What a race weekend we just had in Italy, ThrottleChimp fam! The Moto2™ race at the Gran Premio d'Italia Brembo was an absolute nail-biter, with a reduced distance of only 12 laps throwing everything into chaos and setting the stage for a last-lap showdown!
Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) stole the show, taking his second win in the Moto2™ class and clawing his way closer to the top of the World Championship standings! 🇺🇸 The #16 rider kept his cool under immense pressure from Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) on that final lap, who threw everything he had at Roberts but ultimately came in a heartbreaking second place. Rounding out the podium was Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp), making it a three-way battle for the win that kept us on the edge of our seats!
Roberts rocketed off the line at the start, leading the pack through the opening lap at Mugello. But it wasn't smooth sailing for the American. He faced some stiff competition from Lopez and Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), who was on fire all weekend in Italy. 🇮🇹 Further back in the pack, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) was making a surprise charge from P12 on the grid, eventually storming his way to an impressive seventh-place finish!
Things got interesting on lap four when Lopez made his move on Roberts at San Donato, eventually taking the lead at Turn 3. However, disaster struck on the other side of the MB Conveyors SpeedUp garage as Fermin Aldeguer (#54) crashed out after a tangle with Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), putting an end to his race weekend. Later in the Grand Prix, Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) also joined the crash party a lap later.
The race turned into a six-bike battle for the lead with Lopez holding the top spot, Gonzalez now in second after overtaking Roberts, and Binder still in the mix. But Binder's dream run came crashing down (literally) as he suffered a heartbreaking crash and exited the Italian Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Roberts wasn't giving up without a fight! He responded at the halfway mark, reclaiming the lead in this epic six-bike battle. It was anyone's race at this point, and the front of the pack exploded with drama as Roberts and Lopez ran wide at Turn 1, allowing Gonzalez and Canet to take the lead!
The tension was THICK as Roberts returned the favor with three laps to go, snatching the lead back from Gonzalez. Lopez wasn't backing down either, clawing his way from fourth to third as the top two riders edged away from the pack. The drama continued as Ayumu Sasaki's day went from bad to worse with a crash, capping off a disastrous day for the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team.
Everything came down to the final lap! This is what MotoGP™ is all about, ThrottleChimp fam! Roberts briefly dropped to second at San Donato before launching a daring attack at Turn 2. It was a heart-stopping finale with action everywhere you looked, but Roberts held his nerve and delivered a perfect final corner to secure victory by a mere 0.067 seconds! 🇺🇸 What a ride!
Hats off to Gonzalez for putting the pressure on Roberts throughout the race, but it just wasn't his day for the win. Great sportsmanship though! ✊ Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) finished fourth at Mugello, but his championship lead has shrunk to just seven points.
This race was full of surprises, with Ogura putting in a heroic performance to battle his way from P12 to a well-deserved fifth place. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) crossed the line in sixth, followed by Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia), and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) who rounded out the top ten!
We're already buzzing for the next round at the TT Circuit Assen in just three weeks' time! This championship is wide open, and we can't wait to see what drama unfolds next! Stay tuned to ThrottleChimp.co.uk and motogp.com to catch all the action!
