Manuel Gonzalez led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Silverstone Circuit, in England. Riding his LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard lapped the 3.7-mile (5.9 km) road course in 2:02.111, topping the field of 24 riders and breaking Ai Ogura’s All-Time Lap Record of 2:02.940 from 2024.
His teammate, Senna Agius was second-best with a time of 2:02.540. Filip Salac did a third-fastest 2:02.700 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 9th with a best time of 2:03.053 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Gonzalez gallops to dominant Friday P1. The title chase leader was in fine form on Friday afternoon at Silverstone as Canet misses the Q2 cut.
Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP enjoyed Friday at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom, didn’t they? Manuel Gonzalez’ new all-time lap record, a 2:02.111, saw the title chase leader sit 0.4s clear of teammate Senna Agius at the end of play. Third place went the way of Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), the Czech star was just over half a second adrift of Gonzalez despite suffering an early crash towards the start of the session.
Home hero Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) led for a little bit of the early stages of the session but FP1 pacesetter Gonzalez didn’t take long to get into his impressive groove. With 15 minutes to go, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) acted as the Championship leader’s closest challenger, 0.130s was the gap, with Dixon sitting P3 ahead of Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) and Agius.
Shadowing teammate Dixon, Salač climbed to P1 with just over three minutes to go before Agius went fastest soon after – and it was a new all-time lap record from the Australian. But come the end of the session, Gonzalez landed a corker to sail back into P1 by that four tenth margin.
Moreira ended the afternoon in P4 ahead of Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego), with impressive rookie Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) gaining automatic Q2 entry in P7. Dixon ends Friday at his home GP in P8 ahead of Roberts and Jorge Navarro (KLINT Forward Factory Team), as Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) and Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) act as the other riders who clinched top 14 spots.
Canet’s late crash cost the 2024 British GP podium finisher an automatic Q2 place, so the Spaniard will have to battle away in Q1 on Saturday.
Moto2 qualifying kicks off at 14:45 (UTC+1) local time on Saturday afternoon – don’t miss it!
