Austin Moto2: Lap Record brings Beaubier first pole in Texas

A near perfect lap from Cameron Beaubier saw the Californian rocket to the top of the timesheets in a fast and furious end to Moto2 qualifying for the Americas Grand Prix, round four of the championship.

The American Racing rider put himself on the radar midway through Q2 with some fast lapping which saw him move onto the provisional front row after, like many, he struggled to get a clean lap initially in a crash filled, yellow flagged session.

His best lap was electric - stopping the clock at 2m 08.751s for a new lap record, allowing the number six to take his maiden intermediate class pole on home soil.

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Title leader Celestino Vietti was the best of the rest after surviving a Q1 scare - the Mooney VR46 rider had been off the pace all weekend sitting in 15th after FP3 and came through the first qualifying session second with a time only on par with his Friday effort.

The Italian put in the work to chip away and finish qualifying just 0.340s behind Beaubier as the chequered flag waved.

Vietti had enjoyed a near perfect start to his season for Mooney VR46 Racing Team, with two wins and a second place from the first three races, with pole going his way too in Qatar.

Third on the grid will be filled by Aron Canet after the Flexbox HP 40 rider gained a place after Tony Arbolino’s late flying lap was cancelled while the Spaniard was himself finding a way out of the gravel after a crash.

The Italian was undeterred and after and after his own early spill, then being demoted back to fifteenth he rallied to bounce back for fourth as the clock hit zero for Elf Marc VDS.

Albert Arenas narrowly pipped Jake Dixon to the honour of being top Shimoko GasGas Aspar rider, with the pair fifth and sixth respectively.

The British rider had entered qualifying with the best time, but two riders had shown they could go faster - both Aron Canet and Fermin Aldeguer dipped under the current lap record before having their laps cancelled as the times were set under yellow flag conditions

Jorge Navarro earned seventh on the grid on the second Flexbox HP40 entry but already has a long lap penalty to serve in the race  for crashing under yellow flags and landing his bike next to Lowes’s already strewn bike in the morning session.

Aldeguer did not quite hit the heights of his qualifying in Argentina where he became the youngest pole-sitter, dethroning Jorge Lorenzo, but was still a credible eighth at a tough track and the top non-Kalex rider on a Boscoscuro for Mv Conveyors Speed Up.

Lowes often found himself unable to improve and out of luck under yellow flags but was a solid ninth on the second Elf Marc VDS entry.

Rookie Pedro Acosta showed enough pace in the session to complete the top ten for Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Ai Ogura was running fast before his fall which saw his bike left sitting on the track, the Idemistu rider was responsible and waved frantically to let the rest of the field know it was there, but dropped to eleventh.

Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika  SAG Team) topped FP1 before going on to claim twelfth in the second session.

Somkiat Chantra has not been off the podium in every round attended - the Thai rider was absent in Qatar through injury. The Idemitsu Honda Team Asia rider has left himself a lot to do on race day after qualifying down in 17th.  

Augusto Fernandez is 18th for Red Bull KTM Ajo after a crash early in Q2.

Failing to move out of Q1 were Gresini’s Filip Salac, who was shuffled out of the progression places and unable to respond after a late fall. Fifth in Q1 sees the Czech rider fill 19th on the grid.

A former winner at the Americas in Moto3, Romao Fenati just failed to hit the Q2 top four on his last run for MB Conveyors Speed Up, so will be 21st on the grid.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta explained his recent form is due to him still having issues with his old shoulder injury. The Italtrans rider lines up 25th.

Can the Americans achieve success on home soil?

Moto2 boasts all the American interest in the paddock with a trio of home heroes for the crowd to cheer on - rookie Sean Dylan Kelly, Cameron Beaubier and Joe Roberts.

Beaubier has the best record at the track, finishing fifth at Austin last season in his rookie year, putting his home advantage to good use. The Californian has had a solid start to the season too, in the points at every round so far, with a best of ninth at Qatar. Straight into Q1 he is well placed for home success from his first ever pole position.

Italtrans rider Joe Roberts has had a less successful run at home - he is yet to score a point at COTA in three attempts, but has also had a solid start to the season with as many points to his name as Beaubier after the first three rounds. Roberts lines up 16th.

Sean Dylan Kelly rides for American Racing alongside Beaubier this season but has found the transition to Moto2 tough with two DNF’s in the last two races. The 2021 AMA Supersport champion will be hoping to get his first points under his belt from 28th after a big crash on Friday.

When Are Moto2 back on track?

The Moto2 grid will be back in action for warm-up at 9.20am on Sunday (GMT -5) with their race first due to the altered schedule running this weekend at 11:20 am (GMT -5).