MotoGP: Argentina Preview

It was around this time last year when an incredible doubt grew amongst the MotoGP paddock as they prepared for the second round of the 2016 season at the Termas de Rio Honda, ahead of the Argentinian GP.

Difficult debut for Michelin last time in Argentina

The race prior in Qatar, was the first time they had completed a full race on the new Michelin tyres; as the French manufacturer took over from Bridgestone as supplier to the elite class. The new rubber split the paddock in opinions as some were quick to adjust and settle, whereas others encountered issues and concern grew.

It did not help matters when Octo Pramac Racing Team rider, Scott Redding avoided a serious incident when the tyre delaminated during Free Practice. The other wall of the tyre detached from the rest of it as he made his way down the straight, and it caused the rear of his Ducati Desmosedici GP15 to curl up.

Shards of rubber also hit the Brit who was able to keep it upright when he was forced into the gravel trap. He fortunately walked away with minor injuries including bruising to his mid-back.

Safety precautions put in place as doubts over tyres grew

This caused lots of chaos and confusion however and resulted in the race being split down the middle instead of the usual flag-to-flag race. As Redding’s incident occurred when he had completed approximately 10 laps on the tyre, it was decided that safety measures had to be put in place; meanwhile the tyre was sent back to Michelin Headquarters for further analysis..

Intermediate tyres were not permitted, and the race was shortened to 20 laps on the special option that Michelin brought in in an emergency. Should it have rained, riders were to follow the normal pit stop arrangements where they would come into the pits when they decide to switch to their other bike that would have a full wet set-up.

Weather an issue in Argentina

However, after a wet start to the day that caused more chaos, the weather had improved and it had been declared a dry race which it was, riders were to stop on or around the 10th lap (between laps 9 and 11) of the race to switch to their other bike that would have had the full dry set-up.

This is where tyre strategies came into play. Wet weather still appeared to be a threat, and the race was mid-flow with several riders in contention for the win and so some riders were reluctant to make the pit stop, leaving it as late on in the race as they could.

Marquez emerged victorious as tyre strategy paid off

The 2016 MotoGP champion, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), however made an early stop and being one of the first to call into the pits meant that his tyres were up to optimum temperature quicker and he was able to continue on to the end and collect the victory.

As well as the tyre saga, the 2016 Argentinian GP proved to be eventful. There were several collisions at the beginning of the race heading into the first corner as Andrea Iannone on his Ducati at the time made contact with Marquez causing his camera to become detached and his teammate Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) was forced out wide.

LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow crashed out which caused Aleix Espargaro who was following him on his Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR to follow him into the gravel. Iannone came into contact with his then teammate Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) causing him to crash out on the penultimate corner of the race. A heroic Dovizioso picked his bike up and ran with it to claim what points he could when he crossed the line exhausted.

Bautista crashed in the pit lane

Also, a major safety concern arose from the incident involving Alvaro Bautista, (then on his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini RS-GP). The Spaniard crashed in the pits causing new safety procedures to be put into place including pit crews having to wear helmets when assisting riders who may go into the pits to change bikes or on the grid when the ‘Quick-Start’ procedure gets is used.

So the 2017 round of the MotoGP at the Argentinian track has a lot to live up to should it aim to match the drama that occurred the year previous. This year however, some riders are still adjusting to their new machinery as Jorge Lorenzo decided to move to the Ducati Team, which caused an influx of change in the paddock.

Vinales proves his worth on his Movistar Yamaha debut

The four off-season IRTA tests took place for the MotoGP class and it was Maverick Vinales, now with Movistar Yamaha, who dominated by topping the timesheets each year. He proved that it wasn’t just down to his time attacks when he went on to win in Qatar during the season opener at the Losail International Circuit in the desert.

He stood out in many ways; he looked cool, calm, relaxed and extremely comfortable on his new M1. He won ahead of Marquez in second and Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) completed the podium. Rossi, the nine times world champion, will be celebrating his 350th grand prix start in Argentina; will it be with a win?

Zarco hoping for a repeat start

It was the 2016 double Moto2 champion Johann Zarco who almost stole the show as he made his MotoGP and race debut on his Monster Yamaha Tech 3. Both he and his teammate, Jonas Folger have looked incredibly strong and settled on their new machinery, and Zarco confirmed this when he took the lead early on in Qatar before unfortunately crashing out and ended things early.

Sam Lowes will be making his Argentina GP debut aboard his Aprilia Racing Team Gresini RS-GP. Alex Rins has had the most difficult start of the season as he adjusts to his Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR. During training recently he fractured his ankle however, he has been given the all-clear to compete during the second round of the season.

Ducati strong at the Termas de Rio Hondo

The Termas de Rio Hondo is a track that is said to be well suited to the Ducatis. So, there is a strong chance that Dovizioso will be able to make up for stolen results the previous year should he continue with his form. A lot of attention has surrounded Lorenzo as many believed he would be able to achieve things others haven’t, as the Italian manufacturer brought him in to help them to return to championship winning ways, but did his result from Qatar throw that into doubt?

Also on the 2017 evolution of the Demsosedici GP machinery, is Octo Pramac Racing Team rider Danilo Petrucci; the Italian missed the Argentinian round in 2016 because of a hand injury sustained in testing. He will be working, as well as several other Ducati riders such as Bautista who returned to his former team and manufacturer with the Reale Avintia Racing Team, to showcase what the Ducati can do at the South American track.

About the track

Situated near the Andes in the Province of Santiago del Estero, with the closest airport being that of Buenos Aires, t was built in 2007 and was first used a year later for the Touring Car Championship. It was reconstructed five years later in 2012 in preparation for the MotoGP class to compete there, and they have done so since 2014. Most of the teams, and the majority of the riders, have experience of the tyres and the grip that the Termas de Rio Hondo has to offer. All but the new Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team; ridden by Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith.

Vital statistics

The track measures 4.8 kilometres (2.98 miles) and is 16 metres wide. It is made up of nine right hand corners and five left hand corners and is run in a clockwise direction,. The longest straight measures just over one kilometre (0.62 miles) long and comes after three corners; one right hand hair pin that is followed by another left-hand hairpin which guides the riders onto a sweeping right hander that leads them into the main straight.

At the end is another right hand-hairpin that leads to a sleeping left hand corner that is followed by another straight. Two right turns that bring the riders back on to another straight parallel to the previous one. They turn left into turn nine, a curved 90 degree angle that twists to the right and guides them through another sweeping left hand corner that is greeted by another short straight.

The straight bends to the right through turn 12 which leads them into another right-hand hairpin, the penultimate corner, turn 13. Shortly after they have a tight left hand corner that leads them out onto the start finish straight. The MotoGP class will complete 25 laps, the Moto2 class will complete 23 laps, and the Moto3 class will complete 21 laps.

Tyre availability for the second race of the season

Available from Michelin, for the MotoGP class, will be an asymmetrical designed Michelin Power Slick for two compounds, and symmetrical for one. It will be available in soft (white band), medium (no band) and hard (white band) compounds for both the front and rear, the hard tyre will be the symmetrical design. Also, the Michelin Power Rain tyres will be available to the riders in a soft (blue band) and medium (no band) compound for both the front and rear.

Being located in South America, temperatures are expected to be high. This along with the demands of the track, can be very enduring for the tyres, and so as usual the correct tyre choice will prove vital. However, coller temperatures and rain cannot be ruled out so after the trouble caused in Qatar with the weather, the riders will be hoping for smooth sailings in Argentina.

Marquez quick in Argentina

Having only completed three rounds here, it is Marquez who has collected the most wins in Argentina, standing on the top of the podium twice, while Rossi collected the other win. It was Marquez who has secured pole position each year however. The Spanish champion has also set the fastest lap in Argentina with a time of 1:37.683 when he set pole in 2014. It is Rossi who has the circuit record however set during the race in 2015 with a time of 1:39.017.

New opportunities available in the Moto2 class

In the Moto2, it was the three of the 2017 MotoGP rookies that completed the podium in 2016. Zarco won ahead of Lowes and Folger. Zarco has won twice in Argentina (something that the MotoGP class ought to remember after his fantastic start in Qatar) and Tito Rabat (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS) collected the other. Lowes, Zarco and Rabat are equal on one pole position each.

Zarco also has the fastest Moto2 lap set in 2015 with a time of 1:42.809 which also secured him pole position. The Moto2 circuit record lap was set by Folger the same year with a time of 1:43.001.

With those three out of the way though, it is down to the likes of Franco Morbidelli (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS),who collected his first Moto2 win in Qatar, Thomas Luthi (Garage Plus Interwetten), Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and several more to battle it out now that the others are out of the way.

Same situation in the Moto3 class

It is the same case in the Moto3 class, as in Argentina last year, the Moto3 race turned out to be wet, very wet. It unearthed the talents of Khairul Idham Pawi (Honda Team Asia) who thrived in the wet, coming from the back of the pack, fighting his was through and winning in style. He was joined on the podium by Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0), and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo); none of the riders are competing in the class in 2017.

Pawi, British rider Danny Kent (now in the Moto2 with Kiefer Racing) and Romano Fenati, who returned to the Moto3 class with Marinelli Rivacold Snipers after being expelled by Sky Racing Team VR46, have collected the three wins in Argentina. The 2016 Moto3 champion Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was on pole last year, before that it was Miguel Oliveira and Jack Miller.

It is Oliveira who has all of the records in the Moto3 class. A successful year in 2015 with Red Bull KTM Ajo saw him set the fastest lap when he secured pole with a time of 1:48.46. His set his circuit lap record in 2015 with a time of 1:48.,977.

There are several riders in contention of winning in Argentina. In the 250cc class, things are so evenly matched, there are so many straights that they could use the slipstream to their advantage on, and several hard braking points that would mean that anyone who tries to guess who would win the Moto3 class, has a low chance of being right.

The schedule for the 2017 Argentinian MotoGP

The schedule for the three days is as follows: