2018 is going well for Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) so far. The Italian has announced his move to MotoGP™ for 2019 and taken the first win of the year – but it was close in Qatar. Both him and last lap challenger Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP40) will be pushing to make it two showdowns from two in Argentina, but what of EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Alex Marquez?
Marquez was on pole at Losail, but the 2014 Moto3™ World Champion didn’t get to show his full pace throughout the race after a problem with the brakes saw the rear disc lighting up bright red. Nevertheless able to bring the bike home on the podium, Marquez knows he was the fastest man in Qatar by three tenths in qualifying – could that translate into a win in a drama free race at Termas de Rio Hondo?
It’s more than a three-horse race, however. Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) came fourth in Qatar but made huge strides forward come race day, and Red Bull KTM Ajo duo Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder had a tougher race than expected in the desert. They think the conditions in Argentina will suit the KTM chassis much more – will the Austrian factory be the ones to beat again? And what of Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors), on the same bike and looking for a result after a crash in Qatar?
Everything will be revealed on 8th April, as the lights go out for Round 2.