The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider will start the race from the front row for the first time since his Moto2 debut

Dani Holgado has achieved his best result in qualifying in his rookie year in Moto2 and will start tomorrow's race from the front row for the first time. The Spanish rider set the second fastest time of the day, just 94 thousandths off pole position, which on this occasion went to Manu González. However, the championship leader received a three-position grid penalty, so Holgado will lead the grid at the Austrian Grand Prix. The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider will be joined by Diogo Moreira and Celestino Vietti, second and third respectively. His teammate David Alonso has achieved one of his best results in a Moto2 qualifying session and will start fifth.

The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team has completed one of its best Saturdays in the intermediate category. The rookies have returned from the holidays in top form and are proving it in every session. In the morning, Holgado and Alonso competed in the last free practice session, focusing on planning their strategy for the afternoon qualifying sessions. Both riders improved on their Friday times and finished in the top 10, which gave them extra motivation for the afternoon sessions. Holgado, who secured a direct pass to Q2 yesterday, was one of the most competitive riders in the Moto2 timed practice. The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider occupied the top positions, showing great consistency in every lap completed. The Spaniard completed an almost perfect final lap (1:32.873), which left him just 94 thousandths of a second off his first Moto2 pole position. However, Manu González's penalty means that he will start from pole position tomorrow. Holgado already knows what it's like to start from pole position in Austria, as he achieved his first Moto3 pole position at this same circuit. This time, he wants to be in contention for the podium positions again, something that eluded him in the first part of the season. On the other hand, David Alonso had to go through Q1 at the Red Bull Ring. The Colombian set the fastest time, breaking the track record. In Q2, Alonso was, like his teammate, a strong contender for the front row of the grid. This time, his 1:33.064 put him in fifth position, two tenths of a second off the reference time, making it clear that the rookie will be going all out in Sunday's race.  

2nd Dani Holgado 1:32.873 (+0.094): “I'm very, very happy with my speed this weekend. We've been in the top 10 in every session, and that's important for me because we're not usually there. This means that we've done a good job during the summer break. We've put into practice everything we've been working on these past few weeks, and it's showing in the results. Tomorrow will be a long and difficult race. I'll have fast riders around me, so I'll try to make the most of it. It's important to manage the tyres so we can fight in the final laps, but also to be aggressive in the early laps to maintain our position. We'll be keeping an eye on the conditions, whether it rains or not, but whatever happens, we'll try to do our best.”

5th David Alonso 1:33.064 (+0.285): “It was a very positive Saturday. In the morning, I tried to warm up and prepare for qualifying rather than looking for race pace. I didn't feel very energetic, but I wanted to do a good qualifying session. I focused on riding, I didn't look at the times or the board, and it worked very well for me in Q1. Q2 was very mental because it was difficult to repeat the time, at any moment you could lose two tenths and drop many positions. Everything is very tight, but we got the second row, which is the third time I've achieved that. Saturdays are tough for us, so it's a big step forward. It's a circuit with a lot of heavy braking, so it's easy to make a mistake. Tomorrow it will be important to stay focused, be consistent and get a good start.”