Tito Rabat has pole for the Moto 2 race at Mugello. 21 laps scheduled. Rabat leads his team mate Mika Kallio. Rabat is on pole, with Sam Lowes second, and Sandro Cortese, third. 34 bikes in this field.
Watch Luis Salom, Dominik Aegerter, and Jonas Folger, on row two, at the start of this one. 21 laps. Here we go. At the start, it's a wheelie from Aegrter, and he gets a good start. Jonas Folger and Tito Rabat lead, and Folger gets the lead immediately. Folger leads over Rabat, Aegerter, Lowes, and others. They fly down to Casanova. Mika Kallio is up there, but Tito Rabat has dropped to fourth. Mika Kallio is running well, as Folger is opening a gap already into Arrabiata part one.
Could Tito Rabat's tires be to blame for his losing a spot or two? Into Bucine, Kallio and Lowes are running well. Mika Kallio is up to seventh. Contact between Tito Rabat and Luis Salom, and Josh Herrin is out, again! He's had a horrible season on the Caterham bike so far this year. Luis Salom is in this fight. Johann Zarco is being hounded by Franco Morbidelli. Watch for Mattia Pasini. He's going to go for it. But, so fark we see Jonas Folger and Luis Salom 1-2. Dominik Aegerter is going for it, and he's passed by Tito Rabat.
Sam Lowes is eighth. Jonas Folger continues to lead as the gap is constant. When people get away at the front, they are tough to catch. Luis Salom won an incredible Moto 3 race at Mugello, last year. But so far, it's all Tito Rabat in Moto 2. Salom and Rabat are running in the 1:53 range for their lap times. Simone Corsi started 22nd and is up to eighth spot. He's running Harry Flatters. Bbut, for Tom Luthi, it's game over. He dumps the bike in San Donato after making contact with Takaaki Nakagami.
In front, it's Folger vs. Salom for the lead, with Tito Rabat in third. Mattia Passini is closing in, too. Rabat, Aegerter, and others, will have a ding dong scrap soon. Rabat needs to finish in front his Marc VDS team mate, Kallio. He does not need to win every race. Folger and Salom run 1-2. Salom rode this way in Moto 3, too. He's a tactical rider. We're working lap seven and going on to lap eight. Rabat is quicker than Folger and Salom right now.
Rabat is moving up as Kallio wants by Dominik Aegerter. Mattia Pasini could come up to the sharp end towards the end of this race. If the gap closes, what will Salom do to catch Folger? Kallio, Passini, and Zarco are running well. Johann Zarco is the sole remaining Caterham bike in this race. Mika Kallio moves to fourth. Can he close up on Tito Rabat? They are team mates at Marc VDS Racing. The gap between Salom and Rabat, is closing.
Aegerter wiggles into San Donato. Simone Corsi is also pushing really hard, riding the race of his life. Jordi Torres and Franco Morbidelli scrap. But, Aegerter, Passini, and others, are going for it. Oh no! Passini has crashed! Game over. This was into Arrabiata 2. Nope. It was Scarperia. Rabat runs fast lap at 1:52.872. Folger, Salom, Rabat, the top three. Corsi is cutting through the field like a hot knife through butter.
Meanwhile, Maverick Vinales moves ahead of Sandro Cortese. Rabat is closing in as Maverick Vinales goes by Jordi Torres. Torres passes Franco Morbidelli. Folger leads, looking out for Salom, and Rabat, lurking behind him. Salom bids for the race lead against Jonas Folger on lap 12. Less than ten laps to go. Folger leads. Rabat is closing, as Kallio is four seconds back, in fourth. Rabat is pushing Salom. Through Casanova and Sevelli. Rabat is waiting. Kallio drops behind Simone Corsi, and is now fifth.
Rabat is on the inside into Casanova. Folger is not opening a gap at the front. Corsi, Kallio, and Aegerter complete the top six right now. Rabat runs inside Luis Salom. He needs to fight back. Here comes Salom, and three wide into San Donato. Salom passes both for the lead! Folger did all the work, but got shafted by the other two. Folger will have to keep an eye on Kallio. It's Rabat vs. Salom for the race lead. Seven laps remain now.
Folger was a sitting duck. The lap times are in the 1:53 bracket. Folger is trying Rabat, who is trying Salom. Maverick Vinales is up to ninth. He's Salom's team mate. They run through Casanova and Savelli again as Salom runs wide and Rabat gets the lead again. Rabat still leads through Scarperia. Salom retakes the lead. We'll be in for a very close finish in Moto 2, chaps. Johann Zarco is catching up to the second group.
Zarco attacks Kallio. Dominik Aegerter could finish fourth in this race. Johann Zarco is running well. Sam Lowes is being reeled in by Maverick Vinales. The bikes come back through Arrabiata one more time. It's going to be a battle between Salom and Rabat. Folger is out of this battle. Rabat makes it stick! He's leading. Salom got a great drive out of the final corner. Kallio and Aegerter are scrapping. Johann Zarco wants to stay in contention, too.
Aegerter reels in Kallio. Both are late on the brakes, and Zarco tries to reel in both of them. Rabat is opening a gap over Luis Salom. This is the oivotal point in the race, with three laps left. Now, Rabat looks like he's going to open a gap over Salom, who has lost the tow a bit. Rabat sets his fastest lap as Aegerter passes Kallio. Rabat sets a new lap record at 1:52.587. It's the last lap. Rabat is pulling away.
Aegerter passes Corsi. Dominik Aegerter is up to fourth. Kallio holds sixth. It's the last lap. Luis Salom is desperately hoping Tito Rabat makes a mistake. It's not going to be, though. Rabat looks to be on his way to a win, into Bucine for the final time. Aegerter, Corsi, and Kallio race for position. Rabat wins over Salom and Folger.
#53 Esteve Rabat ESP. Kalex Barcelona
The next Moto 2 event will be at Catalunya, in Spain, in two weeks.
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