Not every pre-season MotoGP prediction can come true.

One shout about a rookie who would fac🐼e major adversity already looks like it could fall fꦕlat.

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Somkiat Chantra was a worry for some MotoGP onlookers but heꦫ has delivered two respectable rounds to kickstart his first year.

“I thought this man would struggle,” TNT Sports’ Ne🐻il Hodgson admitted.

“I thougܫht it might be embarrassing - I thought he could🃏 be where Lorenzo Savadori is, a second off the rider in front of him. [Savadori] is a replacement rider and that’s how it is - Michele Pirro is an exception.”

Michael Laverty was not so surprised𓂃 to see Chantra going well in MotoGP already.

“Ai Ogura came⛎ in and was immediately on th💝e pace,” Laverty said.

“Chantra has few expectations and is mixing it.

“You can come from Moto2 and be 🐓on the pace in MotoGP, it’s a relat🧸ively straightforward transition these days.”

Hodgson added: “Chantra last year, at one point he was struggling t♊o get into the top 10.🐲”

Chantra was 12th overall in Moto2 last year, but was selected by 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:LCR Honda to become the first Thai MotoGP rider.

He has finished 18th in ea꧅ch of the first two grands p🎶rix of 2025.

But, Chantra i💎s riding the bike which was clearly the worst of 2024 so his perfo🐬rmances have not disgraced themselves.

Joan Mir ‘back at the sharp end’

ꦑThe standout Honda rider of 2025 has been LCR’s Johann Zarco.

Zarco qual🐎ified third in Argentina, then recorded finishes of💎 P4 and P6.

But factory Honda rider Joan Mir has als♚o caught the eye after two dismal seasons with the 🍸manufacturer.

Mir claimed a pair of 💎top 10 finishes in Argentina.

“I love to see Mir back at the sharp end of MotoGP,” TNT Sp💝orts’ Gavin Emmett said.

Neil Hodgson said: “He’s had some dark days since winning ܫthat championship, which feels like a lifetime ago. Think of the crashes he’s had since then.”

Emmett replied: “Suzuki p♔ulled out, he was forced into a switch to Honda. Since then? We talk to him and Joan is a friendly cha🌱p, he says hello.

“But y🌳ou feel like there’s nothing there behind the ‘hello’.”

Hodgson: “He looked miserable. It’s s♒o understandable. It’s a long season when you’re having a bad time, people are doubting you, you’re not enjoying it, and you෴’re face-planting every weekend.”

Honda finally seem to have something to cheer - although it has coincide𓆉d with the exit of veteran Takaaki Nakagami.

Nakagami lost his ༒race seat and is now a test rider for Honda.

“The last six seasons he rode a bike which wasn’t competitive,” Hodgson ꦬsaid.

“He leaves, and Honda make a step!”

E♋mmett added: “I spoke to Stefan Bradl leaving Thailand. He tells me that he’s pencilled in for tests, as well.

“They have three test riders, and also Nagashima in the background. They are throwi🎃ng a lot at it, using the concessions as best they can.”

Honda can 𝓡still make use of the MotoGP concession systems to gain a march on the four manufacturers who were significantly ahead of them last year.