Moto2 Argentina: Vietti pulls the pin for Termas win

Celestino Vietti survived his early clash with Fermin Aldeguer to fend off a late attack from Somkiat Chantra in the Moto2 Argentinian Grand Prix, round three of the championship.

The Mooney VR46 rider was one of several riders affected by the missing freight earlier in the weekend but bounced back on race day to collect a vital 25 points in style.

The Italian had been running with Fermin Aldeguer early in the race before running wide and hitting the pole man, taking him out of the race.

The accident was declared a racing incident, with the sixteen year old taken to the medical centre for check-ups after a horrible crash which saw his bike spinning, Aldeguer hitting his head as he was thrown from his Boscoscuro.

Winner last time out in Indonesia, Chantra kept Vietti honest for the latter part of the race chasing him down, taking the lead on several occasions where the Italian ran wide before he pulled the pin on what he had left in the tank to ease away on the final lap to lead over the line by 1.538s.

Vietti’s second win of the season after also collecting victory in Qatar sees him extend his title lead to seventy points, only dropping five from the maximum available after taking second at the Mandalika track.

Ai Ogura completed a great day for the Idemitsu Honda Team Asia outfit, taking third behind his team-mate after a battle royale for the final podium spot with Aron Canet which went to the wire.

The Spaniard rehearsed all of his possible overtakes in the run up to the final lap and threw everything at passing the Japanese rider. Ogura was patient and pulled the now common inside move at the final turn to be able to lead over the line after a fantastic final action packed lap from the duo.

Canet had to settle for fourth for Flexbox HP 40 and remains second in the title hunt, 21 points behind Vietti.

Jake Dixon got a second wind and found strong late race pace to complete his top five race aim for the weekend as he moved into the position in the closing stages for Autosolar GasGas Aspar.

He passed Tony Arbolino who was sixth for Elf Marc VDS, with Moto3 champion Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) back to being top rookie in seventh, his best result in the intermediate class to date.

The Spaniard pushed his fellow countryman Albert Arenas back to eighth, with Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) ninth another best finish so far this season for the rider from the Netherlands.

Sam Lowes saw his tough weekend continue, with a top ten finish hard fought for out on track for the Elf Marc VDS rider.

Thr Brit passed Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) who took the chequered flag in eleventh, with Marcel Schrotter also making up places late on to climb to twelfth for Liqui Moly Intact GP.

Italtrans rider Joe Roberts worked his way back into the points again in 13th, with rookie Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp) putting in his best finish so far for 14th.

Marcos Ramirez collected the final point on offer in 15th for MV Agusta Forward Racing.

Augusto Fernandez exited on the first lap - the consequence of a poor start which then saw him clip the back of Ogura and hit Gonzalez.

Niccolo Antonelli and Sean Dylan Kelly also failed to see the end of lap one, with Jorge Navarro and Flip Salac later victims of the most common crash corner at Termas, turn two.

Gabriel Rodrigo crashed out of his home grand prix, while Alessandro Zaccone retired to the pits.