Not even a spill was enough to stop an unshakable Pedro Acosta as he powered to pole position in qualifying for the Austrian Moto2 race.
Just moments into the session the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider found himself in the turn two gravel, but undeterred he went for a bike check in the pits before an impressive run to park his Kalex on pole in Moto2 qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, round ten of the championship.
Acosta had already smashed the lap record in P3 (now a best of 1m33.523s) while title rival Tony Arbolino could only watch from his pit garage after a spill in the session.
His return to track may have not have gotten off to the best of starts after his front end washed out at 2a-2b, but the Spaniard seemed completely unaffected, setting the best lap of the session, a 1m 34.040s – though he did go quicker, but saw that lap cancelled as it was set under yellow flags.
It was not title rival Tony Arbolino piling on the pressure – Ai Ogura was the rider who came closest, just 0.271s behind the championship leader after starting the Austrian round from pole last season and going on to win it.
The final spot on the front row went to a re-set, back on form Celestino Vietti in third, his first time there for Fantic since the Moto2 visit to the USA, after setting the early pace when Acosta was out of action.
Jake Dixon still feels like there is more to get out of his AutoSolar GasGas but his lap was good enough for fourth as he couldn’t quite get on the wheel of Acosta Ahead, but a solid result to put his Silverstone disappointment behind him.
Somkiat Chantra was all action as he sat in behind Sergio Garcia hunting for his own improvements, finding the fifth best time for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia.
Fermin Aldeguer was the best of the Boscoscuro riders for CAG Speed Up in sixth, completing row two.
Acosta has the pressure off as Arbolino again struggled with his qualifying pace out front. Improving on his Elf Marc VDS throughout, his climb only took him as high as seventh on the timesheets, with work to to again on Sunday after losing his title lead last time out in the British round.
Albert Arenas was another rider back with an improvement in form, taking eighth on the second Red Bull KTM Ajo bike.
A huge, heavy fall in practice left Manuel Gonzalez ( Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 MAster Camp) shaken, but he bounced back for ninth in Q2.
Aron Canet made the top ten despite an off in the same section as Acosta, though he was not able to ride his bike back to the pits, so could only watch as his best effort, sixth at the time of his crash, slipped down the timing screens.
Eleventh placed Alonso Lopez also fell from his Boscoscuro, with an injury carrying Sam Lowes also in the gravel for the second time this weekend, leaving his Marc VDS bike down in 14th on the grid.
Bwtween them Filip Salac (QJMotor Gresini) placed twelfth, while Zonta van den Goorbergh couldn’t match his quallifying high of Silverstone, where he started from the front rwo, this time landing 13th for Fieten Olie Racing.
The riders who came through Q2 only shuffeld positions between themselves with Darryn Binder taking top rookie honours in 15th for Liqui Moly Intact GP, ahead of Garcia, Dennis Foggia and Lukas Tulovic.
What happened in Q1?
Sergio Garcia was top, so moved on to Q2 with Tulovic moving into second late on to progress, pushing out a back on form Izan Guevara, leaving him 19th on the grid for Autosolar Gas Gas Aspar.
Another two rookies, Dennis Foggia and Darryn Binder also took part in Q2.
A late flurry of red sectors came to nothing for an unfortunate Joe Roberts. His first fats run was cancelled for exceeding track limits after being good enough for second. His next saw him hit traffic in sector three, costing him too much time – he was the first rider to take the chequered flag in sixth, dropping to seventh for 21st on the grid.
Injuries and Replacements
Sean Dylan Kelly is still not back on his regular seat at American Racing, allowing Marcos Ramirez (23rd)a chane to show what he can achieve on the Kalex machine.
Taiga Hada (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) is also absent, with Mattia Rato (28th)filling in for him.
Keyword: Austrian Moto2: Acosta eases to pole after fall