French Grand Prix Moto2: Sam Lowes Leads in Le Mans
Sam Lowes, riding Kalex, secured a second pole position and set the fastest time in the official classification for the season at Le Mans. The French Grand Prix marked a standout moment as Lowes demonstrated extraordinary speed and consistency, reinforcing his position at the top of the grid.
During Friday practice at Jerez de la Frontera, Lowes posted a standout lap of 1:35.791, placing him ahead of his nearest rival by more than two tenths of a second. Alonso López, riding for Speed Up, finished in third, with Italian rider Tony Arbolino, also on a Kalex, close behind in the mix. The field benefitted from clear weather and strong track conditions, allowing a fierce early pace to emerge among Moto2 competitors.
In the early stages of the session, Dutch rider Bo Bendsneyder on a Kalex set the first credible benchmark, with subsequent laps seeing continual shifts in the top times as riders pushed to extract every fraction of time from the Le Mans layout. The competition remained tight, with several changes in the classification as the session progressed.
The Moto2 classification was briefly interrupted by a red flag when a crash disrupted the field, denying riders a final attempt to improve their positions. The incident, involving Canet, left Lowes, López, and Arbolino clinging to the front row as the session concluded and the times settled. The post-session reaction highlighted the tension and the high level of performance across the field.
A moment later, Spaniard Fermín Aldeguer, riding for Accelerate, led the timetable by a razor-thin margin, only to be edged by German Lukas Tulovic on a Kalex. The margins were minute, with Aldeguer reclaiming the top spot briefly before Tulovic asserted control in the later stages of the round, underscoring a highly competitive qualifier where each thousandth mattered.
The race-weekend calendar for Moto2 included a reminder of the intense pace, with the image of Aldeguer and López contesting the times in the second classification. The session unfolded with quick shifts in leadership, as Filip Salac (Kalex) posted 1:36.135 on his third lap, just 43 thousandths faster than Celestino Vietti (Kalex), signaling that further changes were on the cards as the late laps approached. The suspense built as the field aspired to set the benchmark for the rest of the weekend.
The second set of combined classifications showcased more drama and speed. Vietti flashed a strong time, prompting reactions from rivals and followers alike, all while the crowd watched for any breakthrough. The enthusiastic support from fans, and the social chatter surrounding the sessions, reflected a French GP that delivered both entertainment and a test of nerve for every rider on track.
The early expectation was that Sam Lowes would challenge the all-time lap record of 1:35.791, established in the previous season. Pedro Acosta, another Kalex rider from Spain, appeared capable of matching that pace with a lap of 1:35.803, indicating a weekend full of fast laps and close competition. A prominent nickname in the paddock, the “Shark” from Mazarrón, continued to push the limits, even as the starting lineup proved extremely competitive and tightly bunched.
The session’s intensity also brought about several on-track incidents. A couple of riders experienced moments of misfortune, including Jake Dixon and Aron Canet on Kalex, whose fall triggered the red flag. The incident disrupted the final moments of the session, but the standings remained clear enough for the essential front row to be confirmed, with Lowes, López and Arbolino taking strong positions. Canet later finished the race in the thirteenth position, with Aldeguer and Arenas ahead and García Dols close behind in eighteenth place.
In summary, Sam Lowes held the top time throughout the session, with Alonso López and Tony Arbolino consistently backing him up in the early phases of the race. Filip Salac, Pedro Acosta, and Celestino Vietti were strong contenders in the middle of the pack, while Somkiat Chantra, Jake Dixon, and Manuel González also battled closely for final spots just behind the podium contenders. The final order saw a robust mix of Kalex entries occupying the upper part of the grid, underscoring a highly competitive field as Moto2 prepared for the French Grand Prix weekend. Baltus, Aldeguer, and Arenas claimed positions further back, while Canet, Bendsneyder, and Tulovic rounded out the top ten in a session defined by speed, precision, and the high stakes of qualifying.
Additional context and live results from the race weekend continued to be shared by racing networks and team updates, reflecting the ongoing narrative of a season marked by razor-thin margins and intense rivalries. The French Grand Prix at Le Mans remained a focal point for audiences seeking the fastest times, tactical riding, and the emergence of new contenders capable of shaking up the standings as the championship progressed.