Fantic Racing continues to shine in Moto2. In Mandalika, the Italian team once again achieved an excellent result. Aron Canet made a spectacular comeback from seventeen positions to secure a podium finish after Manuel Gonzalez's disqualification, while Barry Baltus secured a fine fourth place.
The weekend didn't get off to the best start for the Belgian driver, however. Physically weakened, Barry Baltus struggled throughout the three days. 15th after a difficult start, the #7 driver didn't give up. Lap after lap, he regained the upper hand over his rivals, displaying a very solid pace in the second half of the race. By the halfway point, he had already returned to the top 10, before continuing his progression to cross the finish line in fifth position.
Thanks to the penalty imposed on Gonzalez, Baltus was finally classified fourth, confirming its competitiveness and that of Fantic despite a trying context.
"I'm happy with this fifth place [fourth after the disqualification of another driver], even if I'm a little disappointed because I wanted more," he confides. “After Friday afternoon, I didn't expect to finish here, but we showed that we were among the fastest. I really enjoyed overtaking during the race, and with that pace, we could have fought for the podium. After such an intense weekend, with three days almost without eating, we can be satisfied. Now it's time to recover and prepare 100% to go for the first victory of the season.”
With Canet's podium finish and Baltus' fourth place, Fantic Racing extends its lead in the team standings. The Italian team now has a 54-point advantage over its nearest rival, with just four rounds remaining in the season. This sends another strong signal to the competition before heading off to Australia. The next round is scheduled in two weeks at Phillip Island.
© Fantic Racing
