A new American has joined the GP circus, after a dearth of US riders since the passing of Nicky Hayden. He is Joe Roberts (no relation), a Californian, who has moved from the AGR Spanish CEV championship team straight into the same squad’s Moto2 team in place of the departed Yonny Hernandez.
The Columbian had been struggling to replicate his earlier Moto2 form after five years in MotoGP, and was dismissed after a first half of his return season in the middle class after scoring points just three times, with a best of ninth in Spain.
Roberts (20) started strongly, placed 14th in the wet at a track familiar from Red Bull rookie days; but was 32nd in the dry afternoon.