Rennie Scaysbrook | March 21, 2021
Day Three
Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Kalex) ripped around the Losail International Circuit on the final day of the 2021 Qatar Moto2 preseason test today, setting the fastest lap of the test with a 1:58.655.
The Briton headed Sky VR46’s Marco Bezzecchi by 0.013 seconds and Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Remy Gardner by 0.048 seconds, with day two pacesetter Xavi Vierge dropping to fifth behind Petronas Sprinta Racing teammate Jake Dixon.
Lowes scorched around the Losail venue to set the fastest time of the test on the final day.
Day three was a much-improved one for Bo Bendsneyder. Using the Japanese NTS chassis, the Dutchman went from 15th on day one to sixth at the end of day three, a mere 0.249 seconds from leader Lowes.
The final day of testing for Italtrans Kalex rider American Joe Roberts saw him finish 14th after finishing day one in third, and day two in 10th.
In contrast to Roberts, Beaubier’s test got steadily better, after taking 25th on day one, 19th on day two, and 13th on the final outing. The five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion closed the gap to the front from 1.001 seconds on day two to 0.695 seconds on day three, ending the test satisfied and ready for next week’s round one.
Cameron Beaubier is getting quicker and quicker and is now under a second off the lead riders.
“Just taking everything step-by-step,” Beaubier said. “The level of this class is incredible. I was only a second off yesterday and I was in 19th! How fast everyone is and how fast the get up to speed is really impressive. Slowly chipping away. We’re not too far off, even though we’re pretty far down the timesheets, but it’s a reasonable goal. It’s early days.”
In the Moto3 category, title favorite Jaume Masia (Red Bull Ajo KTM) stuck in a 2:04.263s lap to lead rookie teammate Pedro Acosta, with Dennis Fogia taking third.
2021 Qatar Moto2 Test Results—Day Three
| 1 |
Sam Lowes |
Kal |
1:58.655 |
| 2 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
Kal |
+0.013s |
| 3 |
Remy Gardner |
Kal |
+0.048s |
| 4 |
Jake Dixon |
Kal |
+0.182s |
| 5 |
Xavi Vierge |
Kal |
+0.216s |
| 13 |
Cameron Beaubier |
Kal |
+0.695s |
| 14 |
Joe Roberts |
Kal |
+0.706s |
Day Two
The second day of the 2021 Qatar Moto2 test at the Losail International Circuit saw six riders covered by a mere 0.089 seconds. The leader of the pack was Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) from Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team), Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46).
Xavi Vierge topped an incredibly close day two in Qatar.
Joe Roberts slipped from third on day one to 10th today, 0.413 seconds off pacesetter Vierge. Cameron Beaubier was a big improver on day two, jumping from 25th on the combined times to 19th on his American Racing Team Kalex. The Californian banked a 1:59.833 to finish one second off Vierge.
In the Moto3 category, John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) set the fastest time of 2:05.286, heading Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), the Italian 0.306 down, with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) taking third and a further tenth off the top.
2021 Qatar Moto2 Test Results—Day Two
| 1 |
Xavi Vierge |
Kal |
1:58.832 |
| 2 |
Aron Can |
Bos |
+0.026s |
| 3 |
Jorge Navarro |
Bos |
+0.056s |
| 4 |
Remy Gardner |
Kal |
+0.062s |
| 5 |
Jake Dixon |
Kal |
+0.068s |
| 10 |
Joe Roberts |
Kal |
+0.413s |
| 19 |
Cameron Beaubier |
Kal |
+1.001s |
Day One
Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex) set a scorching pace on day one of the 2021 Moto2 test in Qatar, setting a 1:59.074 to lead Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team Boscoscuro) and America’s Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex).
Remy Gardner was flying in Qatar, setting the fastest day one time.
Gardner’s adaptation to the Red Bull squad has gone better than even he could have expected, having topped private testing at Jerez and Portimao recently. His lap was 0.269-seconds faster than Canet, although 0.9-seconds down on Roberts’ own pole lap from the 2020 Qatar Moto2 Grand Prix.
Fourth on day one went to Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Kalex), 0.020-seconds from Roberts. Lowes headed Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Kalex) by an even smaller 0.009-seconds, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) taking sixth, another 0.051 in arrears.
It’s ultra-close in the top six.
Cameron Beaubier continues to adapt to life in the GP paddock. He’ll get quicker over the rest of the test.
Cameron Beaubier’s (American Racing Team Kalex) re-appointment with the Qatar circuit went well, the American finishing 25th, albeit only 1.77-seconds from Gardner. The last time Beaubier raced at Qatar was in 2009 in the 125cc category, where he finished 16th for Red Bull KTM.
In Moto3 Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) went fastest by putting in a best of 2:05.750 on the combined timesheets. It was close though, with the South African hitting back late on against teammate John McPhee as the Scot was forced to settle for second by 0.026-seconds. Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) completes a top three by 0.040-seconds.
2021 Qatar Moto2 Test Results—Day One
| 1 |
Remy Gardner |
Kal |
1:59.074 |
| 2 |
Aron Canet |
Bos |
+0.269s |
| 3 |
Joe Roberts |
Kal |
+0.480s |
| 4 |
Sam Lowes |
Kal |
+0.500s |
| 5 |
Nicolo Bulega |
Kal |
+0.509s |
| 25 |
Cameron Beaubier |
Kal |
+1.770 |
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