Pramac consider Argentine MotoGP “first real race weekend”

After making its official Yamaha debut at the season opening Thai MotoGP, Pramac heads into the unknown at Termas de Rio Hondo this weekend.

The reigning world champions with Jorge Martin and Ducati machinery were left outside the top ten with new riders Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira in the Buriram Sprint and GP.

But that didn’t tell the whole story with Miller the fastest M1 for most of the weekend - qualifying fourth on the grid, falling from sixth in the Sprint and fighting for the same position until his fairing came loose in the grand prix.

However, while the Thai GP was preceded by two days of testing, there have been no MotoGP laps in Argentina since early 2023.

As such, team director Gino Borsoi feels Termas will be ‘the first real race weekend’ where they must find a competitive set-up by the end of Friday practice to ensure direct access to Qualifying 2.

“I am eager and curious to see how the Yamaha performs and how Jack and Miguel adapt to this track, where we have no prior references,” Borsoi said.

“In Thailand, we had two days of testing before the race, so we were well-prepared, but this time, we‘re starting from scratch.

“In many ways, I consider this the first real race weekend in standard configuration.

“We need to be quick in setting up the YZR-M1 and understanding what the riders need to be fast in the shortest time possible.

“For Yamaha, having four riders with different riding styles is a great advantage in accelerating the bike‘s development.

“For us at Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, it‘s reassuring to know that both Jack and Miguel - and even our Moto2 riders, Tony Arbolino and Izan Guevara - have historically been strong at Termas de Rio Hondo.

“This gives us a solid foundation to aim for a strong weekend.”

Pramac and Miller were at the centre of one of the most memorable Termas de Rio Hondo moments in 2018.

Having snatched pole position using slick tyres on a damp track, Miller then found himself alone on the grid when – after again chose the slicks for the damp race – the rest of the field pulled into pit lane.

The resulting chaos saw the start abandoned on safety grounds and Miller given the consolation of a few rows advantage for the restart. He eventually finished in fourth, a feat he repeated with Pramac in 2019.

"I‘m really excited for the second round in Argentina after gaining confidence in Thailand and becoming increasingly comfortable with the bike in race conditions,” Miller said.

“It will be interesting to see how the weather affects the YZR-M1. Termas de Río Hondo is typically a low-grip track, which could be beneficial for Yamaha at this stage of its development.

“I‘ve always enjoyed riding there, and I love the passion of the fans - it‘s always a true motorcycling festival.

“I can‘t wait to get back on my Prima Pramac Yamaha bike and start riding. Hopefully we will be able to come out of the weekend with another positive result."

Team-mate Oliveira claimed two Termas pole positions and podiums in the smaller classes and a best of eleventh from two premier-class appearances.

The Portuguese returns to Argentina after a three-year absence, having missed the most recent 2023 round due to injury.

“I‘m really happy to return to Argentina after three years. I had to miss the 2023 race due to a leg injury, and last year, the event was not on the calendar,” he said.

“Argentina and South America are places where I‘ve always felt comfortable and where I have many passionate fans. Termas de Rio Hondo holds great memories for me with some fantastic races.

“My goal this weekend is to continue progressing with the bike and the team. So far, Prima Pramac Yamaha has only moved forward, never backward, and that gives me great confidence and motivation to keep improving.

“I truly appreciate the effort and commitment that Yamaha is putting into giving us the best possible package and helping us compete against other teams. That gives me a big boost in morale, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve this weekend.”

Yamaha won at Termas de Rio Hondo in 2015 with Valentino Rossi and 2017 with Maverick Vinales.