Chantra Battles For Fifth At Soaking Wet Termas
Termas de Río HondoSomkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex) had a great ride in challenging conditions at Termas de Rio Hondo today, fighting for a fifth-place finish and finally taking the chequered flag in seventh position. However, he was penalised for exceeding track limits on the final lap, which dropped
The 24-year-old Thai rider started from the front row of the grid, after storming to third quickest in yesterday’s dry qualifying session, but he didn’t quite have the same competitiveness in the rain. Although he was fourth halfway through the opening lap he soon ran wide, dropping to tenth. From there he fought hard to regain positions and completed the race less than a second behind the fifth-place finisher.
Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia Kalex) didn’t take part in the race. The 22-year-old from Saitama, who finished second in last year’s Moto2 series, returned from injury on Friday, riding well and qualifying 21st yesterday, despite some issues with the left wrist he fractured in training last month.
The soaking-wet weather convinced him to make the sensible decision of withdrawing from the race, because the risk of crashing in the rain is always much greater than in the dry, and another crash might have aggravated his still-healing wrist.
The race, which was shortened from 21 laps to 14 due to the wet conditions, was won by Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Kalex), who triumphed after a race-long contest with runner-up Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools Speed Up Boscoscuro) and Jake Dixon (Solunion GASGAS Apar Team Kalex). Arbolino now leads the 2023 Moto2 World Championship.
Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex) did well to finish fourth after taking a double long-lap penalty for jumping the start. Moto2 rookie Sergio Garcia (Pons Wegow Los40 Kalex) had an amazing ride, coming through to fifth from 28th on the grid, despite a long-lap penalty imposed for making contact with a rival during yesterday’s Q1 session.
Darryn Binder (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Kalex) took sixth, a fraction behind Garcia. Filip Salac (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2 Kalex) was credited with seventh position, ahead of Chantra.
Moto2 riders and teams have their next race in two weeks in the USA, at the Grand Prix of the Americas.
We have found wet conditions for the race. I started from P3 and was in the group but at Turn Seven I made a mistake, going wide and touching another rider. I lost some positions but I tried to catch the group again, but it was challenging to manage. In any case I'm happy to finish the race.
I decided not to race this time because I didn't want to risk 14 laps in the wet conditions. I prefer to be concentrated on the next race. I did a few laps on the dry tarmac this weekend to see my physical condition. I have a clear answer and I'm happy. It's a shame not to ride, but the balance of this weekend is positive.
