The Pons HP40 team returns from Argentina, like many teams, with mixed results. If Lorenzo Baldassarri managed to avoid the pitfalls of the weather to achieve a top 5 in the race, Héctor Barberá was unable to adapt to the complicated track conditions and returned without points.
After a rather difficult first day, Lorenzo Baldassarri returned to the forefront on Saturday, finishing second in the last free session as well as in qualifying. Starting from the front row, he hoped to be able to win but given the deterioration of his rear tire, he had to lower his objective: “I knew the race would be difficult with the mixed track conditions, so it was important to have a good strategy. The start went well, I led the race. I tried to pull a gap and escape but I couldn't. The others caught up with me and I stayed in the leading group fighting for victory, but in the last laps I saw that I was lacking grip with the rear tire and I couldn't follow the lead. pace. »
Despite this problem, the Italian finished fourth, just five seconds behind the winner, and scored big points for the championship: “Finishing fourth after a complicated weekend is a good result and I would like to thank the team for the work done in each session and in the race. We will continue to fight in Austin! »
For his teammate Hector Barberá, on the other hand, the results are more mixed. Around fifteenth place throughout the free sessions, he then qualified eighteenth. Persuaded to come back as he did in Qatar, the Spaniard unfortunately had to settle for a final twentieth place due to the track conditions which he was unable to cope with. He remains very objective about his performance and takes responsibility for this result: “The weekend was strange, with a very complicated track in each session and in the race. The bike worked well, the team worked well, but it was me who didn't adapt to these conditions. »
However, he is positive for the future, determined to join his teammate at the forefront: “We have to take this into account to get off on the right foot. Now we go to Austin and we have to think positively and have in mind our goal, which is to be at the front and win races. »
