Moto3 Argentina FP2: Izan Guevara takes the lead in a session full of tension

After a frustrating Friday and an all-night marathon to prepare the boxes and bikes for action in Argentina, the Moto3 riders finally had the pleasure of cleaning up the track for an extended period. At the end of a 50-minute session, it was the leader of the World Championship Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) who took the lead with a lap in 1'49.268, ending the first of the morning sessions a tenth of a second ahead of Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28). Diogo Moreira (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #10) continued his impressive start to the season with a third place in his first outing in Argentina, just three tenths behind the leader.

Kaito Toba (KTM, CIP-Green Power, #27) and the rookie Daniel Holgado (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #96) complete the top 5 of the session, ahead Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) and Deniz Öncü (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53). Latest winner on this Termas de Río Hondo track, Jaume Masià (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) sets the eighth fastest time in these FP1s, tied with Ryusei Yamanaka (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #6) and were closely followed by Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna, Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max, #71), which closes the top ten. AlthoughAdrian Fernández (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #31), Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11), Scott Ogden (Honda, VisionTrack Racing Team, #19) et Elia Bartolini (KTM, QJMotor Avintia Racing Team, #23) are part of the provisional Top14, with the Rivacold Snipers duo outside the top 20, the timesheets are likely to look very different in a few hours, once the second training session is completed. Hopefully the circuit will be a little less dusty!

Our tricolor pilot Lorenzo Fellon (Honda, SIC58 Squadra Corse, #20) occupies 20th place in this session.

What will be the verdict of FP2 of this Grand Prix with completely crazy schedules? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Argentine GP Moto3™	2019	2022
FP1	1'51.147 Jaume Masia	1'49.268 Dennis Foggia
FP2	1'49.892 John McPhee	1'48.962 Izan Guevara
FP3	1'48.959 John McPhee
Q1	1'49.496 Andrea Migno
Q2	1'48.775 Jaume Masia
warm up	1'49.175 John McPhee
Course	Masiá, D. Binder; Arbolino
All time lap record	1'48.461 Miguel Oliveira 2015

At the end of this morning in Argentina, it is 18°C ​​in the air and 25°C on the track. The WE schedule being completely turned upside down, the objective of this second session of the day is to climb among the 14 fastest in free practice to go directly to Q2. We remind you that the qualifications will take place at the end of the afternoon. Also, the drivers quickly return to the track in order to improve their times achieved in FP1.

Like FP1, the drivers are immediately in the rhythm: at the end of the first timed lap, Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) leads the way in 1'49.810, ahead Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11). The drivers have 45 minutes left to improve.

Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24) falls at turn 2, just a few minutes after the start of the session, and gets back in the saddle. With FP2 lasting 50 minutes, he has plenty of time to return to his stand so that his mechanics can work on his bike, before returning to the track before the end of FP2. Mario Aji (Honda, Honda Team Asia, #64) fell at turn 1, but restarted on foot.

Halfway through the session, Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11) took back the lead, in 1'49.258, ahead Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) and Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24), whose time set at the start of the session allows him to save the furniture for the moment.

Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) gets a scare at turn 13, but stays on his wheels.

As we approach the last quarter of an hour of this FP2, Sergio Garcia (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #11) is still in the lead with his time of 1'49.258, but his pursuers now Diogo Moreira (KTM, MT Helmets – MSI, #10) and Tatsuki suzuki (Honda, Leopard Racing, #24), who returned to the track. The top 15 drivers are within 1 second, but few have improved from FP1 at the moment.

Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7) and Jaume Masia (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) almost collided. The first, Italian, explains himself with big gestures when entering the pit lane with his Spanish competitor.

As for Deniz Oncu (KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, #53), he explores the limits of the track and attempts high-speed Motocross…

There are 10 minutes left before the checkered flag is presented and the Top3 is unchanged. The drivers are in the pits, preparing for a final run to try to improve their times to reach Q2. Andrea Migno (Honda, Rivacold Snipers Team, #16) is the first to set off, alone on the track, with a little less than 8 minutes remaining. All his competitors remained in the pits and observed each other. Aside from the provisional Top6, composed of Garcia, Moreira, Suzuki, Foggia, Guevara and Masia, the other drivers will have to improve to move into Q2. The first 19 drivers are held in less than a second, qualifying will be full of tension!

Scott Ogden (Honda, VisionTrack Racing Team, #19) fell at turn 5, with just under 5 minutes left before the end of the session, and the entire Moto3 field was in action.

Elia Bartolini (KTM, QJMotor Avintia Racing Team, #23) fell at turn 2, then Scott Ogden (Honda, VisionTrack Racing Team, #19) falls again, at turn 1.

At the end of this FP2, Izan Guevara (GasGas, GasGas Aspar Team, #28) takes control, ahead Jaume Masià (KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, #5) and Dennis Foggia (Honda, Leopard Racing, #7)

Results of FP2 of the Argentine Moto3 Grand Prix at the Termas de Río Hondo circuit:

Combined FP1/FP2 results from the Argentine Moto3 Grand Prix at the Termas de Río Hondo circuit:

Credit Ranking: MotoGP.com