A Moto2™ last-lap battle for the ages? You bet. Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) beat Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) with a Turn 10 move to see the Spaniard stand on the top step of the rostrum for the first time since the German GP as the compatriots treated us to a belter.
What’s more, third place went the way of home hero Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) as the Australian earned a debut Grand Prix podium in front of his adoring Phillip Island fans, while Championship leader Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) strengthened his grip on the title with a P4 finish.
A lead quartet rapidly formed at the front as Aldeguer, Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp), Canet and Manuel Gonzalez (Gresini Moto2™) broke clear in the opening laps, before Gonzalez’s Long Lap penalty saw him drop into the clutches of the chasing pack that was led by title-hunting Ogura.
By Lap 10, the leading trio were 4.3s clear of Ogura, local favourite Agius, Gonzalez and Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) but at the same time, Aldeguer was beginning to pull the pin. 0.6s was the Spaniard’s advantage over Canet, but with limited dry track time over the weekend, there was a long way to go and tyre life would be crucial.
The battle for P4 was bubbling up nicely too. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) made it a six-rider scrap, with Agius holding P4 with 11 laps left.
With eight laps to go, Lopez had lost touch and it was now between Aldeguer and Canet for the win. 0.6s was the gap between the duo and both were lapping consistently in the 1:30s, a good four tenths faster than anyone else on circuit. Then, with seven laps to go, Canet carved past at Turn 10 to lead.
Four to go. There was nothing to split Canet and Aldeguer, and it was as you were with three laps remaining. However, at Turn 4 on Lap 21 of 23, Canet was wide to allow Aldeguer through. Then, four seconds later, Lopez was down at the same corner! This promoted Agius to P3 and with less than three laps to go, an Australian was on the podium in Phillip Island.
Last lap time! Aldeguer held a 0.3s lead over Canet and Agius was 1.2s ahead of Ogura in the race for a rostrum. From miles back, Canet lunged at Turn 4 and made a move stick. How would Aldeguer respond? The answer came at Turn 10. Aldeguer was late on the anchors and parked it up the inside of Canet, as contact – minimal though – was made when the latter tried closing the door. Both were wide. It was harsh, but it was fair. Aldeguer made it stick and held it on the run to the line to win by 0.194s as rookie Agius claimed a dream debut podium – and there’s no better place to do it too. What a ride from the #81.
Further back, Ogura’s P4 sees the Japanese rider extend his Championship lead to 65 ahead of a date with Thailand, where a top five finish will see him collect the 2024 Moto2™ crown. Ogura pipped Moreira on the run to the line by 0.012s to see the Brazilian finish P5, as Gonzalez won the battle for P6 between himself, seventh place Baltus and eighth place Arbolino.
Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) now sits P4 in the overall standings after his P9 finish in Australia as Canet and Aldeguer leapfrog their compatriot. Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) rounded out the top 10, with Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), Albert Arenas (Gresini Moto2™), Filip Salač (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Mario Aji (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) complete the points in Phillip Island.
That was an Island Moto2™ battle to remember. Aldeguer vs Canet will live long in the memory, as will Agius’ stunning podium. But it’s all eyes on Ogura as we land in Buriram next weekend as another match point arrives for the #79.
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