HISTORIC DAY FOR KTM IN MOTOGP: ESPARGARO & SMITH SCORE FIRST POINTS WITH RC16, PLUS OLIVEIRA ON THE PODIUM IN MOTO2
RACE 2nd Rd. MotoGP 2017 – Termas de Río Hondo (ARG)
Red Bull KTM MotoGP Factory Racing Team on Sunday celebrated earning their first-ever premier-class points at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit in Argentina in only their second appearance of their debut season. Pol Espargaro (ESP) finished in 14th place on the KTM RC16 and teammate Bradley Smith (GBR) 15th both of which was an improvement on the opening round in Qatar. Red Bull KTM Ajo, which are also debuting in Moto2 this season also celebrated a first ever podium in the class when Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira took a thrilling second place. Philipp Oettl (GER) was the fastest KTM rider in Moto3, finishing in fourth place.
MotoGP
The new KTM factory team was able to take a number of positives away from the weekend in Argentina. Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith started at 18th and 19th on the grid and they both completed the 25-lap race safely. They also improved on their results in the opening round in Qatar on a circuit that was new for the team and the KTM RC16 MotoGP bike. Both the factory riders and the team manager agreed that while there is still a long way to go in the long development journey, steps had been taken in the right direction.
Espargaro: “What is the most important for the guys and the whole team is that this is the first time in history that KTM has taken points in MotoGP. We must be happy. But on the other side, I think we had the opportunity to do a little more. We are missing some speed in the straight to overtake the two guys I was fighting with, (Hector) Barbera and Tito (Rabat). It was a shame because I felt faster and we were faster today. We could have been in front of them at the end of the race, but it was impossible to do it. We still have some weak points, but on the other side, I congratulate the guys, they are doing a good job. We are making steps, for sure we are still far away but we are starting to see the light.”
Smith: “Today was a great day for us as a team because we scored our first points with both riders. We made a good step forward from Qatar because there we weren’t able to fight with the group ahead of us. Here we could both stay with Barbera and Tito for most of the race, so we improved by another 3-4 seconds. I was really pleased with my race. All weekend I was struggling to do one minute 41 (lap times) but then in the race they were all mid to low 41s so I was happy with that. Of course we need to continue to improve but right now we have to be happy with what we are doing race-by-race. The next one in Austin (USA) is going to be tough for us. We have no data or information, there are 22 corners and it’s quite a technical layout so it’s going to be difficult.”
Mike Leitner (Team Manager MotoGP): “Everybody should take all these positive things from what has happened here, and I think the company especially should be motivated because we clearly see that there is a future. If we do the correct things, we will have more interesting races where we can fight with the other manufacturers and riders. This is what was super positive about today because for the first time Pol was directly fighting with other riders. He could see the strong and the weak points of the bike even better and the lap times were acceptable. This was a brand new track for us, and we have to be realistic. A lot of tracks we go to now will be new for us. We can only take the positives with us and try to learn, and to improve. Then next year when we come back to these places we will have already reached another level in our package.”
Moto2
The result in Moto2 was reason to celebrate for Red Bull KTM Ajo coming in only their second race in the class. Miguel Oliveira set the tone of the weekend in qualifying to start on pole and he got away well at the start. While he was nudged out of the lead at first corner he quickly settled into third place as the front three riders progressively distanced themselves from the rest of the pack. Then, in the final lap when eventual winner Franco Morbidelli (ITA) and Alex Marquez (ESP) were locked in last-minute combat, Marquez crashed out and handed Oliveira the second place. Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Brad Binder started at 24th on the grid and had a confidence-building race to finish ninth. The result earned the South African rider his first championship points in the intermediate class.
Oliveira: “Getting this second position today in Argentina is fantastic. The start of the race was not easy, since I had a few scares when I was in the leading group. Then two riders escaped ahead of me and I wasn’t able to keep up. Little by little I tried to catch them because I think I had better pace, but I didn’t know if it was good enough to pass them. I tried and never gave up.”
Moto3
Top KTM rider in the Moto3 at Argentina’s Termas di Rio Hondo circuit was German rider Philipp Oettl who finished fourth but was squarely in podium contention up until the final lap. Close behind him in fifth place was Andrea Migno (ITA), while Spanish rider Juanfran Guevara was ninth. It was a very difficult day for the Red Bull KTM Ajo duo Niccolo Antonelli (ITA) and Bo Bendsneyder (NED). Antonelli crashed out in the second lap of the 21-lap race as the innocent victim of a race incident with another rider. Bendsneyder rode out the race between places 21-23.
Bendsneyder: “The race was tough. We struggled a lot throughout the weekend, as we didn’t have the same feeling that we had in either preseason testing or Qatar. This was a hard weekend for us, but we never give up. We will work harder than ever for the coming races. I think that we have learnt a lot over these days, so now we have to look to Austin. I like that circuit, so we’ll see what we can do.”
Next Race: April 23, 2017 – Circuit Of The Americas (USA)
Results Race MotoGP Termas de Río Hondo 2017
1. Maverick Viñales (ESP), Yamaha, 41:45.060 min (25 laps)
2. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Yamaha, +2.915 sec
3. Cal Crutchlow (GBR), Honda, +3.754
4. Alvaro Bautista (ESP), Ducati, +6.523
5. Johann Zarco (FRA), Yamaha, +15.504
Other KTM
14. Pol Espargaro (ESP), KTM, +43.085
15. Bradley Smith (GBR), KTM, +43.452
Standings MotoGP 2017 after 2 of 18 races
1. Viñales, 50 points
3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati, 20
2. Rossi, 36
4. Scott Redding (GBR), Ducati, 17
5. Crutchlow, 16
Other KTM
20. Espargaro, 2 (first MotoGP points in KTM history)
21. Smith, 1
Results Race Moto2 Termas de Río Hondo 2017
1. Franco Morbidelli (ITA), Kalex, 39:50.036 min (23 laps)
2. Miguel Oliveira (POR), KTM, +1.683
3. Thomas Luthi (SUI), Kalex, +10.551
4. Lorenzo Baldassari (ITA), Kalex, +15.577
5. Xavi Vierge (ESP), Tech3, +24.527
Other KTM
9. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +25.622
Standings Moto2 2017 after 2 of 18 races
1. Morbidelli, 50 points
2. Luthi, 36
3. Oliveira, 33
4. Baldassari, 21
5. Vierge, 18
Other KTM
13. Binder, 7
Results Race Moto3 Termas de Río Hondo 2017
1. Joan Mir (ESP), Honda, 38:33.377 min (21 laps)
2. John Mcphee (GBR), Honda, +0.261 sec
3. Jorge Martin (ESP), Honda, +0.339
4. Philipp Oettl (GER), KTM, +0.641
5. Andrea Migno (ITA), KTM, +0.890
Other KTM
9. Juanfran Guevara (ESP), KTM, +12.000
23. Bo Bendsneyder (NED), KTM, +27.612
DNF Niccolo Antonelli (ITA), KTM, +20 laps
Standings Moto3 2017 after 2 of 18 races
1. Mir, 50 points
2. Mcphee, 40
3. Martin, 32
4. Migno, 21
5. Romano Fenati (ITA), Honda, 20
Other KTM
8. Oettl, 13
9. Marcos Ramirez (ESP), KTM, 10
10. Antonelli, 9
27. Bendsneyder
More, from a press release issued by SIC Racing Team:
TOUGH TIMES FOR NORRODIN AND SASAKI IN ARGENTINA GRAND PRIX
Circuit: Termas de Río Hondo
Circuit Length: 4.8 km
Today’s Moto3 Argentina Grand Prix saw the SIC Racing Team riders endure a tough 21 lap battle to cross the finish line in 17th [Adam] and 20th [Ayumu] place.
Starting from 21st position on the grid, Adam Norrodin made an immediate attack, gaining five places by the end of lap two. Determined to fight in the leading group, the Malaysian rider worked hard to hold onto the pack ahead but with tyre choice coming into play midway through the race, was unable to maintain his initial pace. Norrodin relentlessly pushed to regain positions, but with limited grip in the rear, the 18-year-old struggled to gain any further positions, concluding today’s Grand Prix just outside the points.
Unable to make the start he had hoped for, Ayumu Sasaki faced a difficult task at hand to work his way up from 25th position. Pushing to fight his way through the field, the 16-year-old rookie found himself caught in a five rider battle for 20th place. Dicing throughout, Sasaki fought hard to hold onto the top spot in his group, battling to the line and finishing his first ever race at the South American circuit.
Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager
“It’s been a tough weekend from the beginning, so we’ve been playing catch up from the start. Unfortunately this reflected in the race today.
Adam made a good start and was not far off from the front group but unfortunately after that he struggled with grip and couldn’t hold onto the riders in front. We can see clearly that he had a problem, so it’s a real shame for him because we know he had the pace.
For Ayumu it was hard for him because we’ve been struggling with his set-up all weekend and then qualifying so far back made it very difficult. He didn’t make a very good start and ended up fighting with the slower riders. If he had qualified better for sure he could have made it into the top ten as he said his bike set-up felt very good in the race.
We have to learn from this race and do more of what we did in Qatar.”
#7 ADAM NORRODIN – P17
“We had a chance to get more points again today, so I’m disappointed with my result. The race started well and we immediately gained some positions; the bike felt good and I was able to catch the back of the leading group. For the first seven or eight laps I had the pace to stay with them but then after that my tyre rapidly dropped and I started to go back. I really tried to keep with the group but it was really difficult and I kept losing the rear; then I lost the tow completely. We will get points again in America.”
#71 AYUMU SASAKI – P20
“We’ve struggled all weekend here and starting from the back of the grid was always going to be hard. Unfortunately I didn’t make the best start and so within the first three laps I lost the front group. I’m disappointed because the bike set-up felt really good in the race and I had good pace, so it’s a shame I was only fighting at the back. I hope to improve a lot in Texas.”
More, from a press release issued by British Talent Team:
Make ours a double: McPhee on the podium again in Argentina
BTT make it two out of two after another last lap attack
John McPhee has taken another incredible podium finish at Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina, as the British Talent Team rider fought for the win from his impressive pole position set on Saturday. Launching a last lap attack on eventual winner Joan Mir, McPhee was just unable to make it through – but took another rostrum finish in P2, consolidating his early second position in the points standings.
Just losing the lead to Jorge Martin off the line, McPhee kept calm and carried on as he battled in the front group – escaping in the top group of five and staying in podium and victory contention throughout. On the final lap, the Scotsman was in second and able to close in on leader Mir – but couldn’t quite get through as it came down to the final complex of corners, on the final lap.
The incredible start to the year sees McPhee two for two on podiums – both second places – and the Championship top three remains the same following the replicated podium at Termas de Rio Hondo: McPhee in second with 40 points, just 10 off the top after the first two races of the season.
Next it’s time to saddle up for Texas and the Circuit of the Americas, as Moto3™ get ready for round three – with track action beginning in just under a fortnight.
John McPhee, P2: “It was definitely an exciting race and well done to Joan because he rode a fantastic race the whole way through and set the pace – to be honest I wasn’t expecting the pace to be that fast all the way through, and he was the one doing the hard work. I knew I had the advantage on the brakes and I tried to line it up thinking maybe I could get a fast run in on him and do a block pass in the final turn, but he braked so late, I went in a bit too hot and both of us went a little bit wide – I was lucky to stay on and it’s good to get more points on the board. I’m a bit frustrated not to get the win but it’s a long season and we’ve got some really good points.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Federal Oil Gresini Moto2:
ARGENTINA GP: FIRST MOTO2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINT FOR NAVARRO
Jorge Navarro has taken his first Moto2 World Championship points as he rode his Federal Oil Gresini Kalex Honda machine home in 15th in today’s 23-lap encounter at Termas de Rio Hondo, his second in the middleweight class of MotoGP.
The 21-year-old Spaniard got an OK start from 20st place on the grid and by lap 3 he was already up to 17th place; he then did his best to catch up with a big group ahead of him and towards the end of the race he finally entered the top-15. On the last lap, he was promoted to 14th place following Marquez’s crash but was pipped at the line by Aegerter and returned to 15th at the chequered flag.
The next race of the Moto2 World Championship – the last one before the start of the European season – will take place in a fortnight’s time in Austin, Texas.
15º – JORGE NAVARRO #9
“After what was a bit of a strange weekend weather-wise, today we tried a couple of changes to the bike setup during warm up which gave us a good direction. We got to the race with the bike I was still not fully comfortable with, but we have a lot of positives to take with us: we finished the race – that’s a first in Moto2 – we gathered a lot of data and we learned from some mistakes!”
More, from a press release issued by Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS:
Morbidelli master class delivers second win of the season
Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli took control of the Moto2 World Championship with a superb victory in today’s Argentine Grand Prix.
In the process Morbidelli became the first Italian rider to win consecutive races in Moto2 following his opening round victory in Qatar.
It was a master class by the 22-year-old Italian who dominated the 23-lap race with a perfectly executed front-running strategy at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit.
Morbidelli set the pace from the start with teammate Álex an almost constant shadow in second place with the Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS pair dominating the race.
After briefly taking the lead into turn five on lap 21, with Morbidelli immediately responding to go back in front, Márquez set himself for a last lap challenge for victory.
But a 1-2 finish went begging when Márquez high-sided at turn seven on the final lap, an undeserving end to his brave podium challenge after a tense battle with Morbidelli.
Márquez rejoined to bring his battered Kalex home in 21st position.
The race was run in dry and cool conditions after practice and qualifying had been interrupted by rain.
Morbidelli has a perfect score of 50 points after two races to hold a 14 point championship lead over Tom Lüthi going into the next race at COTA in Texas.
Franco Morbidelli: 1st
“This is an amazing feeling, two victories in a row, just incredible and I hope I can keep this momentum going. I was pushing really hard from the start and very quickly I saw that Álex was going very fast close behind so I was ready for the fight. With a lap to go I had + 0.3s and pushed even harder for the win and did not know Álex had crashed until I took the chequered flag. It was a pity his race ended like this.”
Álex Márquez: 21st
“For sure today I had a chance to go for the victory so it is really disappointing. I made a mistake in the last lap and I am not sure what happened but sometimes it is like this, when you go down you have to get back up and be even stronger. I want to thank my team, I destroyed a bike in practice and we made more changes after the warm-up and I had a perfect bike in the race. This year I am more confident on worn tyres at the end of the race but today I made a mistake. I’m not happy but there are some positives to take from the weekend.”
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
“This was a fantastic race and it is 2014 since both of our riders were fighting for victory on the last lap. The battle between Franco and Álex went on until just a few corners from the finish and it’s a shame it ended the way it did. But I am very happy for our team, as we have shown we can be very competitive with both riders challenging for the victory. For Franco you cannot do more than win the opening two races of the season, it was an excellent performance from him.”
More, from a press release issued by Tech 3:
Vierge delivers superb run to clinch 5th in Argentina GP – Gardner experiences unfortunate end to round 2
Xavi Vierge turned heads by powering to his best ever finish in the highly competitive Moto2 class with an expertly calculated ride to 5th today in South America. The young Spaniard bolted forward from 8th on the grid and fought for the entire 23 lap race in an ultra-competitive pack of riders. He eventually hit the front of the group on the last lap before meeting the chequered flag in this notable position. The result marks a second top ten finish this season for Vierge, who continues to impress aboard the Tech3 designed and built Mistral 610.
Meanwhile, Remy Gardner was luckless today in Argentina as he fell on the opening lap after being taken out by another rider. The young Australian sustained a broken ankle in the fall and will travel to Spain tomorrow where a decision will be made regarding surgery. The entire Tech3 Racing Team wishes Remy a speedy recovery.
Xavi Vierge
Position: 5th – Championship: 5th – Points: 18
“I am so pleased with our performance across the whole weekend and to finish in fifth today is a great conclusion. In every practice session, we ended up inside the top ten and the Tech3 team worked tirelessly throughout the three days. Antonio, my Crew Chief, found a step in-between the warm-up and the race, and thanks to this, I was able to deliver the performance that I did. I am really happy, so I must say thanks to the guys for their efforts and also to KYB because the feeling with the suspension and the Mistral is amazing. I’m improving and getting closer to the front at every round and the result today motivates me fully for the next GP in Texas.”
Hervé Poncharal – Team Manager
“It was a fantastic race for Xavi Vierge today in Argentina, but before I discuss his superb performance, I must express how concerned and upset we all are about what happened to Remy Gardner. He was having a good weekend and we know he is fast, but this is the second round in a row that he has been taken out by another rider. Today it was Nakagami, yet, not only could Remy not finish his GP, but he has also broken his right ankle. Now he will fly to Barcelona to see Dr Mir and on Tuesday a decision will be made about whether surgery will be performed or not. At the moment it’s difficult to say if our rider will compete in Texas, but we are fully behind him and we wish him a swift and successful recovery. As for Xavi, he had a fantastic race and qualified really well on the third row. When the sprint began, he had a great start, as usual, and kept with the front group before becoming involved in a tough fight with Sandro Cortese amongst other riders. I am more than proud to have seen him stay in that pack and then pass the other competitors to finish in his best ever position of 5th. This result puts him 5th in the championship standings and we are delighted with him and the incredible job that he is doing with us. However, I can’t leave the track completely happy because we have two fast and strong riders and we want to have both of them racing. So we have mixed feelings, as we are sad for Remy and we hope he can return soon and push Xavi. Yet, on the other hand, we are happy for Xavi who gave the team a great reward for their hard work. I also must say thanks to KYB for their excellent suspension and we are very proud to work with them.”
More, from a press release issued by Remy Gardner’s publicist:
Bad Luck Continues For Gardner In Argentina
Remy Gardner’s unlucky start to his 2017 Moto2 World Championship continued in today’s Argentine GP aboard his Tech3 Moto2 Mistral machine – the #87 rider taken out on the opening lap for the second consecutive race sustaining a broken ankle in the fall.
Gardner, who failed to finish the season opener in Qatar a fortnight ago aboard his Tech3 Moto2 Mistral machine after being taken out there too had been in fine form all weekend running inside the top 6 during Free Practice, looking confident in both the wet and dry conditions at the 2.986 mile Termas De Rio Hondo circuit.
As in Qatar, rain played a huge part in shaping the grid with rain falling shortly before the sole Qualifying session and as the circuit dried the riders all pitted to switch to dry tyres. A mistake at on Remy’s final lap sent him wide meaning he was unable to extract the ultimate lap time but nevertheless he was optimistic of making another good start and fighting for points.
Thankfully the weather on Sunday morning was dry and with no threat of rain the warm up session was used to finalise the race set-up, with Gardner once again right in the mix.
A lightning start saw Remy making up places at turn one before the Aussie youngster was skittled out of contention for the second consecutive race.
A frustrated Gardner will now return to Barcelona where a decision will be made on whether or not he needs surgery.
Remy Gardner: “I don’t know what to say. The bad luck has to stop soon. I felt good all weekend, we made a positive start on Friday and I was running well inside the top 10 in FP1. Qualifying we got caught a little bit by the weather but I made a mistake on my last lap and that left me deep on the grid. In the race well what can I say? I made another decent start and then got caught up in someone else’s accident. I will now fly back to Barcelona where Dr Mir will assess my ankle which was fractured in the crash and we will decide whether or not I need surgery.”
More, from a press release issued by Sky Racing Team VR46 Moto3:
FIFTH PLACE FOR ANDREA MIGNO AT RIO HONDO
The young talent of the Sky Racing Team VR46 is the first Italian and the first KTM under the checkered flag. Sixteenth Nicolò Bulega after a penalty for a race contact with another rider.
Termas de Rio Hondo (Argentina), April 9th, 2017 – After a race in the leading group, Andrea Migno is the first Italian and the first KTM to the finishing line of the Grand Prix of Argentina at Rio Hondo. Started from the eighth box on the grid, the rider of the Sky Racing Team VR46 was one of the protagonists of the race. With the points scored today, Andrea is in fourth place in the standings (21 points), first Italian and KTM.
Sixteenth his teammate Nicolò Bulega, thirteenth to the finishing line, but downgraded by two seconds by the Race Direction due to a contact with Fabio Di Giannantonio nine laps from the checkered flag.
More, from a press release issued by Forward Racing:
Baldassarri scores fantastic fourth in Argentina, Marini takes important points
The second race of the 2017 Moto2 World Championship got underway in dry weather today in Argentina, after the changing conditions have played an important role for the Forward Racing Team duo of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Luca Marini during yesterday’s practice sessions at Termas de Rio Hondo.
Baldassarri got off a good start from the fourth row of the grid to find himself in seventh place at the end of the first lap. While progressing further the 20-year old made up an additional three positions and showed great determination to eventually pass the chequered flag just missing out on a podium finish. Today’s result sees Baldassarri leaving the South American venue in fourth place in the championship standings.
His teammate, Luca Marini, who is just in his second year on world championship level, kicked off the race in a decent manner and settled in a huge group between fifth and 15th position. With an immense effort, the 19-year old was able to fight all his way to the line, just missing out on a Top 5 finish by less than two seconds. Thanks to his resolute performance, Marini scores crucial championship points in order place himself in seventh overall.
The third round of the season is set to kick off in Austin, Texas in just ten days’ time.
Lorenzo Baldassarri – 4th (+15.577)
“Honestly, I’m happy, because we did a really good job this weekend inside our Forward Racing Team garage and took home very important points. Most of the time we’ve been on top of the time sheets and were competitive. During the race itself, I started very well and tried to stay with the leading group, yet at a certain point I commenced to struggle with my rear tyre, mainly at the exit of the longer corners. Therefore, in the end, I had to lower my rhythm, because I was afraid to not be able to finish the race. Anyway, I brought home this fourth position, which is a strong way to end up our Argentinean week. Now we are looking forward to the next round in Texas and I’m sure we will be even more competitive there, thanks to our continuous improvements.”
Luca Marini – 12th (+26.456)
“Altogether, I’m quite satisfied about today’s result, because we finished another decent race, gathered even more experience and improved in general. Anyway, it was not too easy to bring home these important points, as my feeling with the bike wasn’t as good as in Qatar two weeks ago. Now we have the opportunity to analyze the data we collected today in order to find possible modifications to try if a similar situation happens again in the future. The next round of the season will be Austin, a track that I didn’t enjoy too much riding on last year, but we’ll do our best, working hard from the word go and stay focused.”
Giovanni Cuzari – Team Owner
“Fourth and seventh place in the Championship standings is a clear proof, that the work and perseverance are paying off and producing excellent results. Today’s race was a tricky one for our riders, who have shown determination and the strong desire to always be competitive. Congratulations to Lorenzo for his good fourth position and to Luca, who showed his constant improvements with a twelfth-place finish. We know that there is still a lot of progress to be made, plus we will definitely continue to work on our top speed to facilitate the riders to overtake easier. For the rest, I can say, that I’m really thrilled, plus again the team did a great job over the entire weekend. I want to thank our sponsors for the precious help, plus the VR46 Riders Academy, who oversees the preparation of our guys in order to always arrive at the races in top form.”
More, from a press release issued by Sky Racing Team VR46 Moto2:
SEVENTH PLACE FOR FRANCESCO BAGNAIA IN RIO HONDO
At the second race of the Sky Racing Team VR46 in Moto2, Pecco is in the Top10. Important progress for Stefano Manzi, 23rd.
Termas de Rio Hondo (Argentina), April 9th, 2017 – At the second race of the Sky Racing Team VR46 in Moto2, Francesco Bagnaia achieved for the first time the Top10 after he was seventh under the checkered flag of the Argentine Grand Prix. Important progress for Stefano Manzi who ending in the 23rd place.
Bagnaia, 13th at the start, took advantage of the change on the setup of his Kalex decided after the warmup session. Competitive until the last corner, Pecco is seventh, first rookies in the category and eighth in the overall standings with 13 points. The protagonist of a good start his mate Stefano Manzi, who was close to the points zone until few laps from the finishing line when he was forced to reduce the pace for the pain in his knee. Stefano has closed in 23rd place after having recovered ten positions.
More, from a press release issued by AGR Team:
MARÍA HERRERA BATTLES FOR HER FIRST POINT IN MOTO3 WITH AGR
Meanwhile, Yonny Hernández improved 8 positions during the race, but could not get any points
The rider from Oropesa (Toledo) María Herrera did a great race, finishing 16th, but she rode up to 14th in a difficult group. Afterwards, a 2-second penalty for the Italian rider Bulega due to an incident with a third rider allowed her to gain another position and take her first point with the AGR.
His team mate in Moto2, Yonny Hernández, did not have such a good race, losing the grip of the rear tyre and having problems with the gearbox in the end.
Moto3
The Argiñano & Ginés Racing Team rider in Moto3, María Herrera, jumped down from her KTM with a happy face and got the congratulations she deserved from her team. She did not have a good start, but only lost one position. She was in a huge group that she closed, but slowly improved as the race went by. Maria lost the connection with the group together with another two riders by mid race, but they were able to react. She was 18th and could start dreaming with taking points. Maria, who in the grid showed her support to the young rider from Arganda, Beatriz Neila, who is recovering from an accident, was not free from the attacks of her rivals today, and she was about to crash several times. Even if it is what usually happens to her, it does not mean she accepts it. The AGR rider took another step forward together with her technical team led by Mark Keen.
María Herrera #6 KTM Moto3 / 15th.: “The warm-up went well and I felt positive at the start of the race. Even if I did a bad start and was overtaken by riders that I knew would try to mess with me at the beginning, I was able to leave them behind. I was in the group with Bulega and Canet and I’m very happy because we took a good step in confidence and with the bike. I had to work too much because some riders overtake me again as soon as I pass them and I don’t think that’s fair play, but we know it happens. What happened this weekend is a good sign, because I’m working a lot physically and I like the bike more and more. If we keep working like this, we’ll have good races. I want to take advantage of this to send a hug to Beatriz, who had a bad accident and I hope she recovers soon and gets back on the bike “.
Moto2
The Argiñano & Ginés Racing Team rider in Moto2, Yonny Hernández, recover 10 positions nearly at the beginning. Some of the riders were too eager and crashed in the first two laps. The Colombian was 18th in lap 9, but 5 seconds behind the group in front of him. From that moment on he was not able to improve anymore, his pace decreased and he lost position within the 6-rider group in which he was fighting. In the end, he was barely able to finish. Austin, in two weeks, is also a wide circuit with a lot of straights and he’ll need to improve.
Yonny Hernández #68 Kalex Moto2 / 22nd.: “I tried to do a good start, I improved as many positions as I could from the beginning. I was in a good group, fighting for the 18th place and trying to keep a constant pace in the race, which was our aim. It’s a pity not being able to fight for the points. We suffered a lot, the Kalex slipped, didn’t have enough grip in the fast corners. The tyre was too worn at the end of the race and the gearbox also failed, I couldn’t put fourth or fifth. That is why I lost contact in the end. But we finished and we have more experience to improve in Austin”.