American Racing’s Cameron Beaubier matched his best career Moto2 World Championship finish today in the Grand Prix of Algarve in Portugal, the Californian finishing a fighting fifth and just .005 of a second from fourth place. The five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion also turned in the fastest lap of the race, a 1:42.671 on the 12th of 23 laps.
Beaubier, who qualified sixth, started well from the second row and immediately got into a battle for what would ultimately be fourth place with as many as five riders disputing the spot early on. At the end of the 23-lap GP it was Beaubier vs. QuieroCorredor Aspar’s Aaron Canet with Canet getting the best of Beaubier on the last lap and beating him to the line by just .005 of a second.
Beaubier’s fifth-place finished matched his best result of the year from the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of the Americas on October 3.
Joe Roberts, who crashed during Q1 on Saturday and was fortunate not to re-injure his surgically repaired collarbone, battled through the pain to finish 24th on his Italtrans Kalex.
The race was won by World Championship points leader Remy Gardner, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider chasing down his teammate and championship rival Raul Fernandez. Fernandez chose the softer compound rear tire while Gardner was on the hard compound rear. Ditto for Elf Marc VDS’s Sam Lowes, Canet and Beaubier.
Gardner now leads the title chase by 23 points over Fernandez with just next weekend’s season finale at Valencia in Spain remaining in the championship.
Beaubier is now 15th in the World Championship with 50 points, nine behind 13th-placed Roberts.