Manuel Gonzalez was the man to beat during Moto2 World qualifying Saturday at Red Bull Ring – Spielberg, in Austria. The Spaniard rider topped qualifying session with a new lap record time. Riding his Pirelli-shod LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex, Gonzalez navigated the 2.7-mile (4.35 km) course in 1:32.779, breaking his own’s 2025 All-Time Lap Record of 1:33.290 he set yesterday during the practice session.
Daniel Holgado was second-best with a 1:32.873 on his CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team Kalex.
Diogo Moreira claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:32.977 on his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex.
Row-two qualifiers included Sync SpeedRS Team’s Celestino Vietti (1:33.059), Holgado’s teammate, David Alonso (1:33.064) and Gonzalez’s teammate Senna Agius (1:33.117).
American Joe Roberts finished Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session 21st with a best time of 1:33.514 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Gonzalez fastest as Holgado gets set for Sunday pole. The title chase leader earned P1 on Saturday but will face a three-place grid penalty, promoting the rookie to pole.
Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) set a scintillating pace in Moto2 Q2 at the BWIN Grand Prix of Austria to clinch pole position honours, but after being handed a three-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race, it’ll be second place Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) who will launch from P1 alongside Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) and Celestino Vietti (Sync SpeedRS Team).
The Italian is promoted to the front row with Gonzalez set for a P4 start, with just under three tenths splitting the top five in a Q2 session which included Q1 pacesetter David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team). The Colombian will go racing from the middle of the second row, with Australian Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) joining his teammate and Alonso on the second row in P6.
A bruised Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego), the rider second in the standings, will start from P8 after he suffered a heavy crash in FP2, while teammate Barry Baltus was forced to settle for P11. Two big names and 2025 race winners, Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing), failed to make it out of Q1 and will be looking for comeback rides from P21 and P22 respectively.
Tune into the Moto2 race from the Red Bull Ring on Sunday at 12:15 (UTC +2).
MotoGP qualifying results from Austria!