Moto2: Pasini manages conditions for victory in Argentina

Mattia Pasini controlled this afternoon’s Moto2 Grand Prix from start to finish to take an intelligent win in drying conditions in Argentina.

A significant dry line had formed since the wet/dry Moto3 race and while parts of the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit were still wet, the entire Moto2 grid started the race on dry rubber.

Pasini wasted no time in the early stages, darting to the front from his seventh-place starting position to join a five-bike battle for the lead featuring Lorenzo Baldassarri, Miguel Oliveira, Sam Lowes and polesitter Xavi Vierge.

As the race went on, Oliveira and and Pasini began to pull away with a fierce battle ensuing between the duo. Taking no prisoners, an aggressive Pasini was keen not to relinquish the lead.

After dropping back from the leading pack in the mid-stages, a hard charge from Xavi Vierge would make for an interesting end to the race as he picked off Oliveira and set about challenging Pasini for the win, but the Italian had everything under control on the final lap to hold him off for victory.

Early race leader Baldassari corssed the line fourth, some 3.8 seconds behind the leader while Alex Marquez finished fifth after a couple of mistakes hampered his challenge for the podium.

Remy Gardner took an impressive career-best sixth place for Tech 3 ahead of reigning Moto3 World Champion Joan Mir seventh on the second Estrella Galicia Marc VDS Kalex.

Qatar race winner Francesco Bagnaia finished ninth after a tough race on the Sky VR46 Racing bike with Marcel Schrotter completing the top ten.

Britain’s Danny Kent was unable to make the most of a front row start and finished 12^th, one place ahead of countryman Sam Lowes who dropped back through the pack despite fighting for the rostrum in the early stages.