#JapaneseGP Moto2 FP2: Lüthi counterattacks

The rain continued to accompany this first day of the Japanese Grand Prix, the fourteenth meeting of the season. The Moto2s therefore set off on a damp Motegi track for their second appearance of the day. During the first free practice session, Alex Márquez set the tone ahead of Lüthi, Morbidelli's rival in the title race. An exercise where we noted absent subscribers at the front, starting with Pasini. Were they going to wake up this Japanese afternoon?

Before answering this question, here is a reminder of the facts and the state of affairs.

#JapaneseGP Moto2™	2016	2017
FP1	1'51.816 Takaaki Nakagami	2'05.460 Alex Marquez
FP2	1'50.625 Tom Lüthi
FP3	1'50.373 Tom Lüthi
Qualification	1'49.961 Johann Zarco
Warm Up	1'50.695 Tom Lüthi
Course	Lüthi, Zarco, Morbidelli (see here)
All time lap record	1'49.961 Johann Zarco 2016

 

The start of hostilities was missed by a Morbidely victim of a motorcycle refusing to start. An incident which forced the mechanics to return the motorcycle to the box for maintenance which was undoubtedly longer than expected. Five minutes were thus lost by the championship leader, fifth during the first exercise this Friday.

Mizuno fell at turn 7. An accident unknown to Alex Marquez who was in the lead with a 2'06.736 which allowed him to dominate Lüthi, Syharin and the future Avintia Ducati rider in MotoGP, Xavier Simeon. In 2'05.883, the Swiss, however, responded to the Spaniard by taking a great risk at turn 11.

At this stage, Morbidely was fifth and we noted the name of the local guest Enokido in the top 10. Lüthi still pushing the pace in 2'05.282 and Nagashima delighted his compatriots who were cold transits in the stands by registering fourth. A party that still did not attend Pasini, thirtieth. Morbidely was offered a straight path without consequences. Except that of undermining his confidence.

Andrea Locatelli went down for the second time of the day at turn 5. Remy Gardner pulled straight into the same turn and fell at low speed while trying to rejoin the track.

Ten minutes from the checkered flag, Lüthi made a mistake at turn 3. NAVARRO got on the ground just like Simeon, at the same time, but in different places. At turn 14 for the Gresini driver and at turn 11 for the Belgian.

agitated had a scare in turn 6 but Fernandez really fell at turn 5, his second accident of the day. lecuona imitated him at turn 11 as Marini as the checkered flag was presented. Adventures which did not prevent Lüthi to finish this Friday in the lead at Motegi, ahead Alex Marquez, Olive tree, Morbidely et Simeon.

Quarterly is twenty-eighth and the first Japanese is not Nakagami thirteenth behind the Mistral610 of Virgin, but good Nagashima ninth.

#JapaneseGP Moto2 FP2: Chronos

1	12	Thomas LUTHI	Kalex	2'05.282
2	73	Alex MARQUEZ	Kalex	2'05.478	0.196	0.196
3	44	Miguel OLIVEIRA	KTM	2'05.807	0.525	0.329
4	21	Frank MORBIDELLI	Kalex	2'06.220	0.938	0.413
5	19	Xavier SIMEON	Kalex	2'06.228	0.946	0.008
6	55	Hafiz Syahrin	Kalex	2'06.629	1.347	0.401
7	11	Sandro CORTESE	Suter	2'06.641	1.359	0.012
8	77	Dominique AEGERTER	Suter	2'06.873	1.591	0.232
9	45	Tetsuit NAGASHIMA	Kalex	2'06.946	1.664	0.073
10	10	Luca MARINI	Kalex	2'07.035	1.753	0.089
11	42	Francesco Bagnaia	Kalex	2'07.222	1.940	0.187
12	97	Xavi VIRGIN	Tech 3	2'07.278	1.996	0.056
13	30	Takaaki NAKAGAMI	Kalex	2'07.312	2.030	0.034
14	7	Lorenzo BALDASSARRI	Kalex	2'07.313	2.031	0.001
15	32	Isaac VIÑALES	Kalex	2'07.487	2.205	0.174
16	9	Jorge NAVARRO	Kalex	2'07.721	2.439	0.234
17	87	Remy GARDNER	Tech 3	2'07.724	2.442	0.003
18	24	Simone COURSES	Speed ​​Up	2'07.740	2.458	0.016
19	54	Matthias PASINI	Kalex	2'07.783	2.501	0.043
20	41	Brad BINDER	KTM	2'07.906	2.624	0.123
21	37	Augusto FERNANDEZ	Speed ​​Up	2'07.953	2.671	0.047
22	27	Iker LECUONA	Kalex	2'08.001	2.719	0.048
23	2	Jesko RAFFIN	Kalex	2'08.002	2.720	0.001
24	89	Khairul Idham PAWI	Kalex	2'08.107	2.825	0.105
25	62	Stefano MANZI	Kalex	2'08.227	2.945	0.120
26	33	Ikuhiro ENOKIDO	Kalex	2'08.335	3.053	0.108
27	6	Tarran MACKENZIE	Suter	2'08.366	3.084	0.031
28	40	Fabio QUARTARARO	Kalex	2'08.646	3.364	0.280
29	23	Marcel SCHROTTER	Suter	2'09.233	3.951	0.587
30	34	Ryo MIZUNO	Kalex	2'09.438	4.156	0.205
31	49	Axel PONS	Kalex	2'09.902	4.620	0.464
32	57	Edgar PONS	Kalex	2'10.002	4.720	0.100
33	5	Andrea LOCATELLI	Kalex	2'10.898	5.616	0.896