Moto2 carnage in Portimao
Riders avoid serious injury before Joe Roberts takes historic win
Moto2 experienced a miraculous escape in Portugal after a horrifying incident at turn two claimed eleven riders. Nine of the top eleven fell as rain suddenly intensified in scenes race leader Aron Canet likened to a World War 2 battlefield.
The Spaniard was most unfortunate of all, suffering a broken right arm and fractured little finger. Sam Lowes also crashed and was shunted by a bike behind. Despite breaking no bones, he reported considerable pain in his back, arm and elbow, ahead of further hospital checks this week.
Rain flags were first shown on lap three. Tony Arbolino, another crasher, felt the race should have been stopped then. But Jake Dixon noted: “It was spitting but the grip was good. It wasn’t bad until everyone crashed.” Faller Cameron Beaubier spoke for everyone: “You’ve just got to focus on the fact everyone, for the most part, is alright.”
The highest placed rider to avoid the carnage, Dixon was perfectly positioned to make good on his promise in the restart as the fallers couldn’t rejoin. The first half-lap suggested this would be the scene of the Englishman’s first Moto2 win. But a crash at turn seven ended chances of victory for the second time in four weekends.
“I just need to stop making stupid errors,” Dixon admitted. “I knew I had
‘Everyone, for the most part, is alright’ CAMERON BEAUBIER
a really good opportunity. All the title rivals were out, other than Celestino Vietti [championship leader]. I knew I could, minimum, be on the podium. I got a good start, put the hammer down straight away and pushed too much too soon. I lost the rear, which then pushed the front, and I went down.”
Joe Roberts won the restart, becoming the first American to win in the intermediate class since John Kocinski at the 1990 Australian GP.