MotoGP Argentina: timetables for tango, or pogo, at Termas de Rio Hondo

MotoGP will not have had time to recover from its strong emotions from the first Portuguese Grand Prix in the new format which here is the distant Argentinian Grand Prix this weekend. Not everyone will travel and no one will replace anyone either, so we will have a starting grid of 18 drivers on the Termas de Rio Hondo track. How many will be left for the future in Austin?

Sportingly speaking, Portimao, where we witnessed two Spanish victories in Moto3 and Moto2 and an Italian double in MotoGP, with a Pecco Bagnaia marking its entry into its territory. The official Ducati will disembark in Argentina at the top of the General classification of MotoGP thanks to 37 points scored in Portugal. The reigning world champion won the race Sprint and repeated his position in the main race on Sunday, showing that he and his Desmosedici GP23 are in top form and more than ready to defend the crown.

However, the Termas de Río Hondo circuit has not always been a good circuit for the teammate of a Enea Bastianini who will be forfeited due to injury taken on the battlefield of Portimao. The pilot Ducati has never been on the podium on the Argentinian track, neither in MotoGP, nor in Moto2 or Moto3, and the fifth place he signed in last year's race was, to date, his best Argentinian result in MotoGP.

With 12 points less than Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales faces this next meeting as runner-up in the general standings. The pilot Aprilia was on the podium in the main race at Portimao, where he finished second, and also showed good pace in the Sprint race, although he failed to catch the leading trio, battling hard against his teammate Aleix Espargaro.

Pecco Bagnaia has never succeeded in Argentina, unlike Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaró

Unlike Pecco Bagnaia, Casa Particular in Viñales has good memories of Argentina. He won there with Suzuki in 2017, and although he hasn't been on the podium since then, the victory taken at Termas de Rio by his teammate Hondo Aleix Espargaró with the RS-GP in 2022 makes him optimistic for the two Argentinian races which will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

The man from Granollers is another of the favorites of the weekend after a mixed start in Portugal, where he was only able to collect 11 points, synonymous with seventh place in the general classification. However with the benefits of Jack Miller as Brad Binder or even Marco Bezzecchi without forgetting the awakening in the last lap of Johann zarco, Portimao demonstrated that there was no need to swear anything this year in MotoGP.

Here are the times of a show that Pol Espargaro, Enea Bastianini, Marc Marquez et Miguel Oliveira will watch from the best position to appreciate this new format of the competition. Or in front of the TV. Side weather forecasts, for the Friday there is an 80% chance of heavy rain. would be dry and cloudy Saturday and rainy Sunday around lunchtime. So pilots will not only have to compose with a track not suitable for MotoGP – which will have repercussions on the times, but also on safety – but they will also find themselves looking for a time in search of a ray of sunshine to set a good reference on a dry track.