#AragonGP Moto2 Race: Morbidelli with panache in front of the fiery Pasini!

A bit like in MotoGP, the two Moto2 title contenders, Franco Morbidelli and Tom Luthi, were unable to qualify on the front row, which was made up of Miguel Oliveira, Mattia Pasini and Alex Márquez.

Will we see today a new “reasonable” race for the title favorites, a bit like Tom Luthi at Misano, where will they this time go for victory?

Unlike the Moto3 race, which was shortened following an unexpected morning fog, the Moto2 race remained fixed at 21 laps and benefited from ideal conditions, with 24° in the air and 35° on the track.

Here is the essential situation table:

#AragonGP Moto2™	2016	2017
FP1	1'53.767 Sam Lowes	2'09.869 Tom Lüthi
FP2	1'53.702 Takaaki Nakagami	1'54.439 Mattia Pasini
FP3	1'53.340 Alex Marquez	1'54.200 Franco Morbidelli
Qualification	1'53.207 Sam Lowes	1'53.736 Miguel Oliveira
Warm Up	1'54.163 Franco Morbidelli	1'54.260 Franco Morbidelli
Course	Lowes, Marquez, Morbidelli (see here)
All time lap record	1'52.232 Rabat 2015

 

When the red lights go out, Miguel Oliveira maintains his advantage but, from the second corner, Franco Morbidelli is in his wheel. He will only need two additional curves to make a first attack, initially countered by the Portuguese driver, before he takes command at the end of the straight before the end of the first lap.

The Marc VDS driver immediately creates a gap which only increases over the course of the partials.

Behind, we fight like ragpickers between Oliveira, Pasini, Marquez et Luthi.

After a few rounds, Franco Morbidelli has an advantage of a second and a half over Mattia Pasini, himself detached from the group Alex Marquez, Miguel Oliveira, Tom Luthi, of the same gap.

Alex Marquez seems to have a little difficulty keeping up with the rhythm and is gradually joined then overtaken by Simone Corsi, Brad Binder et Jorge Navarro.

A little before halfway, the gap between Morbidely et Pasini stabilizes then begins to reduce under the impulse which increases the rhythm.

At the halfway point, where we observe the hierarchy Morbidelli, Pasini, Oliveira, Luthi, Corsi, Binder, Navarro, Cortese, Nakagami, Bagnaia, Aegerter, Schrotter et Quarterly, the gap is now only 6/10 between the first two drivers.

Alex Marquez gave up due to lack of sensation in his leg.

10 laps from the checkered flag, Pasini is only 2/10 behind the Marc VDS driver…

The first attack takes place one turn later, but Morbidely responds promptly. However, Pasini is boiling hot and spares neither its efforts but its spectacular long slides: we have found the Pasini of Mugello!

Pasini regains the lead at the end of the straight with eight laps to go.

Quickly, the Italtrans driver gained a lead of half a second over a Morbidely which now runs slower than Miguel Oliveira, 1,3 seconds behind him…

But, surprise, five laps from the end of the race, Franco Morbidelli accelerates and joins Pasini !

He also attacks the next passage and regains command in front of a Mattia Pasini whose tires now seem to slip more than those of his compatriot.

Pasini, who nevertheless seems to be at the limit in all the curves, regains the advantage two laps from the finish before having to cede it to the Italian-Brazilian.

In the last round, Franco Morbidelli comes first but suffers an attack from Mattia Pasini in the first part of the circuit. The two men touch each other in the “Corkscrew” and Morbidely attacks the straight in the lead…

He manages to maintain the advantage until the flag while Miguel Oliveira had risen to four tenths.

The least we can say is that Franco Morbidelli, leader of the championship, did not play the grocers!

fabio quartararo finished 11th.

In the championship, Franco Morbidelli now leads by 21 points on Tom Luthi.