Pirelli has made headlines at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit, where the tire manufacturer provided standard compound tires for the Moto2 and Moto3 races, since last year's event was canceled and left them without any historical data. Their cautious approach has turned out to be fruitful, as the first day of qualifications indicated encouraging results.
During Saturday's qualification sessions, both Moto2 and Moto3 riders outperformed previous lap records held by Dunlop, showing significant improvements. Manuel Gonzalez, riding for Kalex, became the star of Moto2 by clocking a stunning 1:40.870. This not only made him the only rider to dip below the 1:41 mark but also represented a remarkable improvement of more than 1.6 seconds over the previous record set by Alonso Lopez (1:42.472) back in 2023.
Meanwhile, Moto3’s Matthew Bertelli, piloting his KTM, marked his second pole of the season by completing his best lap at 1:46.034. His time eclipsed the former record held by Sergio Garcia (1:48.429) from 2022 by over 2.4 seconds, using SC2 medium front tires and SC1 soft rear tires.
The success wasn't limited to just these two talented riders; every participant across both categories was able to post times significantly below the previous track records. This collective achievement serves to highlight the overall effectiveness of the Pirelli tires on the demanding surface of the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit.
Pirelli has expressed satisfaction with the performance of their tires during this inaugural event. "So far, we can be largely satisfied with the performance of our tires on this circuit, especially considering this is our first race here and we don't have any data to base it on," stated Pirelli Argentina. They noted the remarkable improvements across the board, particularly how quickly drivers adapted to the tires, achieving fast laps right from the start of the weekend.
The steady improvements appeared not only from Gonzalez and Bertelli, but also from numerous drivers who demonstrated rapid acclimatization to the new tires—many setting faster times through practice and qualifying sessions. This adaptability is key, especially considering the variable conditions of the Argentine track.
The competitive nature of Moto2 and Moto3 was on full display as drivers pushed their limits, sharing the podium of record-breaking performances. This level of success is seen as indicative of the new compound tires, which, unlike the bespoke products often utilized, offered the drivers access to products available on the market.
Looking toward Sunday's races, Pirelli predicts soft tire solutions will be the preferred choice for both axles during the Moto2 races. For the Moto3 competitors, they suggested the SC2 medium rear tire might be more suitable for race distance due to its lower wear rates compared to the SC1 soft, which may be favored for the front tire applications throughout the competition.
These assessments underline Pirelli's commitment to delivering competitive racing experiences, which have not only met expectations but exceeded previous benchmarks on this unpredictable circuit. Drivers will look to leverage the insights gained from this weekend's qualifying as they prepare for highly anticipated races, making the upcoming competitions even more exciting.