The Circuito de Jerez plays host to the second round of 2012 testing for the Moto2™ class, where today Thomas Luthi lead the intermediate class as the riders continue their work ahead of the 2012 season commencement.
Although the southern circuit presented better weather conditions than the test last week in Valencia, a cold morning delayed work for Moto2 field until the track temperature rose to a suitable level. By the afternoon, however, all riders were putting in lap after lap in an effort to prepare themselves and their bikes for the season ahead.
Thomas Luthi held the highest reported time, taking his Interwetten Paddock Suter around with a best effort of 1’43.0, two tenths quicker than the Italtrans Racing Kalex of Claudio Corti and six tenth faster than Takaaki Nakagam, the second rider of the same Italian team.
The Marc VSD Racing duo completed the top five, with Mika Kallio leading team mate Scott Redding. Redding, who topped the times in last week’s test in Valencia, used the day to work on solutions for some chatter he experienced on his Kalex.
Tech 3 Racing’s Bradley Smith reported the eighth fastest time despite a few technical problems with the new Tech 3 chassis preventing him from completing as many laps as the team wanted. The Briton remained upbeat, saying of the problems "that´s what tests are for".
Julian Simón is still adjusting to the switch to the FTR bike (from Suter), and he and the Avintia Racing Moto2 crew spent the first day in Jerez busy looking for an ideal base setting in the chassis geometry. The team did not provide lap times.
The Aspar Team Moto2 team focused on different goals for their riders, looking to find more top speed for former Moto2 champ Toni Elias, who ranked 16th of the day, and developing settings for better rear grip for Nico Terol, who finished the day in 14th.
2011 Moto2 runner up and 2012 season favorite, Marc Marquez, continues to recover from eye surgery and did not attend this test.
Unofficial Moto2 lap times Thursday (recorded by teams). Teams missing from this list did not provide times:
1. Thomas Luthi, INTERWETTEN PADDOCK, 1’43.0 (63 laps)
2. Claudio Corti, ITALTRANS RACING TEAM, 1’43.2 (66 laps)
3. Takaaki Nakagami, ITALTRANS RACING TEAM, 1’43.6 (65 laps)
4. Mika Kallio, MARC VDS RACING TEAM, 1’43.6 (65 laps)
5. Scott Redding, MARC VDS RACING TEAM , 1’43.6 (72 laps)
6. Andrea Iannone, SPEED MASTER, 1’43.7 (48 laps)
7. Alex De Angelis, NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING, 1’43.8 (53 laps)
8. Bradley Smith, TECH 3 RACING , 1’43.8 (61 laps)
9. Simone Corsi, IODARACING PROJECT , 1’43.9 (42 laps)
10. Yuki Takahashi, NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING, 1’44.1
11. Randy Krummenacher, GP TEAM SWITZERLAND, 1’44.2
12. Mike Di Meglio, SPEED UP, 1’44.2 (50 laps)
13. Xavier Simeon, TECH 3 RACING, 1’44.2 (61 laps)
14. Nico Terol, ASPAR TEAM Moto2, 1’44.3 (55 laps)
15. Gino Rea, GRESINI RACING Moto2, 1’44.4
16. Toni Elías, ASPAR TEAM Moto2, 1’44.5 (85 laps)
17. Max Neukirchner, KIEFER RACING, 1’44.8
18. Ricky Cardus, ARGUIÑANO RACING TEAM, 1’45.2 (63 laps)
19. Johann Zarco, JIR Moto2, 1’45.4 (49 laps)
20. Roberto Rolfo, TECHNOMAG-CIP, 1’45.7 (60 laps)
21. Dominique Aegerter, TECHNOMAG-CIP, 1’46.0 (77 laps)
22. Eric Granado, JIR Moto2, 1’47.0 (43 laps)
23. Damian Cudlin, QMMF RACING TEAM, 1’47.4 (75 laps)
24. Elena Rosell, QMMF RACING TEAM, 1’47.7 (84 laps)
source: MotoGP Official
