MotoGP, Argentina Day 3, Michelin: Under a cloudy sky, a shower of records falls on the Termas de Río Hondo circuit

• The mild weather over the weekend and the good level of grip on the track allowed the riders of the MotoGP Argentine Grand Prix to fully exploit the performance and consistency of the tires Michelin .
• Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) took pole position in Q2, setting the fastest lap of the Termas de Río Hondo circuit in 1'36.917. With this performance, Michelin now holds the record for all circuits this season.
• After dominating qualifying, Marc Marquez won the Tissot Sprint, completing the 12-lap circuit with a lead of almost 20 seconds over the 2023 time. For his part, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) reached the highest top speed ever recorded at Termas: 350,4 km/h.
• Marc Marquez also set new race records, with the fastest lap (19th lap) in 1'38.243 and a total time of 41'11.100, 25.5 seconds faster than the old record.

The second round of the 2025 FIM MotoGP™ World Championship took place at the Autódromo Internacional de Termas de Río Hondo. This circuit, inaugurated in 2008 and resurfaced in 2014, is renowned for its abrasive asphalt. At 4,806 km long, it features a series of technical corners and demanding braking, particularly at the end of the long 1-meter straight, which puts a lot of heat on the brakes and tires.

The region's generally warm climate can exacerbate tire wear, with track temperatures often exceeding 50°C, significantly reducing grip. However, this weekend defied expectations: overcast skies persisted throughout all three days of action, keeping track temperatures below 35°C, with a maximum air temperature of 27°C.

Another favorable factor: the condition of the track. Usually hampered by a low usage rate, the circuit proved cleaner than usual on Friday. The level of grip was therefore satisfactory from the start, allowing the drivers to immediately focus on setting up the track from the first free practice session.

The times improved rapidly as the laps progressed. Starting in Friday's practice session, six riders on four different motorcycle brands were faster than the circuit's absolute record, set by Marc Marquez in 2014.

It was ultimately the Spanish Ducati rider who improved on this record to 1'36.917, taking pole position in Q2. At the end of qualifying, fifteen riders had beaten the 2014 record.

After signing the pole, Marc Marquez won the Tissot Sprint, ahead of his brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and his teammate Francis BagnaiaHe completed the 12 laps of the track with a lead of 19.542 seconds over the 2023 race time.

During this sprint race, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) set a new speed record of 350,4 km/h. All riders were equipped with MICHELIN Power Slick Medium tires at the front and Soft tires at the rear.

The records continued to fall at the Gran Premio YPF Energía de Argentina 2025, won again by Marc Marquez before Alex Marquez, While Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the podium. The Ducati rider set the race lap record in 1'38.243 and set the shortest time in the Grand Prix (41'11.100), improving the previous record by 25.544 seconds. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) in 2015.

Also noteworthy is the consistency of the MICHELIN Power Slick Soft rear tire used by Franco Morbidelli, while the Marquez brothers had opted for a Medium tire.

« We just experienced an exceptional race weekend, watched by a large and ever-passionate crowd here in Argentina. Many fans traveled from neighboring countries, including a strong Brazilian community, which contributed to the festive atmosphere of the event. " remark Piero Taramasso, manager of Michelin's two-wheel competition. “ All the records have been broken this year, and we return to Clermont-Ferrand proud of the performance and consistency of our tires. It's important to note that we haven't raced on this circuit for two years. Our partners had to start from scratch in terms of set-up, while we capitalized on our databases and digital simulation tools to prepare for this event. We brought to Termas a tire allocation that was stiffer at the front and softer at the rear than the 2023 one. In Argentina, the MICHELIN Power Slick front and rear tires were symmetrical, despite the asymmetry of the circuit (5 left turns versus 9 right turns). All specifications worked perfectly during the weekend, and many riders expressed their satisfaction and confidence. »

The FIM MotoGP World Championship continues with the third round, which will take place from March 28 to 30 in Austin, capital of Texas, at the Circuit of the Americas.