himself down in first ninth before another incident dropped him to fifteenth.

The Japanese rider rallied and caught up enough places to find himself right behind his title rival, Celestino Vietti.

The pair battled back up to the frontrunners together before Ogura broke free for a final run at the podium, ending up with a win within his grasp on the final lap.

As grip came to the #79 he powered on but could not bridge the gap to Fernandez, with Ogura second to see the chequered flag for his fifth podium finish of the season.

From pole Jake Dixon got a strong start, but was taken by surprise by the early pace of warm-up leader Lopez. Falling back, though not as far as Ogura, the British rider too had a battle on his hands to get back to the podium places.

Much like Ogura, the Inde GASGAS Aspar rider held his own in the places behind the lead and kept in contention for the top three.

Moving past his team-mate, Albert Arenas, who had lead after Marcel Schrotter fell out of first, was enough to force the Spaniard to over-compensate and also end up in the gravel leaving Dixon and Ogura looking set for the final rostrum spots.

There was to be one final attack from Celestino Vietti. After moving up with Ogura the Italian had stalled a little in his chase to the front.

His final lunge for the line on the Mooney VR46 machine came from far back and out of nowhere and almost paid off, but it was to be Dixon who held on to third despite Vietti setting the fastest lap .

Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalkia SAG Team) had been third briefly but still gave the home fans plenty to cheer by equalling his best result in fifth. Fellow Netherlands repersentative, Zonta Van Den Goorbergh, also finished his rookie home round, crossing the line in 18th.

Back at the front of the race, Alonso Lopez had the reverse fate to his rivals and after an electric start to lead he had slipped to eighth on the Boscoscuro MB Conveyors Speed Up. Despite losing grip and running wide as his rivals seemed more able to push on their tyres, he came back for sixth at the line.

He passed Tony Arbolino, who was forced to settle for seventh for Elf Marc VDS.

Joe Roberts lead the next group of riders over the line in eighth for Italtrans, just ahead of Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp) in ninth, with Filip Salac at the back of the trio for Gresini to complete the top ten.

Fermin Aldeguer recovered from an in-race penatly for a chicane shortcut to bounce back for eleventh on the second Speed Up entry.

He was clear of twelfth placed Jorge Navarro, who enjoyed his own gap back to the remaing points places.

They were filled by Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) in 13th Jeremy Alcoba (Liqui Moly Intact GP) in14th and Barry Baltus, who had a penalty to serve for getting in the way of Navarro in qualifying, but came back for 15th for RW Racing GP. 

Assen non-finishers

Sam Lowes started on the front row but was shunted by the flying Lopez on the first lap, ending his podium hopes and seeing him last on the first lap, frustration kicked in and while chasing to get back in contention, the Brit crashed out with 21 laps remaining.

Along with Arenas and Schrotter, Cameron Beaubier was also taken out near the front of the race after contact with Vietti.

Niccolo Antonelli also failed to make it to the finish line.

Where does that leave the championship standings?

It was tight at the top before the Assen TT but the Dutch GP pulled the leaders even closer.

After the Sachsenring round last week Celestino Vietti still held on in the title hunt - by eight points with Ogura still second and Augusto Fernandez  catching rapidly after his win in Germany moving to within twelve points of the Italian.

Fernandez picked up maximum points with consecutive wins, moving him onto 146, matching the total of Vietti after he rallied for valuable points in fourth.

Ogura taking second sees him equally in contention, just one points short of the duo in the overall standings.

Aron Canet sits in fourth, still on 116 points after he pulled out of the race weekend, still suffering with the after effects of his recent car crash.

Pedro Acosta was also absent after picking up a femur injury, so was not top rookie this round, that homour went to Alonso Lopez in sixth.