Jake Dixon held off Aron Canet in the closing laps of the Catalan Moto2 race to secure his second win of 2023, while title contender Tony Arbolino failed to score.
Dixon held the lead off the start from pole position ahead of Yamaha Master Camp rider Manuel Gonzalez and Canet, though the former was keen to get out in front and moved clear of the Briton after only a few laps – Canet following through soon after.
Dixon looked content to sit behind and save his rubber for an attack later in the race, the GasGas man later being relegated to fourth by charging series leader Pedro Acosta.
He began to move closer to the front once again though just past mid-distance, first moving back ahead of a fading Gonzalez before starting to run in the wheeltracks of Acosta and Canet who battled over the leadership.
He cleared Acosta as a result of a late divebomb on the Spaniard by Pons’ Canet at Turn 4 that pushed Acosta wide – the loss of momentum causing him to fall to fifth across the following bends – allowing Dixon to focus on passing Canet.
Dixon finally managed to move ahead of Canet with only a few laps to go, though the two-time 2023 Moto2 rostrum finisher continued to push hard to try and finally secure a maiden intermediate class victory.
Dixon ultimately placed his GasGas-run Kalex in all the right places to take the chequered flag leading for his second career success by 0.205s over Canet, who secured his third runners-up result of the year.
Albert Arenas meanwhile finally secured his first podium finish of the term on his Ajo-run entry having looked after his rubber well, the Spaniard getting leading the second Pons bike of Sergio Garcia who cut through to fourth at the death having passed Gonzalez.
Acosta could only grab sixth having struggled for grip in the final tours, though he still extended his points lead over Arbolino who continued to lack speed at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya – the Italian coming home a lacklustre 17th and thus failing to score a single point for Marc VDS.
Ai Ogura ended up seventh for Honda Team Asia ahead of Speed Up’s Alonso Lopez, who dropped back after running off at Turn 1 following contact with Acosta in the closing stages, while the other Marc VDS machine of Sam Lowes and Austrian GP winner Celestino Vietti completed the top ten.
Fermin Aldeguer missed out on a top ten result due to having to serve a pair of long-lap penalties after he missed his first due to a track limits infringement, the Speed Up pilot eventually crossing the line 13th.
Acosta’s series lead thus stands at 22 over Arbolino ahead of next weekend’s San Marino GP at Misano, with Dixon’s victory seeing him close to within 44 of the leader.
Keyword: Dixon fends off Canet to win thrilling Catalan Moto2 encounter