At the Czech GP, Fantic Racing Lino Sonego’s Barry Baltus secured his fifth podium of the season. Canet and Pasini out after crashes.
After an outstanding pole position on Saturday, Barry Baltus confirmed his exceptional form, finishing second at the end of a race he led for the first seven laps. It marks the fifth podium of the season for the young Belgian, who is now firmly established as a major contender in Moto2.
Starting from pole – the first of his career in the category – Baltus battled fiercely for the win, engaging in a thrilling head-to-head with Joe Roberts. The pair pulled away from the rest of the field, building a gap of over three seconds. In the end, it was the American who came out on top, but Barry’s second place is hugely valuable in the title fight, and he is now fully in the championship mix.
It was a day to forget for Aron Canet, who crashed out at Turn 1 on the opening lap. The Spanish rider, starting from 17th, was aiming for a strong comeback but his race ended just moments after it began. He tried to get back on track, but the damage to the bike forced him to retire after a few laps. Despite the DNF, Canet remains second in the riders’ championship standings.
Mattia Pasini, who delivered a brilliant qualifying performance as the fastest Italian on the grid, also had an unfortunate race. The Italian wildcard rider, competing with the Fantic Racing Redemption Team, crashed out on lap five. Still, Pasini confirmed both his talent and pace on a challenging circuit.
The Fantic Racing Lino Sonego Team leaves Brno with another important podium and further strengthens its lead in the Moto2 Team Championship.
Now MotoGP heads into the traditional summer break.
Next up: the Austrian GP at the Red Bull Ring, scheduled for August 15–17.
Barry Baltus:
"I am really happy with how this weekend went. We didn’t take part in the test here, unlike some of the others, so they had a small advantage. We didn’t get much dry time, and I think we couldn’t quite find the perfect race tyre. I went with the hard option, which suited my riding style, but maybe it wasn’t the best choice today – Joe was just on another level. At the start of the race I led for the first few laps, and each time someone passed me, I pushed immediately to get back in front and set my own pace. But Joe was simply too fast. He was already very strong here back in 2020, and this layout clearly suits his style. Still, I am proud of this result. I was the only one who could keep up with him – the gap to the rest of the field was quite big – and the pace we showed was amazing. Of course, I am a bit disappointed to miss out on the win, and I want to say sorry to Joe for the start – I went into his line, but it was my first time starting from pole and I was a little nervous. The team did an incredible job all weekend. This is our second podium in a row before the summer break, and it is my fifth of the season. We really couldn’t ask for more. I can't wait for the next race. As for the championship – I am now third overall and just 54 points behind Gonzalez – but we are not focusing on that. We are taking it race by race, and we’ll see where we are when we get to Valencia."
Aron Canet:
"I am really sorry for how today went. Unfortunately, I lost the front in Turn 1 and couldn't avoid the crash. I feel especially bad for the team and the mechanics – they did an incredible job yesterday to fix the bike after my qualifying crash. This is a tough zero to take, but the season is still long and there are many races ahead. We won’t give up: we’ll keep working hard and fighting for the championship battle."
Roberto Locatelli – Team Manager:
"It was a great day for Barry Baltus. I told him to stay at the front from the very beginning because the track had only one clean line, and going off it could damage the tyres. He managed the race well, followed an excellent Roberts, and brought home a really important second place that reignites his championship hopes. He is becoming one of the best surprises of this 2025 season, and we are proud to have him in our team. For Aron, unfortunately, it was a tough weekend from Saturday onward. After the crash in qualifying, he didn’t have much time to prepare for the race, and today his GP ended early at Turn 1 due to a front-end loss. A real shame, because no one wanted it to end like that. But the team remains united, and tomorrow we’ll take advantage of the testing session to sort out a few things ahead of Austria, where we want to be back at our best with all our riders."
Mattia Pasini:
"Unfortunately, I found myself in a group that wasn’t running my pace, but they were all very difficult to overtake. We ended up riding slower because the other riders were closing the lines a lot in an effort to defend their positions. Being stuck in the group may have caused the front tyre to overheat, and then I crashed. It’s a shame, because with the pace we had, we definitely could have had some fun out there. Still, I really enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait to be back on track at the Red Bull Ring."
