Race
Moto2 2024
Round 8

Chantra Finishes 5th at Assen After a Superb Comeback

nl TT Circuit Assen

IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia riders successfully completed the eighth race of the Moto2 World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen.

Chantra Finishes 5th at Assen After a Superb Comeback

Somkiat Chantra, who started from 17th position on the grid, executed a remarkable comeback to finish in an impressive 5th position. Meanwhile, Mario Aji faced a challenging race, battling with other riders, and ultimately finished in 22nd position.


Hiroshi Aoyama
Hiroshi Aoyama
Today we had some cold conditions today at the race, something that get us a bit worry about the tire choice for the race but finally we did the right one. Somkiat Chantra had to start the race from 17th position, but he started to catch other riders lap by lap, with good quite constant pace, including some overtakes to another riders.

At the end he managed to finish in 5th position, which is a great result for a good performance. It’s a pity that in the qualifying he missed his best lap time, because he had the path to be on top. Any way this sometimes happen, I would say that it’s positive that we managed to have a great comeback in the race.

Mario Aji struggled a little bit more the whole weekend here in Assen at it was his first time here with the new category. He was on the third group fighting for scoring in points, but he was involved in the fight with other riders and had a penalty a drop a position. Finally, he managed to finish in 22nd position, which I think it was not his realistic position, he could be much higher at the end of the race. Anyway, he’s still in the learning process in the category as he’s still a rookie, he need to keep going and take the positive part of today, and start to think in next week in Germany. I would like to thank to the riders, sponsors and staff for their job during the weekend and we hope to be stronger on next race. 

Somkiat Chantra
Somkiat Chantra 35
IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia
Today, starting from 17th position and finishing in 5th place, has brought me immense satisfaction. Our achievement marks a notable comeback, underscoring the effective collaboration between my team and me. The progress we've made since yesterday has been substantial, and we sense ourselves advancing towards the front of the pack.

Looking ahead, I am optimistic that we can sustain this positive momentum and contend for strong results at Sachsenring next week. I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the entire team for their dedication and hard work throughout the weekend. We are on the right path, and I believe better outcomes await us next week in Germany. 

Mario Aji
Mario Aji 34
IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia
Today's race didn't go as I had hoped. It was a challenging weekend from the start, but now my focus is on moving forward to the next race. This setback is just a single chapter, and we must find the positives from this weekend in Assen while recalling our successes from previous races to regain our momentum.

It's time to reflect on the mistakes and challenges, using them as opportunities to come back stronger in the upcoming races. The next race at Sachsenring is less than a week away, and I'm already eager to rediscover that positive feeling on track. 


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