  |  | MOTOGP ARGENTINA - ROUND 3 |  |  Termas de Rio Hondo | | MotoGP | Setup Report - 15/04/2015 | | | Movistar Yamaha Prepares for Action in Argentina | Just two days after the race in Austin, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team heads to Termas de Río Hondo for this weekend's Gran Premio de la República Argentina.
Valentino Rossi arrives in South America fresh from a third place podium finish at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Still topping the World Championship standings, the nine-time World Champion looks forward to bettering his position from last year's race at the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit, when he finished just off the podium in fourth place.
Despite being ill last week, teammate and four-time World Champion Jorge Lorenzo still managed to take fourth at COTA. Currently holding fifth place in the championship, he hopes to return to a hundred per cent level of fitness for Sunday's race where he will be challenging for another strong result, like his third place at the Argentinian track from last year.
Though officially inaugurated on May 11, 2008, the 4.8km long Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit was not added to the MotoGP calendar until last year after it was remodeled in 2012. The re-design aimed to turn the track into Latin America's most modern and safest circuit, providing fans with even more exciting racing action. With a fun lay out that includes a mixture of fast corners (five left and nine right) and a 1076m in length longest straight, this year's Gran Premio de la República Argentina is likely to be another showstopper. |
| | | | "I'm happy to go to Argentina because I like the track. We hope that there will be a better condition of the tarmac compared to last year, because the track and the lay out are good. It's also not a bad circuit for our YZR-M1, but first we take a few days of rest and then we'll try to be focused and prepared for the race." | |  | |
 | | | | | "After being fourth again in Austin I look forward to facing Argentina to try to gain momentum. I think we have solved the first races, where we struggle a bit because of different issues, in the best way possible. We are fifth in the championship, but this is still at the kick off stage. I feel good in terms of riding and also with the bike. Unfortunately I was sick the whole week in Austin and I wasn't able to be in a perfect shape to fight for the podium. I hope Argentina will suit us better. In Termas the circuit is pretty nice to ride and last year, even if I wasn't in an optimal shape, I still managed to get on the podium. It's a fast track with very nice corners and I guess this is good news for our bike." | | |
| Massimo Meregalli - Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team Director "After a good race in Austin we're on our way to Argentina. We are in a good position because we are leading the championship and we have good prospects for the coming races. The circuit in Argentina is nice and suits the Yamaha quite well. It's our second time visiting the Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit and I expect that it's going to be another intense race between Yamaha, Honda and Ducati. We go into this weekend with the intention to keep up our performances from the last two rounds and we look forward to getting started." | | Tech3 duo head to Argentina prepared for Rio Hondo battle | The Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro head down south to the Termas de Rio Hondo track in Argentina for round three of the 2015 MotoGP World Championship, fresh from challenging at the Americas Grand Prix in Texas. They will compete on the 4.8 kilometre Rio Hondo circuit which is a fast flowing and meandering track that is entering its second year on the MotoGP calendar.
Britain's Bradley Smith will be looking to continue his positive start to the year and intends to notch a third consistent strong result in the 2015 MotoGP season this weekend in Argentina. After battling to finish as the leading satellite rider, the 23 year old will once again take to the asphalt as he aims to consolidate his 6th position in the World Championship standings. Meanwhile Pol Espargaro, who suffered bad luck in Texas after failing to finish the race, will look to bounce back and fight with his teammate to be the fastest satellite MotoGP rider. The 2014 MotoGP rookie of the year finished in 8th position last season, but is confident of beating this result and speeding to a top finish in South America. |
| | | | "I'm looking forward to the race in Argentina after the good result we had in Texas and I'm happy the wait is not so long! The track wont have changed a lot from last year in terms of grip and the racing line will be quite narrow. For sure, it will be vital to get a strong qualifying position there and I intend to be far quicker than last year as I was not happy with the result or having to go through Q1. We are improving the setting every time we run the Yamaha but the main thing we need to focus on is looking after the front tyre. So we will keep studying the Yamaha data to see where I can improve. My ambition remains the same, which is to be close to the factory riders and after all of the positives we have had so far, I am going to Argentina confident and optimistic about getting another strong result." | |  | |
 | | | | | "Unfortunately after all the hard work in Texas, our race day was ruined due to an incident, but anyway we must forget about this as well as the entire weekend as we now focus on Argentina. I am looking forward to visiting the Rio Hondo track again which is very fast and more of a Yamaha type of track. The local fans are really enthusiastic and are very happy to see MotoGP in their country, so therefore I will do my best to put on a good show for them and to make amends for the bad weekend in Texas. I know I have the pace to be up running with my teammate and battling for the leading satellite position. We've had a bit of bad luck so far this year, but at round 3 I know the team and I can pull together and get a strong result before we head to Europe." | | | Termas de Río Hondo ready to host the third race of the season | It's already time to move on and travel to Argentina as the riders of Athina Forward Racing team will be busy this Sunday on the track of Termas de Río Hondo.
After the difficult ending in Texas, Stefan Bradl and Loris Baz are looking forward to get back on track to collect their first points of the season. The German, who was close to victory in the Open category in Austin but was forced to retire after a contact with Miller, made a big step forward and is convinced he can do well. Loris Baz is feeling confident even if he does not know the Argentinian track at all and will ride on it for the first time on Friday for the free practice session.
| | | | "I cannot wait to get on track at Termas de Río Hondo. In Texas we made a big step forward compared to Qatar race but unfortunately the ending was not as we expected. We remain focused; the goal is to get here the first points of the season." | |  |
 | | | | | "Another first time for me in this Championship. I do not know the Termas de Río Hondo track and will have my first go on Friday. I'll have to make the most of the free practice to gain confidence and get ready for qualifying. We continue our learning process in this 2015 season." | |
| | | Termas de Rio Hondo 15/04/2015 | | | | |  | | | Circuit Length:
4806 Fastest Lap Ever:
1'37.683
(Marc Marquez, 27-4-2014) Last Years Winner:
Marc Marquez | |  | | |  |
