Despite an almost perfect race, Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli missed out on his first Moto2 victory by a fraction at the Australian Grand Prix.
The Italian, who came out in the lead at the last corner, fell behind Thomas Lüthi by a hundredth of a second after twenty-five laps driven at full speed. That's a difference of one meter after one hundred and eleven kilometers of running.
Starting ninth, Morbidelli embarked on a superb comeback which allowed him to overtake numerous drivers before taking control of the race on the penultimate lap.
The Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS driver then looked set to take victory when Lüthi appeared behind him at the finish line.
Although deprived of a success that held out his arms to him, Morbidelli was anything but disappointed at the finish. With this second place, it is true that he has his sixth podium in nine Grands Prix.
After two days of testing disrupted by terrible weather conditions, the race took place today under cloudy skies but without rain, and a temperature of twelve degrees.
After his fall in qualifying, Alex Marquez had to give up starting the race. The Spaniard, who had to spend the night under observation in Melbourne hospital, was forced to withdraw after the warm-up in which he had insisted on participating.
Suffering from pain in his abdomen, back and left wrist, Marquez will undergo another examination on Wednesday to monitor his health ahead of next weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix.
Franco Morbidelli :2e
“I'm happy because I had a good race after two days of testing during which I fell heavily, which forced the team to repair the bike and change the engine. However, I was confident for the race. The pace in the lead with Lüthi was really very fast. I felt I could attack him in the first corner with two laps to go and so I put my strategy in place for the end of the race. Unfortunately, he took advantage of my slipstream to overtake me at the exit of the last turn before the line. It's still a good second place after a difficult weekend, and a good result for the team. I have to thank the whole team to whom I gave a lot of work this weekend. »
Michael Bartholemy : Team Principal
“The last corner at Phillip Island is always tricky and when you have the experience of Tom Lüthi it’s always an advantage. This is what allowed him to take his aspiration to overtake Franco on the line. Franco had a very good race and he has nothing to reproach himself for. Fans were able to enjoy his many overtakes. I am convinced that Franco's first victory in Moto2 is not far away. I am very happy with this result. Alex not being one hundred percent after the warm up, it was more prudent that he not start. He will rest at the start of the week and with appropriate treatment I think he should be able to race next weekend in Malaysia. »
