The first day of the season heralds a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2, with Schrötter a close third in Doha.
Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ended the first day of 2022 Moto2™ at the top of the timesheets, setting a 1:59.112 as his best lap but fastest in both sessions. The number 37 denied new teammate and rookie sensation Pedro Acosta by just over a tenth and a half, but the now number 51 still made it a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 on Day 1. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) – recovering from a broken hand – landed P3 late on.
FP1
Fernandez kicked off 2022 in perfect fashion, with 0.138 in hand in FP1. Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) was second quickest, with Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) picking up P3 on his final flying lap.
Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) was P4 and 0.393s away from Fernandez’s 2:00.290, with Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) rounding out the top five ahead of reigning Moto3™ World Champion Acosta.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team) suffered an issue with his machine with just over 15 minutes left of the session, rider ok.
FP2
The opening exchanges of FP2 were busy as track conditions allowed the riders to immediately improve their times. Dixon rose to the top on his fifth flying lap, before Canet moved the goalposts with just under 10 minutes to go. Acosta and Fernandez then exchanged P1 and Dixon crashed – unhurt – as he chased a time to go back to the summit. In the end, Fernandez held P1 from Acosta, with Schrötter rising to P3 on his last lap.
Dalla Porta crashed too, as did Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing), riders ok.
Provisional Q2 places
Behind Fernandez, Acosta and Schrötter at the top, Vietti edged out Canet by 0.004 as the pair finished P4 and P5 respectively.
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) is sixth going into Saturday’s action, with rookie Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™) going well in FP2 to finish seventh. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) were P8 and P9 respectively, as Dixon slipped to P10 after his crash.
Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) pipped teammate Sam Lowes to P11, ahead of Albert Arenas (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team). Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) impressed on his debut day in P14, the rookie moving over from WorldSSP and making a splash on Friday.
Will that change on Saturday? Tune in for FP3 at 12:20 (GMT +3), before qualifying from 16:25!
FRIDAY: TOP 3
1 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 1’59.112
2 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – +0.160
3 Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) – Kalex – +0.164
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