Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) marked his 100th intermediate class start with a fantastic victory at the Gran Premio Motul de la Republica Argentina, with the Italian picking up his second Moto2™ win and taking the lead in the World Championship.
Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Intact GP) converted pole position into his first dry race podium, bridging the gap to the front group in the middle part of the race to battle his way to second. After starting sixth, Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira fought his way through to the leading group on the opening lap, as he came home third.
This is why they do it ????
— MotoGP™???????????? (@MotoGP) April 8, 2018
What a display from the veteran @MattiaPasini #ArgentinaGP pic.twitter.com/A0nJJLkcA0
Lorenzo Baldassarri couldn’t quite repeat his Qatar podium, eventually finishing 3.764 seconds back of the rostrum in fourth. EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Alex Marquez’s chances of a podium were diminished as he ran wide at turn five on lap 20 while battling with Baldassarri – the Spaniard settling for fifth on his 100th GP start.
Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) superbly picked up his best ever Moto2™ finish, crossing the line in a jubilant sixth to round off a very good weekend for the Australian. Reigning Moto3™ World Champion Joan Mir (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) impressed again in seventh, keeping Kiefer Racing’s Dominique Aegerter behind him by 0.081 seconds – a solid ride from the Swiss star on his second ride with the KTM.
Qatar race winner Francesco Bagnaia (SKY Racing Team VR46) recovered from 15th on the grid, however he could only manage ninth – leaving him six points adrift in the Championship. Dynavolt Intact GP’s Marcel Schrötter claimed tenth, which means the team now sit top of the Teams Championship after two rounds.
It wasn’t the day Brits Danny Kent (MB Conveyors – Speed Up Racing) and Sam Lowes (Swiss Innovative Investors) would have hoped for. Kent – after starting third – didn’t get off the line well and ended P12. Lowes – who was in touch with the leading group in the opening laps – had a tougher latter half of the race and came home 13th.
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) suffered a scary looking crash, hitting the back of Jorge Navarro’s (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) bike on the run down to Turn 13 on lap two. Both riders were ok, with Navarro retiring on lap six with a bent exhaust.
The Moto2™ riders now head to the Circuit of The Americas, with the Championship looking like it will be a titanic battle this season.
Click here for the full race results.