Here are the highlights from Moto 2 at Assen, and the Dutch TT. It's a hot day for racing. 24 laps are scheduled for the Moto 2 bikes. Pol Espargaro and Mattia Pasini both crashed in the morning warmup. Pol Espargaro has pole position. The bikes set off on their warmup lap. We are ready to race at Assen in the Moto 2 race at the Dutch TT.
Toni Elias crashes on the warmup lap! Ugh! He's had a fraught season and it only continues. We're ready for a start. At the start, Scott Redding gets a good jump as Pol Espargaro takes the lead with Tito Rabat and others. Passini, Anthony West, and Dominik Aegerter are in this thing already. Here comes Rabat and Johann Zarco is surely going for it. Redding is pushing hard. Anthony West tries hanging with the leaders. He won the 2003 250cc race at Assen, a decade ago. Xavier Simeon moves to third past Tito Rabat. The Belgian, who we rode onboard with at Spa in another blog entry, days ago.
Espargaro wants to run wide and try Redding. Redding says, "no way, man." There are no gaps in the front group at all, of 25 bikes. Dominik Aegerter gets around Tito Rabat. These 600cc machines are really close together. Two laps in the books. Mike DiMeglio is fastest on track. Not sure of the lap time. Again, the graphic is hard to see. Mika Kallio now takes fast lap. Aegerter blocks Simeon. All this racing is going to help Espargaro and Redding. Mike DiMeglio continues to run fast laps. Espargaro has crashed twice, while Redding has scored points in every race.
The next race is the halfway point of the season at the Sachsenring. Aegerter passes Simeon, forcing him to sit up. Keep in mind, MotoGP is the only class that goes to Laguna Seca Raceway. Moto 2 and Moto 3, they don't race there, instead, racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dominik Aegerter sets a new fastest lap. 1:39.217 is the time. Redding continues to set the pace at the front. Tito Rabat is now fourth. Espargaro is being pressured by Aegerter. Can Aegerter stay in position to the end? The battle is for second between Espargaro and Aegerter.
But, Simone Corsi crashes. Did he hit the gas too quickly? Espargaro passes. Aegerter actually goes through on both Espargaro and Redding. He came back at Espargaro, and Dominik Aegerter is like, "while you guys fight, I'm taking the lead!" Espargaro still leads as Redding still challenges, eight laps into the race. Redding can't get an advantage down the back straightaway. Redding and Espargaro come through on Dominik Aegerter. Mika Kallio is sixth. Redding, Simeon, Kallio, and West are all in this scrum. So is Zarco.
Some of these guys are former 125cc champs. Tom Luthi, and Louis Rossi are both running well. Alex de Angelis runs in 14th. Espargaro runs fast lap again. Not sure of the time. The range of lap times is low 1:39s and the fastest is 1:38.9 to 1:39 flat. Simone Corsi pits. Scott Redding is right on top of Pol Espargaro now. It's a two man race, with Dominik Aegerter third. Nico Terol has had a horrible race. He won in Austin, Texas, and had success in Italy. Espargaro runs 1:38.8 as the nw fast lap. Can Redding make a move?
There are rumors that Redding and Espargaro will go into MotoGP next year. Time will tell. Look at Marc Marquez. He came from Moto 2 and has already tasted success riding with the big guys. Aegerter is being pushed by Rabat and Zarco. Nine laps remain. Laps are winding down. Scott Redding continus to push hard, going after Espargaro. Tito Rabat looks like he'll escape as Tito Rabat is clearing Johann Zarco. Redding wants to beat Espargaro. right now, the pace is fluctuating. Espargaro = 1:39.2. Redding = 1:39.5.
Zarco and Aegerter continue their battle. Mika Kallio and Xavier Simeon follow. 1:38.9 for both of thse guys. Six laps to the finish. Espargaro continues to lead. Who will win the Dutch TT Moto 2 race? Tom Luthi passes Anthony West. Luthi has moved from 17th to ninth. Espargaro lets Redding by. Hmmm. Does Espargaro have tire issues? Redding leads. He knows what Espargaro's got. Redding leads the championship. What is happening to Pol Espargaro? Can Redding increase his lead? Yes. Four laps left.
Redding takes over. He wants to hold off Espargaro. He did a 1:40.1 which is a second slower than the previous lap or two. Mike DiMeglio is out of this one. He's crashed. Aegerter is coming back. He's found some new energy. Tito Rabat and Johann Zarco are also up there. Mika Kallio doesn't have much of a chance to push. There's a four bike battle for third. Espargaro is pushing hard. Has Redding gained enough over Espargaro?
Two laps remain now. Espargaro keeps going. A lap and a half to go. Redding won't get off easy here. Espargaro might make a last gasp effort to try and pass. Redding might watch and he might fight back. Here comes Redding. He's lining up for a pass. Redding can't quite do it. Can Redding move past Espargaro? No. It's going to come down to the last corner on the last lap. Dominik Aegerter is third and Mika Kallio is fourth. Can Redding do anything with Pol Espargaro? Into the chicane. These guys are pushing. Espargaro is going to do it, winning the Dutch TT!
#40 Pol Espargaro ESP Kalex Granollers
The next Moto 2 race will be the German Grand Prix at the Saschenring in Saxony, Germany, in two weeks.
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