Moto2, GP Misano (San Marino) 2022: Vietti 1st in free practice, 3rd Mattia Pasini
Too bad for those falls, the only jarring in a day up to that perfect moment. Really beyond expectations for Mattia Pasini who had closed the morning with the second half behind Celestino Vietti. Both then crashed in the afternoon, but the Fp1 time was enough to keep them in the virtual front row at the end of the day of practice. Pasini saw himself being overtaken in the combination by Alonso Lopez, because after the crash in Fp2, the rider from Romagna was no longer able to find the best pace. But the way Mattia’s new adventure began is already a success. After putting together his own team, just for this race, Pasini came to Misano as a true private driver. An idea on which he has worked hard in recent months to put together budgets, means and men. The choice to race on his home track, which he knows like the back of his hand, was right, but considering that his last presence on the track dates back to the Mugello Grand Prix (six races earlier), such a brilliant start had certainly not begun. The start of Vietti is also comforting, usually not very effective in testing. The Piedmontese was betrayed by naivety in the middle of the second round (he turned to check who was following him and then fell without being able to get back on track).
Arbolino 10th, Ogura 11th, a pity for Antonelli
Augusto Fernandez was unable to take advantage of the temporary difficulty of the Mooney VR46 driver, to close the gap, and despite the second best chronological in FP2, he closed the day with the fourth fastest time, while the championship leader, Ai Ogura, who precedes him in the standings by only one point, finished more detached, in eleventh position. Discreet start of Tony Arbolinotenth, Lorenzo Dalla Porta managed to stay in the top 14, both Canet and Arenas crashed in FP2, respectively sixth and seventh combined. Too bad for Niccolò Antonelli, eighth in the morning, but twenty-four in the afternoon and then sixteenth in the combination. All to be redone for Vietti’s teammate, hoping that Saturday morning the weather will be better than expected.