VOL. 52 ISSUE 16 APRIL 21, 2015 P83
Honda impressed again by
heading the gang over the line
for a second finish in the points.
In his third race after leap-
frogging direct from Moto3, the
20-year-old future hope was top
Open finisher, with some re-
doubtable riders behind him.
On his back wheel: Barbera
on the Avintia Ducati, GP rookie
Loris Baz and Forward Yamaha
>>KENT CARRIES ON
A week ago
Danny Kent tore
up the book of
Moto3 conventions
to claim a record
dry-weather winning
margin of 8.5 sec-
onds. In Argentina
the iconoclastic
Leopard Honda
rider paid even less
heed to the ground
rules. Although
pipped for pole at
the last minute by Red Bull KTM's
Miguel Oliveira, he remained
serenely confident, to run away
for a second straight lone win by
an even bigger distance, a chasm
spanning 10.3 seconds.
It is extraordinary to watch,
particularly since the rest of the
gang remained engaged in a mas-
sive skirmish. Even after two front
runners crashed out, there were
still 14 riders battling over second
place, and they all crossed the
line within less than 2.5 seconds.
Husqvarna's Isaac Vinales led
the first couple of laps, with Kent
biding his time close behind,
Oliveira and Ongetta Rivacold
Honda's Niccolo Antonelli well in
the mix.
Kent went from fourth to first on
lap three, and three laps later was
already well over two seconds
clear. It was a rather dull race, he
admitted: "I'd prefer to be fighting
for it," and easier than Austin,
where track conditions were
tricky. The 21-year-old Englishman
was simply in a class of his own.
Moto3-and-a-half, perhaps.
The rest laid a feast of close,
high-class racing—although in the
absence of Antonelli and Estrella
Honda's Jorge Navarro, after the
former slid off and knocked the
Spaniard down.
Fortunes varied wildly, posi-
tions changed corner to corner.
Oliveira dropped to 13th on lap
five after running wide; six laps
later he was second.
The leading players were clear
enough. Kent's teammate Efren
Vazquez always strong; rank
rookie Estrella Honda's Fabio
Quartararo likewise, up to second
at one point after starting 16th
on the grid. Oliveira's teammate
Brad Binder had closed up to join
in; Mapfre Mahindra's Pecco Ba-
gnaia and Red Bull KTM's Karel
Hanika were in the mix. Tactics
would be everything.
Remarkably, Sky VR46 KTM's
Romano Fenati was also among
them, after starting on the back
row of the grid after a very public
temper tantrum in morning warm-
up (see news story).
In the end, the experienced
Vazquez narrowly prevailed over
Vinales, with teammates Oliveira
and Binder just off the rostrum.
Quartararo, Hanika and Fenati
were inches behind, so also Enea
Bastianini, Niklas Ajo, Livio Loi,
an on-form Ono, Kornfeil and
McPhee, taking the final point.
Kent also extended his lead,
66 to Vazquez's 49. Bastianini
(40), Quartararo (39) and Vinales
(33) complete the championship
top five.
Danny Kent dominates Moto3 for
second race in a row.
