Tom Lüthi (2nd) again a hero in Assen
Eight races and seven podiums, Thomas Lüthi (carXpert Interwetten) is the most consistent rider of the 2017 Moto2 World Championship. In the Cathedral of Speed with tricky conditions, the Swiss rider was once again exceptional as he finished 158 thousandths of a second behind the current championship leader Franco Morbidelli from Italy. After a perfect start, Tom experienced a problem with his gear box that cost him a couple of positions. He then recovered to find himself in a group of six eager riders that would not give anything away for free, although with a lot of respect for each other. Lüthi was leading into the final lap and tried everything he could to defend Morbidelli’s attack. They were both on the limit everywhere. In terms of the championship, Tom consolidates his second position, now 12 points behind Morbidelli ahead of Sachsenring (Germany) next week that will end the first half of the season. Jesko Raffin (Garage Plus Interwetten) from Zurich finished seventeenth and proved that he is back in business – he was only 4 tenths from the points for a 15th position. The weekend was more difficult for young Spaniard Iker Lecuona (Garage Plus Interwetten), who was learning this circuit of Assen in these conditions. For him it was important to finish the race, which he did (23rd). Fred Corminboeuf, the boss of the company that aligns the two Swiss teams on the Moto2 grid sums up this lively day: “What a race! What a battle between the crazy bunch! Tom was again exceptional today. He took the lead at the start, then he fought to recover before facing Morbidelli’s attack. It was a beautiful race also for Jesko Raffin, who unfortunately started too far back to fight in the Top-15. However, his lap times were very interesting, which shows that he is back. Iker unfortunately found himself alone on track very quickly, his pace was not very strong but his objective, with two crashed during the practice, was to finish the race and gain experience before the German Grand Prix next weekend. It will be a new track for him again.”
He said...
Thomas Lüthi (carXpert Interwetten, 2nd):
“Morbidelli was there from the beginning of the weekend but he was not the only one, which is what turned this race into such a spectacular battle. Heading into the final lap with a 2-tenths’ advantage, I knew that it was hardly going to be enough. Frankie passed me into corner No 9, where he was the best of all of us and where he already surprised me earlier on in the race. I obviously imagined he would try his attack there in the last corner. We both arrived there on the outside and absolutely on the limit. It would have been dangerous to try something. Once again we were in the front, we were strong and the team did a perfect job to secure this seventh podium in eight races. It shows at what level we are at the moment. Of course I want the victory as always. But the championship is still long.”
Assen (Netherlands). Dutch GP Moto2: 1. Morbidelli (ITA, Kalex), 24 laps, 39’39.120 (164.900 km/h); 2. Lüthi (SWI, Kalex, carXpert Interwetten), +0.158; 3. Nakagami (JPN, Kalex), +0.630; 4. Pasini (ITA, Kalex), +0.394 (*); 5. Oliveira (POR, KTM), +0.657; 6. A. Marquez (SPA, Kalex), +2.774; 7. Siméon (BEL, Kalex), 6.967; 8. Syahrin (MAL, Kalex), +7.027; 9. Quartararo (FRA, Kalex), +11.089; 10. Bagnaia (ITA, Kalex), +11.623; 11. Schrötter (GER, Suter), +14.196; 12. Aegerter (SWI, Suter), +14.521; 13. Binder (RSA, KTM), +18.210; 14. Hernandez (COL, Kalex), +18.926; 15. Navarro (SPA, Kalex), +21.767. Puis: 17. Raffin (SWI, Kalex, Garage Plus Interwetten), +22.179; 23. Lecuona (SPA, Kalex, Garage Plus Interwetten), +57.518. 26 classified.
(*): Pasini (ITA, Kalex), crossed the line in third position but had to give up a position due to exceeding the track limits.
World Championship Standings (8/18): 1. Morbidelli, 148 points; 2. Lüthi (carXpert Interwetten), 136; 3. A. Marquez, 113; 4. Oliveira, 94; 5. Pasini, 82; 6. Nakagami, 62; 7. Bagnaia, 61; 8. Aegerter, 50; 9. Marini (ITA, Kalex), 41; 10. Vierge (SPA, Tech 3), 39. Then: 24. Raffin (Garage Plus Interwetten), 5. 28 classified.
