Solunion GasGas Aspar’s Sergio Garcia claimed pole position for the Argentinian GP with teammate Izan Guevara joining him on the front row.
Sterilgarda Husqvarna’s Ayumu Sasaki spilt the pair from second with the trio navigating the Termas de Rio Hondo track just two-tenths adrift of each other.
The pack rolled out en masse as Moto3 qualifying got underway three minutes after the session had officially begun as the riders all jostled for position in the all-important slipstream. The opening efforts placing Mario Aji in prime position with Scott Ogden second. Joel Kelso and Honda newcomer Taiyo Furusato claiming the final promotion places at the halfway stage.
The Brit was in charge after his next lap with a 1’50.094, 0.010s ahead of the Honda Team Asia rider as the duo behind switched positions. Six riders however, had yet to set a time as Ryusei Yamanaka led the final group’s attack with four minutes to go.
The MT Helmets rider claimed P1 with a 1’49.857, Kelso rising to second on the CIP as Ogden and Aji held onto third and fourth before the final efforts. Josh Whatley crashing out at turn two from 13th with two minutes to go.
The final flurry brought heartbreak for Ogden as Stefano Nepa and Ricardo Rossi claimed their places in Q2, the Brit dropped to fifth as the first rider to miss out on promotion, by just 0.114s.
CIP’s Kelso was in charge as Q2 got into its groove, the Green Power rider setting a 1’48.940 thanks to the experience of the opening session, with Leopard’s Tatsuki Suzuki and Dennis Foggia locking out the provisional front row behind.
Diogo Moreira continued his impressive rookie run from fourth with the Aspar duo of Garcia and Guevara separated by Andrea Migno on the Rivacold Snipers in the top seven.The second CIP machine of Kaito Toba headed KTM’s Jaume Masia on row three at the halfway stage with Yamanaka, Daniel Holgado and Sasaki behind.
The final run fired up with just two minutes left on the clock. Tech3 KTM’s Deniz Öncü heading out alone before the remaining pack rolled out of pitlane. The Turk’s effort only rewarded with 15th before the hot laps even registered.
As the shuffle settled, Garcia claimed the pole thanks to a 1’48.429, teammate Guevara taking third with Sasaki slotting into second position. Rossi headed the second row with Kelso securing his best qualification of his world championship career in fifth from fellow rookie Holgado.
Xavi Artigas, Migno and Suzuki sat seventh to ninth with Moreira ahead of Foggia and Masia on row four. Toba, Yamanaka, Ivan Ortola, Öncü, Nepa and Carlos Tatay completing the top 18.
