#AustrianGP Moto2 FP1: Oliveira in the dry and die in the rain

A week ago, Tom Luthi had triumphed for the first time of the year at Brno, thus signing his tenth victory in Moto2. After qualifying third last year at Spielberg, he crossed the finish line just off the podium. For his part, Franco Morbidelli finished eighth in the Czech Republic, his worst result since his eighth place on this same track last year. The Italian took second place at Spielberg last year, which was the best result in a Grand Prix at that time. These two find themselves in a duel on the Styrian plain with the world title at stake.

Before launching hostilities, here is the situation in a table:

 

#AustrianGP Moto2	2016	2017
FP1	1'30.117 Johann Zarco
FP2	1'29.695 Tom Lüthi
FP3	1'29.598 Johann Zarco
Qualification	1'29.255 Johann Zarco
Warm up	1'29.540 Johann Zarco
Course	Zarco, Morbidelli, Rins (see here)
All time lap record	1'29.255 Zarco 2016

 

A fascinating duel certainly, but Olive tree reminded us from the outset that the Red Bull Ring was first and foremost a KTM field. The Portuguese thus registered the first reference in 1'31.203, ahead of agitated in Suter and Morbidely. Xavier Vierge already put its Mistral 610 at the gates of a top 5 closed by Alex Marquez rear Isaac Viñales. Eighth, fabio quartararo focused on a top 10 held by Tom Luthi.

Everything started well but the rain decided to come in to put an end to the demonstration. Unfortunately, for some, the downpour arrived while they were in full swing on slick… With unfortunate consequences, particularly for Locatelli...

Well equipped, it was therefore necessary to return to coal and Mackenzie opened the list of falls in these particular conditions at turn 1. A turn 1 which would prove particularly delicate since bagnaia fell there in turn, followed by Kent et Alex Marquez tangled. The freelancer Schrotter limped low when getting up while attending a NAVARRO also in distress at the scene.

lecuona also fell into the trap of this turn and even twice. That said, turn 3 welcomed the despair of Xavier Simeon, Locatelli de Joe Roberts and Franco Morbidelli. Fortunately without gravity... We left it there, to the great joy of the mechanics!

 

#AustrianGP Moto2 FP1: Chronos

1. Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 31.203s 
2. Dominique Aegerter SWI Kiefer Racing (Suter) 1m 31.361s 
3. Franco Morbidelli ITA EG 0,0 Marc VDS (Kalex) 1m 31.383s 
4. Isaac Viñales SPA BE-A-VIP SAG Team (Kalex) 1m 31.666s 
5. Alex Marquez SPA EG 0,0 Marc VDS (Kalex) 1m 31.832s 
6. Xavi Verge SPA Tech 3 Racing (Tech 3) 1m 32.055s 
7. Axel Pons SPA RW Racing GP (Kalex) 1m 32.066s 
8. fabio quartararo FRA Pons HP40 (Kalex) 1m 32.085s 
9. Francis Bagnaia ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (Kalex) 1m 32.117s 
10. Thomas luthi SWI CarXpert Interwetten (Kalex) 1m 32.135s 
11. Jorge Navarro SPA Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 (Kalex) 1m 32.150s 
12. Andrea Locatelli ITA Italtrans Racing Team (Kalex) 1m 32.323s 
13. Hafiz Syahrin MAL Petronas Raceline Malaysia (Kalex) 1m 32.327s 
14. Sandra Cortese GER Dynavolt Intact GP (Suter) 1m 32.332s 
15. Takaaki Nakagami JPN IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia (Kalex) 1m 32.360s 
16. Mattia Pasini ITA Italtrans Racing Team (Kalex) 1m 32.366s 
17. Luca marini ITA Forward Racing Team (Kalex) 1m 32.368s 
18. Stefano manzi ITA SKY Racing Team VR46 (Kalex) 1m 32.495s 
19. Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) 1m 32.511s 
20. Tetsuta nagashima JPN Teluru SAG Team (Kalex) 1m 32.590s 
21. Edgar Pons SPA Pons HP40 (Kalex) 1m 32.789s 
22. Lorenzo Baldassarri ITA Forward Racing Team (Kalex) 1m 33.071s 
23. Remy gardner AUS Tech 3 Racing (Tech 3) 1m 33.083s 
24. Xavier Simeon BEL Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2 (Kalex) 1m 33.349s 
25. Iker Lecuona SPA Garage Plus Interwetten (Kalex) 1m 33.363s 
26. Jesko Raffin SWI Garage Plus Interwetten (Kalex) 1m 33.541s 
27. Simone Courses ITA Speed ​​Up Racing (Speed ​​Up) 1m 33.613s 
28. Augusto Fernandez SPA Speed ​​Up Racing (Speed ​​Up) 1m 33.905s 
29. Khairul Idham Pawi MAL IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia (Kalex) 1m 34.385s 
30. Tarran Mackenzie GBR Kiefer Racing (Suter) 1m 34.504s 
31. Danny Kent GBR Dynavolt Intact GP (Suter) 1m 34.693s 
32. Joe Roberts USA AGR Team (Kalex) 1m 34.750s