The Q1 session determined the last four of the 18 riders who will compete for the pole position in the Moto2 Valencia GP. Filip Salac emerged as the fastest in the first qualifying, advancing along with Somkiat Chantra, Ai Ogura, and Joe Roberts.
Ogura initially topped the timesheets after the first flying laps, ahead of his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia teammate Chantra. Alex Escrig (Forward Racing) and Zonta van den Goorbergh (Fieten Olie Racing GP/Kalex) held the remaining qualifying positions.
The order shuffled with the second flying laps, but Ogura remained at the top. Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP/Kalex), Salac (QJMotor Gresini/Kalex), and Escrig held second, third, and fourth positions. Shortly after, Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team/Kalex) climbed to second. Soon after, Chantra moved up to third.
With four minutes left, the Thai rider became the new leader ahead of Ogura, Roberts, and Tulovic. Lap times continued to drop, and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS/Kalex) took a qualifying position… displacing Tulovic.
However, more changes occurred right until the end. Salac claimed the lead with his final lap, edging out Chantra by 0.097s. Ogura settled in third, and Roberts finished fourth. Arbolino missed out on Q2, finishing fifth, 0.161s away from advancing.
Results: