AUGUSTO FERNANDEZ IS CROWNED MOTO2 WORLD CHAMPION IN DRAMATIC SEASON FINALE
Pedro Acosta wins in the Grand Prix of Valencia and Augusto Fernandez takes the World Championship while Jeremy Alcoba wins the Triumph Triple Trophy and claims his prize of a new Triumph Street Triple RS.
Augusto Fernandez went into the final Moto2 race of the year 9.5 points clear of title rival Ai Ogura. It was Alonso Lopez who started from the front of the grid after he broke the lap record with a lap of 1m 34.314, not once but twice showing incredible consistency and pace. It was his first pole position making him the 11th different rider to start from pole this year. Pedro Acosta was just one thousandth of a second off pole and his teammate Fernandez rounded out the front row of the grid. Ogura started just behind in 5th but it was the Japanese rider who got the best start and at one point was second in the race while Fernandez was back to 6th. Ogura and Acosta were locked in an intense battle for second and Fernandez’s teammate was piling on the pressure, ultimately forcing Ogura into a mistake where he crashed out of the race for the second time in a row. This mistake meant Fernandez was to be crowned the world champion even if he didn’t finish the race.
The new Moto2 World Champion finished second though sealing the title in style. His teammate Acosta took the race victory and it was last race winner Tony Arbolino who took the 3rd step on the podium in this dramatic season finale of what has been an incredibly close competition.
Triumph Triple Trophy
Going into race day, there were two riders still in contention for the Triumph Triple Trophy, Jeremy Alcoba and Celestino Vietti. Alonso Lopez scored six points for his record-breaking pole lap in Saturday’s qualifying and there were just points left to score for best race progression and fastest lap. It was Cameron Beaubier who scored five points for the fastest lap and Marcel Schrotter scored top points for best race progression making up an incredible 12 places from 22nd on the grid to finish 10th.
This meant Jeremy Alcoba still topped the Triumph Triple Trophy table after scoring top points for best race progression an impressive six times this year, making up over 10 places in four of those.
His prize is a new custom-liveried Triumph Street Triple RS powered by the 765cc triple engine from which the Moto2 engine is derived.
Just before the race weekend, Triumph launched three new models of Street Triples including a Moto2 Limited Edition. Steve Sargent, Triumph Motorcycles Chief Product Officer was in Valencia to unveil the bikes and also presented Jeremy with his prize bike.
