MOTOGP
FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 2 / MARCH 29-31, 2019
TERMAS DE RIO HONDO CIRCUIT / TERMAS DE RIO HONDO, ARGENTINA
P72
the front of his Pramac Ducati was
rendered with a fern leaf. Although
not the nation's official flag (not
yet, anyway), the silver fern is an
important traditional symbol of New
Zealand.
BINDER'S NEW
SWINGERS
Lead KTM Moto2 rider Brad Binder
was sporting a new swingarm in Ar-
gentina, fresh from special tests at
Jerez, after a disappointing drop out
of the top ten in the opening round.
The problem there was a tire that
delaminated, but it was bike bal-
ance rather than Dunlop that took
the blame. Former Moto3 champion
Binder was 13th in the first day of
free practice, four-tenths of Luthi's
Kalex on pole, and with rookie Red
Bull KTM teammate Jorge Martin
(also a Moto3 champion) three
places ahead.
Briefly...
Franco Morbidelli (21) rode with heart
throughout the race, but ended up
getting tangled on the final lap with
Maverick Vinales (at rear), sending
them both out of the race.
third, taking as consolation that
it was better than he'd expected
at a track where the Ducati has
hitherto not been at its best.
Fellow front-row starter Mav-
erick Vinales (Monster Yamaha)
had another difficult race, slow
away and back to eighth by the
end of lap two.
It was left to Miller (Pramac
him," said Rossi. "But to pass
Dovi, you have to be very pre-
cise. There were two or three
points where I was quicker than
him, and I had a better entry to
turn seven, and I was able to
overtake, without the Dovi last-
lap crossing! It is always exciting
to overtake on the last lap."
Dovi had to be content with
Jack Miller used his love of
the Argentina venue to good
advantage, taking a solid
fourth ahead of Rins (42).
