Moto2™ BATTLE BETWEEN TWO TEAM-MATES
This year ’ s Moto2™ World Championship will be remembered for an intense inter-team battle between two team-mates : Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez . The Australian began the year solidly , picking up podium finishes in four of the first five races . And from the Italian Grand Prix he was sensational . Gardner coolly beat Fernandez in contests at Mugello and Barcelona before destroying the field at the Sachsenring with a commanding victory . His latest victory at Silverstone handed him a commanding 44-point advantage , and looked well on course to seal his first World Championship success .
But Fernandez has proved to be one of the most exceptional Moto2™ rookies in the history of the class . The Spaniard picked up four impressive victories in Portugal , France , Holland and Austria before winning three on the bounce at Aragon , Misano and COTA . No one since Marc Marquez had amassed seven victories in their rookie Moto2™ season , underlining just how brilliant Fernandez has been .
And the 21-year old Spaniard was poised to take over the lead of the championship in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix . He stormed to the front of the race after qualifying ninth . And with Gardner struggling in eighth , this looked as though it would be another dream day . But a dramatic crash out of the lead handed the initiative to Gardner once again , after the Australian had suffered his own crash in Texas .
Another brilliant , measured victory for Gardner in the Algarve GP over his younger team-mate means he has a 23-point advantage with just one race to play . Can he get over the line to become champion this weekend ?
64 | Moto2 TM Battle between two team-mates