Here are the highlights of Moto2 action at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo, located in northern Argentina. There was rain in the morning, and lots of drama for the earlier Moto3 race, that you will hear about soon. Last time out in Qatar, we had an odd, and controversial race. Seven riders were penalized from jumping the start. This race in Argentina ought to have a cleaner start. Many riders filter through pit lane, and are taking sighting laps. Dunlop says that the tires need to be scrubbed in in order to work best.
This race in Moto2 will be dry, although it was wet in the morning warmup. Reigning world champ Johann Zarco is back to form after dominating last year. He swept this race last year, earning pole, fast lap, and the win. Sam Lowes has pole today. Sam Lowes has his first pole since earning one last August at Silverstone in England, in his home race. Alex Rins is down in eleventh place. He could not find grip, and once he found it, he couldn't get a clear lap. Jonas Folger wants a much better race in Argentina, than he had in Qatar a couple weeks back. The clouds are pretty dark, but, it looks like there won't be rain to worry about. Takaaki Nakagami has his best qualifying spot, (on row two), since the 2014 season opener in Qatar. Franco Morbidelli is third.
Moto3 bikes had to deal with a damp track. But, there is more power in a Moto2 bike with the 600cc motors. So, take it gingerly for a while. There were lots of riders in Moto3 going off like scalded cats on a hot tin roof. So, we'll see what happens. Lorenzo Baldassari is back, and is ready to race. Axel Pons rolls of tenth. Again, Alex Rins, is down in eleventh place. Folger, Zarco, Lowes. That's the front row in Moto2. We are ready to race, ladies and gentlemen.
Again, this is a dry race. Go out on slick tires. If rain comes, race direction decides what happens. Don't jump the gun, boys. We are off to Austin, Texas, this coming weekend. So, stay tuned, for that. Tires in Moto2 are on a level playing field. Sam Lowes starts from his fourth career Moto2 pole. Lowes is riding a Kalex chassis this year. Johann Zarco also wants to get back in the winners circle. Row two has Takaaki Nakagami, Franco Morbidelli, and winner in Qatar, Tom Luthi. We are ready for a start.
Lights out! Go! Jonas Folger, just as he did in Qatar, speeds away from the competition headed into the first turn. It's a clean getaway for the entire field as Hafizh Syahrin is pushed wide somewhat. Alex Rins is moving back. Tom Luthi under pressure from Sandro Cortese. Baldassari wants to pass Luthi, but no. Jonas Folger is holding off Johann Zarco for the moment, as there's more shuffling in the back of the pack. It's a collision between Hafizh Syahrin and Axel Pons. Both ran into each other, looking for the same piece of road, and fortunately, neither rider fell down.
Alex Rins is now ninth. Jonas Folger leads. Zarco wanted the spot. But, Sam Lowes sees the opening, and slams the door right in Johann Zarco's face! Zarco says, "oh no you don't, Sam", and makes a pass on Lowes. Franco Morbidelli is closing up on the top three now, and Rins needs to book it to make up places. It's true, as Rins is 2.2 seconds in-arrears of Morbidelli. Oh dear! Alex Marquez is out. He's crashed. Game over. Lowes goes inside Zarco to take a spot away. Jonas Folger now has a 6/10ths of a second lead.
In the replay of Marquez's crash, it looks like he may have touched the rear wheel of the motorcycle ahead of him. Big wiggle for Sam Lowes! He almost tosses the bike! Jolly lucky, was Sam Lowes, not to hit the pavement. Alex Marquez rejoins the race. So, it isn't game over. Sam Lowes runs fastest lap at 1:49.533 so far. Dominik Aegerter is moving forward fast and he goes inside his countryman Tom Luthi. Both riders, from Switzerland. Looking ahead from one of the onboard cameras on a bike, a couple riders slam into each other again, but don't crash.
Axel Pons, slammed into Hafizh Syahrin. Game over, permanently, for Alex Marquez. Did he crash again? He's likely fallen a second time, or parked the bike. Nil points for the Spaniard after two races. Nakagami falls down the order, and Tom Luthi is also struggling. Jonas Folger runs wide and Sam Lowes capitalizes. Lowes also sets new fastest lap at 1:48.870. Danny Kent got a bad start and is down in 19th. Franco Morbidelli is chasing Johann Zarco. Franco Morbidelli tries to draft Johann Zarco on the back straight. But, to no avail.
Johann Zarco, if it's the final laps of the race, his competition best look out. He'll be the shark in the water, smelling blood, and wanting to take a bite out of his opponents. Zarco sweeps by Morbidelli for third. We are now on lap five as Dominik Aegerter is moving up. Morbidelli and Zarco continue to scrap. Sam Lowes continues to lead. Aegerter resets fast lap at 1:48.591. Dominique Aegerter wants to do well. He has not had a podium since last year, at Mugello in Italy. Aegerter sweeps inside Rins and says "thank you very much, Alex." These two chaps smashed into each other, last year, in the other Italian race, in San Marino at the Misano circuit.
Aegerter is up to fifth, and look out, for Hafizh Syahrin! Where did he come from? He's up to sixth. We are working lap five. Starting lap six and Johann Zarco has a new fast lap. 1:47.954 this time. Watch out for the damp spots. Zarco slides, but keeps the bike upright. Franco Morbidelli could have had a door of opportunity open there. Lowes leads Folger, Morbidelli, and Zarco, followed by Aegerter and Syahrin. Aegerter and Syahrin are truly closing on the leading foursome. Syahrin now lowers fast lap to 1:47.584. This is exciting Moto2 action to be sure!
Right now the top fifteen is Sam Lowes, Folger, Zarco, Morbidelli, Syahrin, Aegerter, Rins, Luthi, Sandro Cortese, Axel Pons, Marcel Schrotter, Lorenzo Baldassari, Takaaki Nakagami, Mattia Pasini, and Xavier Vierge. Syahrin passes Aegerter for fifth. The Malaysian rider is going for it. By passing Aegerter, the second group, has now lost time to the leaders. Lowes continues in P1. Takaaki Nakagami has sunk down the order. Tom Luthi is not having the best race either, languishing in eighth. Sandro Cortese is behind him. Rins, Luthi, Cortese, and Pons, are up to speed. But, they are too late to catch the top riders.
Sam Lowes runs wide in turn seven, briefly. Zarco shoots around the outside of Jonas Folger to pick up second spot. We still have 15 laps left in this one. Franco Morbidelli passes Folger for third. Does Folger have a grip issue? Zarco gets passed by Morbidelli. Zarco fights back. Sam Lowes opens a lead and runs his personal best lap at 1:46.9. Jonas Folger is on an ill handling motorcycle. We have 14 laps left in this race. Alex Rins is being pressured by Tom Luthi and Sandro Cortese. Hafizh Syahrin is really improving in 2016. He's proving he's in the top six to stay. Folger is now back on pace.
Lowes is still in a comfortable position, out in front. Dominique Aegerter is a second faster than Alex Rins. Rins is dropping into the clutches of Tom Luthi and Sandro Cortese. Jonas Folger has made his way back up to third. Franco Morbidelli is now fourth. But, the Marc VDS Moto2 team still runs well. Folger resets fastest lap at 1:45.726. Alex Rins is coming back into the picture as Morbidelli passes Folger another time. Rins is dropping his lap times down into the 1:46 range. He's not able to get into his rhythm as he pushes his way past Dominique Aegerter. Lowes and Zarco's battle almost ends in tears as Zarco taps the back wheel of Lowes' bike.
Zarco leans over, and trails the brake into the corner. Zarco could be ready to pull the pin. Zarco does, and wham! He's into the lead, passing Lowes. Only 11 laps remain. We have just passed halfway. Morbidelli and Folger are still in contention, and Alex Rins runs a 1:45.7 lap. The fuel load burns off, and he's got more confidence with the front end of the motorcycle. Sandro Cortese is down and out. Game over. Alex Rins is really going for it setting fastest lap at 1:45.344. Alex Rins is far faster than Sam Lowes in second.
Rins is in fifth spot. He wants to see the top four riders starting getting into shenanigans, and he could pounce if they do. If he keeps charging, he'll be back in contention, as Sam Lowes is under pressure from Franco Morbidelli. 1:45.2 is the new fastest lap. Morbidelli, Folger, Rins. 1:45.268 for Rins, is fast lap. Morbidelli has lost half a second, and it was thought he was 8/10ths up on Lowes. That gap is down to 2/10ths. Rins lost time with a big wiggle of the front of the bike, and could have lost a lot more than time!
Sam Lowes is now closing on Johann Zarco, and he's broken away from Franco Morbidelli. Folger gets loose in turn seven. Zarco is pulling a bit of a gap over Lowes. Seven laps remain as we start lap 17. Alessandro Tonucci, a lapped rider, is not a factor. Zarco won here, last year. It was the start of the campaign to where he won the championship. Tom Luthi is eighth. His championship lead may stay intact. Zarco edges away from Sam Lowes in sector four. The leaders pass Efren Vazquez. Zarco ekes away a margin from Lowes. Lowes has one Moto2 win. That was last year in Austin, Texas, the scene of the next race, at Circuit of the Americas, this weekend.
Fifth place Alex Rins resets fast lap to a 1:45.105. Just five laps to go now. Rins won't make it to the podium, and he's still fifth. Zarco continues to lead. Sam Lowes runs really wide through turns seven and eight and Franco Morbidelli takes the spot. Lowes got into the turn a bit too hot, and ran wide. Rins lowers another fast lap time to 1:45 flat. 1:45.021. Johann Zarco, meanwhile, is running a great race and has not allowed his competition to get to him. Sam Lowes wants by Franco Morbidelli.
Morbidelli runs wide, and Zarco continues to increase his lead. Sam Lowes passes Franco Morbidelli for second. But, he's still 1.1 seconds behind Zarco. How much rear tire does Lowes have left? Two laps remain. Morbidelli stays in touch with Lowes. Lowes responds with the fastest lap of the race at 1:44.481! Oh no! Franco Morbidelli crashes! He loses the rear tire, and swoops the bike around, laying it down. Hopes are dashed, for Morbidelli, of being on the podium. Morbidelli needs to either restart the bike, or get out of the way, with competitors bearing down on him.
Morbidelli hit the same damp spot on the road, that claimed his team mate, Alex Marquez, earlier in this race. This is the final lap. Zarco has it practically in his hands. Sam Lowes needs to run the lap of his life. Zarco is ahead by a second. The reigning world champion, is a second clear of everyone else. You can't give Zarco an inch, as he'll take a yard. He wants his ninth Moto2 win. He also has one 125cc win, and he wins in Argentina!
#5 Johann Zarco FRA. Kalex
Zarco also sets fastest lap at 1:44.345. Luis Salom is the final rider to score points in 15th place. Alex Marquez and Franco Morbidelli, both wreck, and it's a race to forget for Estrella Galicia Marc VDS Racing. Next up, this weekend, is the race at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas. Stay tuned, for all the action, and so long, for now.
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