2/2 - Sasaki takes pole again in Argentina, Veijer P17

Ayumu Sasaki of the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 team claimed his second pole of the year at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo. Fellow rookie Collin Veijer will start the second race of the season from row six.

Saturday brought no further changes ahead of qualifying as rain set in at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Honda earlier in the morning, which is why the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 duo decided not to compete in P3 after both had already secured their place in Qualifying 2 on Friday.

22-year-old Ayumu Sasaki had already dominated both Friday sessions, slamming a 1'48.539 onto the Argentinean tarmac on his final flying lap of Q2, just seconds before time ran out, to which his pursuers had no answer. The experienced Japanese rider will undoubtedly go into Sunday's 18-lap race as the absolute top favourite.

Moto3 rookie Collin Veijer picked up in Argentina where he left off at the season opener in Portimao. The 18-year-old secured direct entry into the fiercely contested Q2 with his 1'49.562, in which he earned a seventeenth place on the grid after technical difficulties. The ambitious Dutchman hopes to score his next World Championship points, as he did in Portimao.

The Gran Premio Michelin de la República Argentina starts for Moto3 at 16:00 (CEST).

Practice Sessions (combined)

1.  Ayumu SASAKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'48.597
2.  Diogo MOREIRA/ BRA/ KTM – 1'48.783 (+0.186)
3.  Jaume MASIA/ SPA/ HONDA – 1'48.840 (+0.243)
11. Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 1'49.562 (+0.965)

Qualifying 2

1.  Ayumu SASAKI/ JPN/ HUSQVARNA – 1'48.539
2.  Deniz ÖNCÜ/ TUR/ KTM – 1'49.142 (+0.603)
3.  Diogo MOREIRA/ BRA/ KTM – 1'49.214 (+0.675)
17.  Collin VEIJER/ NED/ HUSQVARNA – 1'50.028 (+1.489)