Aron Canet edged out his teammate Barry Baltus as Fantic Racing Lino Sonego topped the timesheets at the official Moto2 test at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain – the final shakedown before the World Championship kicks off in Thailand from 28th February to 2nd March.
It was a near-perfect start to the season for the Fantic Racing Lino Sonego team at the last test ahead of the 2025 Moto2 World Championship. Both riders delivered outstanding performances, confirming the exceptional work done by the entire team. They were consistently among the frontrunners in every session, finishing all three days in the top three.
Aron Canet was the rider everyone was watching – his strong finish to the previous season had put the spotlight on him, and the Vice World Champion did not disappoint, setting a new lap record. A fall during the second session on the third day caused a brief scare for the team, but a medical check ruled out any injury, and the Spanish rider showed his fighting spirit by getting back on track for the final session.
His new teammate Barry Baltus made an impressive debut, finishing just four-thousandths of a second behind Canet. His performance surprised many – but not his squad, led by his Crew Chief Miguel Gomez Valero and Team Manager Roberto Locatelli, who believed in his potential from the very beginning.
Aron Canet:
“These three days of testing were very important. We tried many components, as well as new tyre compounds. Our base setup is very similar to last year’s, which is a positive thing because we already know it well and understand how to be competitive on every circuit.”
Barry Baltus:
“I’m happy with these three days of testing and with where we are—I’m impressed, we did a good job. Since Portimão, we have tried a lot of things, but I felt good from the first laps. I then focused on myself, on understanding the tyres, and on cooperating with the team. It’s working well, and I enjoyed every lap. I can’t wait to be in Thailand. We have been super fast here, but now we have to be ready for the start of the Championship.”
Roberto Locatelli, Fantic Racing Lino Sonego Team Manager:
“We finished the pre-season tests in Jerez in first and second place in the combined standings. We are very satisfied—it was an extremely positive three days, with both our riders going under the lap record and separated by just four-thousandths of a second. The entire team did an excellent job. Thanks to Fantic’s support, we were able to organise everything properly to arrive at the test and be competitive straight away. Barry Baltus was a pleasant surprise—he showed great speed, and now we will focus on building consistency in the races. Aron Canet confirmed the amazing form he showed at the end of last season when he was the strongest. We are ready to head to Thailand, aiming to replicate these excellent test results—at a GP Aron won last season.”
