Moto2 Sunday

A class above: Canet claims commanding win as Ogura strengthens title lead

Aron Canet Dominates in Indonesia with a Commanding Victory

Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) delivered a masterclass at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit, securing a dominant victory by over six seconds. His impressive win strengthens his position in the Moto2™ World Championship standings, moving him up to third place. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI), finishing second, extended his championship lead to 42 points, while Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) claimed the final podium spot after a fierce battle for third.

Early Drama at Turn 1

Ai Ogura got off to a great start, taking the holeshot into Turn 1, but Canet wasted no time reclaiming the lead by the end of Lap 1. There was immediate drama as Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) collided with Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) at Turn 10, forcing Chantra out of the race. Meanwhile, Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) suffered a separate incident at the same corner, bringing an early end to his race as well.

Canet Breaks Away

By Lap 4, Canet was pulling away in P1, while Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) battled Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) for P6. However, Dixon crashed at Turn 10, ending his race. Canet’s lead grew to three seconds as a trio of Boscoscuros—Lopez, Aldeguer, and Ogura—fought for the podium positions, with Gonzalez close behind in fifth.

Aldeguer’s challenge hit a setback when he ran wide at Turn 10 on Lap 8, dropping from P3 to P9, putting a podium finish out of reach.

Mid-Race Developments

By Lap 11, Canet’s lead had grown to five seconds. While his victory looked increasingly secure, the battle for the podium intensified. Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) joined the fray, adding further excitement to the fight for second and third.

With seven laps remaining, Canet had stretched his advantage to 6.5 seconds, while Ogura began to pull away from Lopez, Gonzalez, and Binder in the race for P2. Meanwhile, Ogura’s teammate, Sergio Garcia, crashed out of the top 10 after going wide at Turn 5, ending his day prematurely.

Final Laps Showdown

With three laps to go, Ogura held a 1.3-second lead over Lopez, who was battling fiercely to retain P3 against Gonzalez and Binder. On Lap 20, Gonzalez briefly overtook Lopez at Turn 16, but Lopez fought back immediately to reclaim the position. The duo continued swapping places, while Aldeguer made a late charge, passing Binder to enter the podium battle on the final lap.

Four riders were now vying for the final podium spot as Canet and Ogura had already secured P1 and P2. Aldeguer overtook Gonzalez at Turn 10, with Binder following suit. Despite the intense pressure, Lopez managed to hold onto P3, clinching the final spot on the podium.

Key Finishes

Canet’s flawless ride earned him 25 points, while Ogura’s second-place finish secured 20 valuable points, extending his lead in the championship. Aldeguer’s impressive late-race pace saw him finish just shy of the podium in P4, while Binder secured his best result of the season in P5.

Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) finished in P6, collecting 10 points. Izan Guevara (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) initially finished P7 with a season-best performance but was disqualified post-race for being under the minimum weight. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) moved up to P7 after Guevara’s disqualification, with Gonzalez taking P8 following a mistake at Turn 16. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) completed the top 10.

Other point scorers included Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP), Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team), Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), and Filip Salac (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team).

Looking Ahead

Canet’s victory propels him to P3 in the championship standings as the Moto2™ paddock heads to Japan. However, the rider to beat remains Ai Ogura, who now holds a commanding 42-point lead ahead of his home Grand Prix in Motegi. Can Ogura maintain his momentum on familiar ground and edge closer to the Moto2™ World Championship title? Stay tuned for an exciting showdown in Japan.

RESULTS

Official MotoGP Press Release