The MotoGP World Championship heads to South America for the celebration of the 2019 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina. The second round of the calendar will run from the 29th to the 31st of March at the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo, and it promises to be even more exciting than the inaugural race.

The Court of Appeal of the FIM finally dismissed the complained filed by several teams against Ducati for the use of a “swingarm device” in Andrea Dovizioso’s bike, arguing that this was an aerodynamical aide and therefore, against regulations. This whole issue has raised the temperature in the paddock.

Consequently, this resolution validates the victory of the Italian pilot at the opening race in Losail, which had been contested by Honda, Suzuki, Aprilia and KTM. Only Yamaha stayed out of the controversy.

Honda: Marquez, on the attack; Lorenzo, almost fully recovered

Back to strictly competitive issues, Marc Marquez is obviously very eager to score his first victory of the year at the 2019 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina. After being defeated by Dovizioso by just a few millimetres in Losail, the Spanish prodigy wants pay-back … as soon as possible.

The Termas de Río Hondo circuit has traditionally been kind to Marquez. Not in vain, the five-time MotoGP champion won the 2014 and 2016 editions and managed four poles in five years.

His new teammate at Repsol Honda, Jorge Lorenzo, is almost fully recovered from his back and wrist injuries, which he suffered after falling in the Qatar Grand Prix.

The pilot from Mallorca continues to adjust to his new RC213V. Historically Lorenzo hasn’t harvested any great results in Argentina, his best being a third place in 2014.

Ducati, ‘Dovi’, with their winglet, want to hold on to the leadership

After his controversial victory at the opening event, Andrea Dovizioso arrives at the South American race as leader of the standings. Despite never having had a win in the country of Tango, he is sure to be in the fight for the top positions at the 2019 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina.

His teammate, Danilo Petrucci, will continue building up kilometres and experience on the back of the Desmosedici GP19. Debutant Petrucci, fifth a couple of weeks ago in the Persian Gulf, is full of promise and potential. 

Yamaha: Viñales and Rossi must take off

The other great protagonists of the day at the 2019 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina will, in principle, be Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi. The Italian has generally stood out in Termas, where he won in 2015 and finished second in 2016 and 2017.

It is precisely in this very track where the intense rivalry between Rossi and Marquez was born in 2015. The duels between the Spaniard and the Italian have become sporting classics to the level of a football match between the River Plate and Boca Juniors teams.

Maverick Viñales, for his part, must recover the sensations he had on the preseason, after obtaining a very poor seventh place in Losail. Although he was fifth in 2018, he had won the year before that. It is fair to assume that he will be playing a prominent role this time around.

Suzuki and Rins after a podium position

Suzuki also arrives in the 2019 Grand Prix of Argentina MotoGP with high hopes of playing a prominent role. Both Alex Rins and his bike, the GSX-RR, make some progress at every event.

After just missing out on a podium position in Qatar, he will be fighting for one on Sunday. The other member of the team, Joan Mir, will continue with his learning on board the Hamamatsu missile.

Another pilot to watch out for is Cal Crutchlow. He unexpectedly won the 2018 edition and was third the year previous. Despite his battered ankle, the skilful Briton is able to stand up to the leaders as it happened in Qatar, where he finished third.

‘2019 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina‘ Preview Images: Honda, Alex Rins, Yamaha, Termas de Río Hondo, MotoGP.com & Cal Crutchlow.