Valencia Moto2: Runaway win takes Aldeguer to four in a row

Fermin Aldeguer wasted no time in getting to the front and remained unchallenged for his fourth consecutive win in the Moto2 Valencian Grand Prix.

Lisa Lewis

26 Nov 2023

Fermin Aldeguer, Moto2 race, Valencia MotoGP, 26 November

Fermin Aldeguer finished his Moto2 season in style picking up yet another win in dominant style - his fourth in a row.

Aron Canet had started from pole, but the CAG Speed Up rider got a perfect launch from the green lights to lead right from the first lap.

Canet, still desperate for a win in Moto2 before he moves on, gave chase but when Aldeguer decided to pull the pin, his fellow Spaniard had no reply.

It is the first time a rider has won four races in a row since Moto2’s inaugural season in 2010, when Toni Elias completed the rare feat on the Moriwaki.

Canet had further motivation for a good result as he was running a livery and helmet in honour of departing team boss Sito Pons. The Pons Wegow Los 40 rider took his first podium at his local track, his 15th time coming second in the Moto2 class, this time 3.986s behind.

Aron Canet, Moto2 race, Valencia MotoGP, 26 November

Photo finish for third

The battle for third went all the way to the line. Marcos Ramirez started third and held the position for much of the race distance, but fell into the clutches of Alonso Lopez.

Lopez on the second Boscoscuro Speed Up, had already made up ten places to move from 14th to fourth, after a series of late lunges.

The Spaniard had found a way past his fellow countryman but Ramirez slid back underneath at the final corner, leading to the pair running side by side in a thrilling drag to the line.

There was just 0.021s separating the duo with Lopez back on the podium for the first time since Misano.

Somikat Chantra was next to see the chequered flag for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia. The Thai rider passed Jake Dixon earlier in the race and the British rider could not work his way back past, leaving him sixth for Inde GasGas Aspar.

Sam Lowes signs out in seventh

Lowes was once again at frontrunner pace, but too far back to make it work after slipping back from fourth on the grid after another slow start.

It was an emotional crossing of the finish line as the British rider leaves the paddock at the end of this season, with Marc VDS moving to WorldSBK with the #22.

Lowes leaves after ten years with a stint in MotoGP, ten wins, twenty podiums and as the most successful intermediate British rider after Barry Sheene.

Joe Roberts was a distant eighth for Italtrans, with his own small gap over the best rookie in the race, his teammate Dennis Foggia.

Title contenders fail to figure at the front

Pedro Acosta had looked out of his usual form after dominating Friday at Valencia. That continued into the race, perhaps with one eye on MotoGP testing next week. Last seasons runner-up Ai Ogura took advantage to pick up a place, claiming eleventh, with the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider twelfth.

His main rival for this season in the intermediate class, Tony Arbolino, was an even more distant 16th on the second Elf Marc VDS entry.

Taking the remaining points in between were Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team) , second at the last round in Qatar, but now down in 13th, Barry Baltus after a spell tangling with the new world champion on his way to 14th for Fieten Olie racing and Jeremy Acloba in 15th for Gresini.

Crashes, injuries and replacements

A massive crash on the opening lap saw Izan Guevara, Sergio Garcia and Celestino Vietti out of the race. The nasty fall saw Garcia run over by one of the unpiloted bikes in the carnage.

Not long after Kohta Nozane suffered a similar fate in his exit after contact with Alex Escrig.

Both Nozane and Garcia were sent to the medical centre for checks.

Lukas Tulovic fell shortly after.

There were two wildcard entries for the final round of the season. Hector Garzo slipped of the Fieten Olie Racing bike as he tested their NTS chassis. Matteo Ferrari fared better, finishing 19th for QJMotor Gresini.

Where does that leave the championship?

Acosta picked up just four points, closing his championship winning season with a total of 332.5. Arbolino failed to score leaving him on 249.5 points in second.

Jake Dixon was the first to congratulate Aldeguer as his win secured him third in the championship, passing the Brit with a total of 245.