Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put on a stunning display at the Portimao Moto2 preseason test on the weekend, the rookie blitzing the lap record to set a 1:41.552, some 0.6 seconds up on the time set by the man he replaces on the team, MotoGP-bound Raul Fernandez.
The times were fast across the board as Acosta headed teammate Augusto Fernandez, who clocked a 1:41.706. Completing the Spanish top three was Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40 Kalex) with a 1:41.819. Rounding out the top five was 2021 breakout star Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) who put the Boscocuro in fourth, 0.563 off the top, with Albert Arenas (GasGas Aspar Team) fifth.
It was a positive test for Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex). The leading American, Roberts, clocked the sixth-fastest time behind fifth-place Ai Ogura, although the gap was a worrying 0.9 seconds off the flying Acosta.
Jake Dixon (GasGas Aspar Team), Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40 Kalex) rounded out the top 10.
American Racing teammates Cameron Beaubier and rookie Sean Dylan Kelly finished the test 19th and 27th, respectively.
The next hit out for the Moto2 teams will be round one of the Championship at Qatar on March 6. CN
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