Termas de Rio Hondo

MotoGP Argentina

Ogura Disqualified After an Impressive Recovery in Argentina, Chantra Struggles to Find Pace

Ai Ogura's weekend started with a P15 finish in FP1, followed by an improved P11 in the practice session. He managed a non-points scoring P15 in the Sprint race on Saturday and recovered to P8 in the Grand Prix Sunday. However, he was disqualfied later on on the grounds “found to be using a non-homologated software version (V21 b102)” that had not been approved by Championship.

Meanwhile, Somkiat Chantra endured a challenging weekend with IDEMITSU Honda LCR. The Thai rider struggled to find pace throughout the sessions, finishing P19 in both FP1 and practice, before dropping further to P21 in FP2. He couldn’t advance past Q1, settling for P9, which placed him P18 on the starting grid. Chantra couldn't make significant progress in the race, ultimately crossing the line in P19.

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Moto2: Mixed Fortunes for Asian Riders in Argentina

M. Suryo Aji delivered an encouraging start to the weekend for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia. The Indonesian rider showcased strong pace with a P6 finish in FP1 and secured direct entry into Q2 after placing P9 in Practice. However, after starting P13 in the race, Aji’s weekend ended in disappointment with a DNF.

Yuki Kunii, also representing Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, faced a difficult outing in Argentina. He struggled throughout the sessions, finishing P24 in FP1, P25 in Practice, and P27 in FP2. Despite his efforts in Q1, where he placed P13, Kunii failed to make it to Q2. Starting from P27 on the grid, he made minor progress during the race, eventually crossing the line in P23.

Ayumu Sasaki, competing for RW - Idrofoglia Racing GP, endured a challenging weekend as well. He secured P20 in FP1 and improved slightly to P18 in Practice, but couldn’t maintain momentum in FP2, ending up in P20. In Q1, Sasaki placed P7, narrowly missing a spot in Q2. Starting from P21 on the grid, the Japanese rider fought hard and crossed the line in P18, marking a modest improvement from his starting position.

Moto3: Furusato’s Track Limits Penalty Costs Podium in Argentina as Yamanaka Scores Points, Buasri Endures Tough Outing

Taiyo Furusato put on a remarkable comeback for Honda Team Asia in Argentina. Despite struggling throughout the weekend, finishing P22 in Practice and P24 in FP2, the Japanese rider fought his way through Q1 with a P3 finish and secured P14 in Q2. Starting from P14 on the grid, Furusato showcased his signature "Sunday man" form, quickly joining the lead group. However, after exceeding track limits on the final lap, he was demoted to P5, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.

Tatchakorn Buasri faced a tough weekend for Honda Team Asia. The Thai rider placed P18 in FP1 and couldn’t find the pace in Practice and FP2, ending both sessions in P23. After a P12 finish in Q1, Buasri started from the back of the grid in P26. Despite his efforts, he could only recover to P21 by the end of the race.

Ryusei Yamanaka of FRINSA - MT Helmets - MSI had a more promising weekend. The Japanese rider impressed with a P6 finish in Practice, earning direct entry to Q2. He secured a strong P3 in Q2, starting from the front row. However, he couldn’t maintain the pace in the race and crossed the line in P9, still managing to bring home solid points.