Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS drivers Tom Lüthi and Franco Morbidelli had a difficult day on the Circuit of the Americas, Austin.
Lüthi ranked eighteenth after twenty laps of racing. A result obtained with patience and application even though he was only in 23rd position in heavy traffic at the end of the first lap.
The Swiss driver's ambitions to finish in the points were unfortunately dashed in the final laps due to a front tire that deteriorated too much.
Seventeenth on the grid, Morbidely was also hoping for much better than the 21st position which he got at the finish of a Grand Prix of the Americas during which he never managed to find the pace he was looking for.
Difficult, the third overseas race of the MotoGP championship nevertheless allowed the two riders of the Estrella Galicia team to gain valuable experience.
The MotoGP championship will resume in two weeks at Jerez, with the Spanish Grand Prix kicking off the European campaign.
Tom Lüthi: 18th
« It's difficult on this circuit to negotiate the first corner from the back of the grid. It's always a mess. I lost quite a few places and found myself stuck behind for several laps. And then halfway through the race I started having problems with my front axle. I was having trouble turning the bike. It's complicated to find the right compromise of settings on this track to feel comfortable. The team still helped me a lot to continue learning this new category. I am motivated to progress »
Franco Morbidelli: 21st
« I had a lot of trouble today during this race. I didn't manage to drive the way I like to do and we will now have to understand why if we want to progress. I feel like I still haven't found the recipe for riding and tuning this bike to suit my style. »
Michael Bartholemy: Team Principal
« This is certainly our most difficult race since the start of the season. Tom and Franco had a lot of trouble riding their motorcycle this weekend. We will work to find solutions between now and the next races and make the bike more comfortable. It wasn't the weekend we were hoping for but we will do everything we can to move forward in Jerez. »
