The opening round of the World Supercross Championship took place in front of a sell-out crowd in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the atmosphere was electric and the fans were loud, passionate, and fully engaged.
The Quad Lock Honda Team entered the season opener with anticipation and uncertainty, eager to gauge the competition and the intensity of the new championship year.
SX1 – Solid Returns and Promising Speed
Qualifying in SX1 set a strong tone, with Joey Savatgy securing 3rd and Christian Craig, returning to racing after half a year away from competition, finishing 6th.
The three-race final format delivered plenty of action. In race one, Craig impressed with a strong second-place finish, while Savatgy followed closely in third. Race two saw the pair swap positions, with Savatgy finishing fourth and Craig fifth.
Heading into the final race, both riders were tied on points for second overall, but difficult starts hindered their chances for a podium. Craig finished fifth in the final race, while Savatgy recovered from an early crash to finish ninth. They now sit fourth and sixth respectively in the championship standings.
Craig was pleased with his return and his measured approach to the event:
“We had a plan, and we stuck to it. The riders ahead of me aren’t contesting the full championship, so I wasn’t going to take unnecessary risks. We had great speed all night and a strong first moto. The atmosphere was incredible, it felt amazing to finally race WSX,” said Craig.
Savatgy was reflective but optimistic:
“The positives are there, we have the speed to contend for the title. My starts really hurt me, though. That’s something I need to fix this week. I’m happy to leave healthy and focused on Vancouver,” said Savatgy.
SX2 – McElrath on the Podium, Bourdon Battles Through
In SX2, reigning world champion Shane McElrath delivered a consistent performance, finishing 3-2-3 for second overall. Despite his podium, McElrath wasn’t satisfied:
“I came here to win, and we didn’t. Too many small mistakes and not enough intensity. The bike is the same one I won on last year, we’ve actually improved it, but I need to be better. We lost valuable points, but there are twelve more point-scoring races to go,” said McElrath.
Teammate Anthony Bourdon faced challenges of his own, including a flat tyre in race two. His 7-11-9 results placed him 10th overall.
“I’m disappointed in myself. The team and I expect more, and I’ll be working hard to improve,” said Bourdon.
Team Outlook
Team Director Yarrive Konsky took a balanced view of the weekend’s results, emphasizing consistency and perspective:
“We have twelve races in each class remaining, a total of 180 points left to earn, you can’t win the championship in round one, but you can lose it. The riders were smart, conservative, and showed promising pace. We lead the teams’ championship, and I’m confident everyone will be stronger in Vancouver this weekend,” said Konsky.
The World Supercross Championship now heads to Vancouver, Canada, for Round 2 this coming weekend.
