Fantic Racing saved the day after a difficult qualifying session in Argentina. While Aron Canet narrowly missed out on a podium finish, Barry Baltus made up for his poor start by staging a strong comeback, although the Belgian remains dissatisfied with his performance at the end of the weekend.
Aron Canet and Barry Baltus had mixed fortunes at the 2025 Moto2 Argentinian Grand Prix. The Spaniard put in a remarkable performance, finishing fourth, just four tenths off the podium.. A result all the more impressive given that the Iberian started from tenth place, having to overcome a shoulder injury, the result of a fall during practice.
His finish therefore has the air of victory, for the man who came close to withdrawing before the start of the race in Termas de Rio Hondo.
“It was a tough race, with a lot of pain, assures Aron Canet after the race. I had to bring out my winning and fighting spirit. I suffered a lot in my forearms, traps, and left shoulder. We're holding onto the strength we showed and we want more in Austin.
Despite the pain, Canet made an excellent start, quickly moving up to the top five. His race management allowed him to fight for the podium, but the increasing pain ultimately forced him to settle for fourth place.
Barry Baltus, meanwhile, finished in 12th position, gaining three places from his starting position.. A result that belies the Belgian's excellent comeback after a poor start. 20th at the exit of the first corner of the race, Barry Baltus had to fight his way through the pack to ultimately finish less than a second outside the top 10.
There's no doubt that a strong start would have allowed him to fight for much more satisfying positions. While there are positives to take away from this weekend, the number 7 remains frustrated.
"I'm certainly not happy with the result of the race, Barry Baltus said on the evening of the Argentine Grand Prix. We saw again that the pace was there and we felt strong throughout the weekend, we did a good job, the pace was strong. It was possible to fight for the top five, I lost a few seconds trying to overtake other riders. The team worked really well, we fought in every session for the best positions."
© Fantic Racing
Roberto Locatelli, manager of the Fantic Racing Lino Sonego team, was satisfied with the performance of each of his drivers.
“It was a great race for Canet. Friday’s crash was very hard, and he was feeling a lot of pain in his shoulder, but he proved he’s tough. The team worked hard despite the difficulties. He fought for the podium, and we have to stay focused to always secure important points like today. Unfortunately, Baltus had a bit of bad luck at the start, sliding down the grid a bit. Starting 22nd, he made a great comeback and raced well, scoring valuable points for the team classification, where we are currently second.” he concluded.
With these results, Fantic Racing confirms its status as a serious contender for the 2 Moto2025 championship. The team now turns its attention to the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, where Canet and Baltus hope to capitalize on the lessons learned from this Argentinian weekend.
