Vierge delivers superb run to clinch 5th in Argentina GP - Gardner experiences unfortunate end to round 2

Xavi Vierge turned heads by powering to his best ever finish in the highly competitive Moto2 class with an expertly calculated ride to 5^th today in South America. The young Spaniard bolted forward from 8^th on the grid and fought for the entire 23 lap race in an ultra-competitive pack of riders. He eventually hit the front of the group on the last lap before meeting the chequered flag in this notable position. The result marks a second top ten finish this season for Vierge, who continues to impress aboard the Tech3 designed and built Mistral 610.

Meanwhile, Remy Gardner was luckless today in Argentina as he fell on the opening lap after being taken out by another rider. The young Australian sustained a broken ankle in the fall and will travel to Spain tomorrow where a decision will be made regarding surgery. The entire Tech3 Racing Team wishes Remy a speedy recovery.

Xavi Vierge

Position: 5^th - Championship: 5^th - Points: 18

“I am so pleased with our performance across the whole weekend and to finish in fifth today is a great conclusion. In every practice session, we ended up inside the top ten and the Tech3 team worked tirelessly throughout the three days. Antonio, my Crew Chief, found a step in-between the warm-up and the race, and thanks to this, I was able to deliver the performance that I did. I am really happy, so I must say thanks to the guys for their efforts and also to KYB because the feeling with the suspension and the Mistral is amazing. I’m improving and getting closer to the front at every round and the result today motivates me fully for the next GP in Texas."

Hervé Poncharal - Team Manager

“It was a fantastic race for Xavi Vierge today in Argentina, but before I discuss his superb performance, I must express how concerned and upset we all are about what happened to Remy Gardner. He was having a good weekend and we know he is fast, but this is the second round in a row that he has been taken out by another rider. Today it was Nakagami, yet, not only could Remy not finish his GP, but he has also broken his right ankle. Now he will fly to Barcelona to see Dr Mir and on Tuesday a decision will be made about whether surgery will be performed or not. At the moment it’s difficult to say if our rider will compete in Texas, but we are fully behind him and we wish him a swift and successful recovery. As for Xavi, he had a fantastic race and qualified really well on the third row. When the sprint began, he had a great start, as usual, and kept with the front group before becoming involved in a tough fight with Sandro Cortese amongst other riders. I am more than proud to have seen him stay in that pack and then pass the other competitors to finish in his best ever position of 5th. This result puts him 5th in the championship standings and we are delighted with him and the incredible job that he is doing with us. However, I can’t leave the track completely happy because we have two fast and strong riders and we want to have both of them racing. So we have mixed feelings, as we are sad for Remy and we hope he can return soon and push Xavi. Yet, on the other hand, we are happy for Xavi who gave the team a great reward for their hard work. I also must say thanks to KYB for their excellent suspension and we are very proud to work with them."