Repsol rider part of tight battle in the second group, fighting for the podium until the last corner. Navarro crashes on lap five, with Herrera taken out on opening lap of the race.
The Grand Prix of Argentina concluded with a bittersweet taste in the mouths of the Repsol riders in the Moto3 class. Fabio Quartararo continued to accumulate experience in the front group, taking a creditable sixth place and chasing the podium right to the end of the race. In the same front group, Jorge Navarro had similar aspirations until a mistake put him out of the contest on the fifth lap, colliding with Niccolo Antonelli as he lost the front end of his bike. Maria Herrera was also unable to finish, taken out on the second corner of the race when up in sixteenth.
As happened at the Circuit of the Americas the previous week, the race was dominated by one rider in the lead. After an uncertain early spell, Danny Kent imposed his pace to break away for a second consecutive victory. Behind him, a large group of fifteen riders diced for the two remaining places on the podium, including Quartararo and Navarro. However, a crash on Lap 5 left Navarro out of the tussle. The Spaniard got back on track in last place, but eventually retired ten laps later.
Quartararo had another enjoyable raceday experience over 21 laps of continuous hard work, looking for the best position in the chasing pack. The youngest rider in the World Championship –who turns 16 tomorrow– took the fight to Viñales, Vazquez, Oliveira, Binder and Ono for a place on the podium. Despite heading that pack with two laps to go, on the last lap he dropped several positions –crossing the finish line in sixth place.
With this result, Quartararo lies fourth in the World Championship with 39 points. The next event on the calendar will be held in two weeks’ time, at a track that the reigning FIM CEV Repsol champion, Navarro and Herrera all know well: The Circuito de Jerez.
Fabio Quartararo
6th at 11.195 sec.
“The race went quite well, because the team helped me to calm down a lot. The position I had on the grid, on the right hand side, was very good and allowed me to make a very good start. On the first lap I managed to put myself into the top ten and I tried to keep climbing positions, because I saw that Kent was going to try to escape. It was impossible, as he had a very fast pace. I want to thank my team, because it has been a very difficult Grand Prix and we have ended up with a good result.”
Jorge Navarro
not classified
“Today I did not make a good start but, although I made contact with another rider on the early laps, I managed to put myself second. However, I noticed that I had a problem with the gearbox and I crashed on a corner; I couldn’t stop the bike and lost the front. I’m especially sorry for Antonelli, who I took out, and also for ourselves because we were having a good weekend. I think we had a chance to score some good points here. Now we must look ahead, as in two weeks have the Grand Prix of Spain in Jerez.”
Maria Herrera
not classified
“Over this weekend we have improved a lot in every practice, gaining a second per session, so I’m very happy about that. I learned a lot at this Grand Prix, so it was a shame that on only the second corner another rider coming from far back hit me when I was riding in sixteenth. I had made a very good start, overtaking several riders up the inside, but our happiness didn’t last very long.”
