Dutch Moto2: Fernandez: ‘Great end was key to victory’, Gardner content with P2

Raul Fernandez recovers from difficult opening laps to claim a stunning Dutch Moto2 victory, while a hard-fought second place puts ‘a smile on my face’, for Remy Gardner going into the summer break. 
Raul Fernandez , Moto2 race, Dutch MotoGP, 27 June 2021
Raul Fernandez , Moto2 race, Dutch MotoGP, 27 June 2021
© Gold and Goose Photography

For the fourth time in five races, Moto2 Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Raul Fernandez and Remy 🌄Gardner took a 1-2 for the team at Assen. 

After suffering a crash in Sachsenring when secondꦚ and on course to make it another 1-2 finish, Fernandez rebounded with a stunning Assen victory after recovering from ninth place. 

The pole man was relegated to sixth on th🦋e opening lap, before that turned into ninth when ru🌠nning wide at turn 7 on lap two. 

But the Spanish rookie had superior pace al🅠l weekend to his main rivals, and subsequently made his way back to the front before stretching out a one second gap in the end. 

The key to victory was remaini🌳ng calm at the s𓃲tart which Fernandez credited team boss Aki Ajo for.

"Aki [Ajo] has taught me to stay calm in moments like the ones I experie🐲nced today at the beginning o🎉f the race," added Fernandez. 

"The first few laps were tough, as my plans for this contest were different: to try to p♛ush from the start. However, we managed to keep focused and regained positions,♊ little by little. 

"I felt very comfortable when at the front of the leading gro🌊up and I pushed to the fullest. We had a great end to the Grand Prix and that was the key to achieving this victory."

The win for Fernandez also halts a three race winning🦂 streak for team-mate Gardner, who took an impressive second place. 

Late moves on Elf Marc VDS riders Sam Lowes and Augusto Fernandez saw him r🍰educe the points loss to just five with Fernandez heading into the𒊎 summer break.

Gardner added: "Raul [Fernandez] was very strong, and we knew that this weekend he had something extra compared to us. We🎐 gave ev🐽erything we had, but the fight with the rest of the rivals didn’t allow us to set a high pace either. 

"It was enough of a struggle to stay with the group. However, I knew tꦿhat normally I am strong on the last three laps🗹; I started to hunt them down one by one and I passed them to take second. 

"We did a good job and the other riders didn’t take many points from us. I’mꦺ going into the summer break with a smile on my face."

Read More