Americas Moto2: Acosta denies Arbolino in final lap thriller

Pedro Acosta and Tony Arbolino took their race long battle all the way to the line, with the Red Bull rider just ahead for Moto2 victory in the Americas Grand Prix.

Lisa Lewis

16 Apr 2023

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Pedro Acosta and Tony Arbolino provided an entertaining race and a last lap battle royale, with Acosta coming out on top for the win in the Moto2 Americas Grand Prix, round three of the championship.

The duo initially had some company with both Alonso Lopez and Aron Canet in the mix in the early laps.

After breaking away with the Marc VDS bike out front, the pair were clear and the lead swapped several times due to small errors from both men.

Lap twelve was the moment where the Red Bull rider first showed his cards, pushing to lead after stalking the number 14.

On that occasion it was Arbolino who hit the front again, and after more changes and rehearsals he found himself in the lead on the final lap.

Acosta pulled across hard when the pair were side by side at turn twelve, then held a defensive line, allowing no way back to lead over the line by just 0.146s.

Arbolino was well clear in second after giving everything he had in the tank, making up six places on his grid position after an excellent start.

Bo Bendsneyder claims late podium.

The battle for third behind was equally as fierce with Jeremy Alcoba, Fermin Aldeguer and Filip Salac the main protagonists.

Nobody was expecting a comeback from Bo Bendsneyder. Fourth on the grid, the Netherlands rider could not keep up with the early pace and soon dropped outside the top ten.

The Pertamina Mandalika SAG rider was a lowly 14th on lap two, but slowly chipped away, with overtake after overtake until he had the battle for third in his sights.

As the group hit turn twelve it got fiesty and contact between Aldeguer and Canet brought his first opportunity to gain more places. In the run to the line the #64 placed himself perfectly powering past Salac and Jemey Alcoba, who he just held off in the run to the chequered flag.

After the race Bendsneyder dedicated his performance to his grandfather, who recently passed away.

That left the Gresini off the rostrum in fourth. Salac finished fifth just behind his teammate.

Fermin Aldeguer was right behind in seventh on the Boscoscuro, just ahead of his teammate Alonso Lopez who at one point lead the race at the start.

Aron Canet also could not prevent his fall down the standings - after spending mush of the race in third, once caught he was swallowed up by his rivals and never recovered from the late contact with Aldeguer, crossing the line eighth for Pons Wegow Los40.

On pole for the first time since Misano 2022, Celestino Vietti almost instantly faded away, finishing ninth for Fantic Racing. He kept ahead of Manuel Gonzalex (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp) who completed the top ten.

Somkiat Chantra made gains to bring the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia bike home in eleventh, with Albert Arenas pushing his Red Bull KTM ajo all the way to the track limits on several occasions on his way to twelfth.

The final points on offer went to Sam Lowes, who pulled his way forward from 18th on the grid on the second Marc VDS bike to 13th, top rookie Dennis Foggia in 14th for Italtrans and Ai Ogura, finishing 15th on his return from injury on the second Idemitsu entry.

Home riders out of the points

Joe Roberts was the best of the USA riders in sixteenth - just outside the points on the second Italtrans entry, he had been as high as ninth in the early laps of the race.

Sean Dylan Kelly as not far behind in 18th for American racing, a home round for the manufacturer too. Their second bike came home in 19th after Rory Skinner made late progress.

Austin was a tough first round for Moto3 champion Izan Guevara as he came back from the arm issues which saw him miss the opeining two rounds, placing 21st for Asterius GasGas - but he was there only finisher.

Crashes, injuries and replacements

There are not many warm-up lap crashes, but after the one in Moto3, there was another in Moto2.

This time it was an astounded Jake Dixon who didn’t make it to the start of the race, falling at turn nine and leaving his sixth place grid slot empty.

Lukas Tulovic fell on the first lap. Lorenzo Dalla Porta fell from his battle outside the points at the end of lap four.

Barry Baltus had made a charge to fifth when he exited at turn nine at the top of the hill. Marcos Ramirez retired on lap later with seven remaining, swiftly followed by Sergio Garcia.

Darryn Binder was absent following his accident earlier in the race weekend.

David Sanchis (22nd) is still in for Alex Escrig at Forward. Soichiro Minamimoto (23rd) is still keeping Kohta Nozane’s (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Team) seat warm.

Where does that leave the championship?

Tony Arbolino collected enough points in second to remain in control after race three with a total of 66, race winner Pedro Acosta sits second overall on 54.