American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier will start tomorrow’s Brembo Grand Prix of Algarve from the second row after posting the sixth fastest time in Saturday’s qualifying in Portugal. Italtrans Racing’s Joe Roberts, meanwhile, will start the Moto2 Grand Prix from 22nd after crashing out of the Q1 session while trying to move to Q2. Fortunately, Roberts didn’t appear to re-injure his surgically repaired collarbone in the crash.
Beaubier, who went straight through to Q2 after ending FP3 in 14th place, was in a perfect place for his fast lap as he was slotted in behind World Championship points leader Remy Gardner on their final run. Gardner, who went on to post the second-best time behind his Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate and championship rival Raul Gonzales, led Beaubier to his quick lap of 1:42.62 – just .519 of a second off Fernandez’s lap-record-setting best.
With the two Red Bull KTM riders first and second on the front row, they will be joined there by Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Fabio Di Giannantonio.
QuieroCorredor Aspar Team’s Aron Canet, Elf Marc VDS Racing’s Augusto Fernandez and Beaubier will make up the second row. Sixth is Beaubier’s second-best qualifying effort of the season as he was fifth fastest in qualifying for the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Beaubier finished fifth in the U.S. GP – his best result thus far in his rookie season in Moto2.
