Liqui Moly Intact GP’s Tom Lüthi was the fastest rider in the opening Moto2™ session at the QNB Grand Prix of Qatar. The experienced Swiss rider was only 0.017 ahead of Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jorge Martin and impressive intermediate class rookie Aron Canet (Aspar Team) was a slender 0.047 back in third.
It's @ThomasLUTHI who rules the roost in #Moto2 FP1 ????
— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) March 6, 2020
An as in customary, big wheelies are the method used to celebrate! ????#QatarGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/KpGspp49KY
The intermediate class got their 2020 underway but it wasn’t an ideal start for three riders as Turn 6 claimed Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing), Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up), the first crashers of the year - all riders were ok. In the meantime, Sky Racing Team VR46’s Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi were setting the early pace in FP1.
The Italians wouldn’t stay at the top though as 2019 title contender Lüthi rose to the fore, with Martin and the ever-impressive Canet getting their season off to cracking starts. EG 0,0 Marc VDS’ Augusto Fernandez climbed the timing tower in the latter stages to finish P4 in FP1, with American Racing’s Joe Roberts completing a top five split by less than a tenth – welcome to Moto2™ in 2020.
Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) had a fast Turn 15 crash in the final moments, thankfully the Italian escaped unscathed.
Who will top FP2 in Moto2™? Tune in at 18:00 local time (GMT+3) to see who ends Day 1 fastest in Qatar.
Top 10:
1. Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) – 1:59.168
2. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.017
3. Aron Canet (Aspar Team) + 0.047
4. Augusto Fernandez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 0.085
5. Joe Roberts (American Racing) + 0.091
6. Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) + 0.109
7. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.133
8. Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.185
9. Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up) + 0.213
10. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.278
Click here for the full results!