Moto2 Argentina P1: Manuel Gonzalez starts well and puts Yamaha in the lead

Moto2 attacks the second round of its championship in Argentina. At the start of last weekend in Portugal, Pedro Acosta started the year by showing his ambitions to be the boss this season. The Murcian controlled the race at Portimao, scoring the 25 points for victory ahead of Aron Canet. The latter did the impossible to follow his Red Bull rival KTM Ajo. In vain.

Acosta has only raced once in Argentina, in 2022, finishing seventh in his first year in Moto2. Canet, meanwhile, has raced here a total of five times at Termas de Rio Hondo, with a podium finish in 2018, in Moto3, after finishing second.

The big news is the return ofAi Ogura. The reigning world vice-champion in the category missed the opening round due to a nasty injury to his left wrist following a fall in motocross. “ I haven't ridden Moto2 yet this year, physically I'm not 100% » recognizes the Japanese. The objective for the moment is only this: “ I will try to finish the race ».

The intentions having been declared, all that remains is to get started. What will this entry into Argentina have in store for us? Before knowing it, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Argentine GP Moto2™	2022	2023
P1	1'43.356 Fermín Aldeguer	1'44.185 Manuel Gonzalez
P2	1'43.502 Fermín Aldeguer
P3	Canceled
Q1	1'44.132 Cameron Beaubier
Q2	1'43.306 Fermín Aldeguer
Warm up	1'42.547 Fermín Aldeguer	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Course	Vietti, Chantra, Ogura
All time lap record	1'42.547 Fermín Aldeguer

23.9° in the air and 27.4° on the track but above all the rain are the conditions offered to the protagonists for the 40 minutes of exercise.

Here is a newcomer, because it is not only in MotoGP where we regretted injuries in the ranks after the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Anecdotally, given the conditions, the first reference goes to Darryn binder in 1;56.776. Arbolino, Alonso Lopez, Vietti follow for the first top 5.

At halftime, conditions improved with even a ray of sunshine. Arbolino slams a 1'47.849. He then improved with a 1'46.606. Chantra, Alonso Lopez, Joe Roberts et Marcos Ramirez follow.

17th minutes from the end, Ai Ogura makes its first rounds of 2023 in Moto2.

His teammate Chantra takes the lead in 1'45.846. Ten minutes from the goal, the Idemitsu driver even achieved a 1'44.927. Acosta, Dixon, Arbolino et Canet are in pursuit.

The last five minutes are on the horizon and this is the moment chosen by Salac to attack in 1'44.638. Dixon, Manuel Gonzalez, Chantra et Canet are in its wake.

We are entering the last minutes and the clocks are logically panicking. Chantra returns to the lead in 1'44.096. under the checkered flag, it is the driver who displays the colors of the sector Yamaha evolving within the VR46  Manuel Gonzalez who takes the lead in 1'44.185 ahead Chantra, Canet, Salac et Arbolino. Acosta leads the rest of the peloton ahead Dixon. The rookie Foggia closes the top 10 and Joe Roberts the top 14 qualifying for provisional Q2. Drive is an anonymous 20th in front Darryn binder.

Results of P1 of the Argentine Moto2 Grand Prix at the Termas de Río Hondo circuit:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com