Luthi keeps clear of Martin in Qatar Moto2 FP1
Thomas Luthi has edged out Jorge Martin to top the opening practice of the 2020 Moto2 world championship as the season roars into action in Qatar.
The Liqui Moly Intact GP rider’s 1m 59.168s set with around 10 minutes of FP1 to go earnt him the fastest lap of the session despite a series of late improvements from multiple rivals at the Losail International Circuit.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jorge Martin, adapting to the Kalex chassis this season following KTM’s withdrawal from Moto2 as a chassis constructor, came closest just 0.017s off the Swiss rider’s leading effort which saw him push standout rookie Aron Canet into third place for Aspar as the team adapts to the Speed Up chassis since its switch over the winter.
Augusto Fernandez slotted into an impressive fourth place as he continues to adjust to the EG 0,0 Marc VDS squad having become the 11th-hour replacement for MotoGP-bound and reigning Moto2 world champion Alex Marquez at the Belgian squad.
Joe Roberts was another to catch the eye as he claimed fifth place for American Racing to edge out Remy Gardner for the ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team, with early pace-setter Luca Marini failing to improve late on for SKY Racing Team VR46 which meant he was relegated to seventh place.
Marco Bezzecchi also failed to improve late on for the Italian team which left him in eighth place at the end of FP1 with Jorge Navarro in ninth on the Speed Up. Marcel Schrotter rounded out the top ten for Intact GP for, as less than three-tenths of a second splitting the top 10.
Xavi Vierge, Enea Bastianini, and Navarro all suffered early falls at Turn 6, while Lorenzo Baldassarri tipped off unharmed late on at the high-speed Turn 15.
On his return from injury, Sam Lowes completed 12 laps and was 1.9 seconds off the pace in 28th place in FP1 as he aims to comeback from a nasty shoulder injury sustained during pre-season testing at Jerez last month.
With the Qatar MotoGP cancelled due to travel bans amid the coronavirus outbreak, Moto2 along with Moto3 will be taking centre stage at the Losail this weekend, as part of the revised schedule for the 2020 opening round.
