2012 Moto2 Championship
Catalunya Caixa Repsol’s Marc Marquez was once again successful Sunday during the Moto2 race of the bwin Czech Republic Grand Prix, the future Repsol Honda MotoGP rider taking victory ahead of Tom Luthi and Pol Espargaro.
The track had dried out sufficiently to be declared a dry race, with Interwetten-Paddock’s Lüthi making the best of the conditions at the start taking the lead early on ahead of Pons 40 HP Tuenti’s Espargaró and Márquez. Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding’s race was unfortunately ended very early, as the Brit crashed out after three turns.
It was Márquez who made his intentions known early on as he fought past his compatriot into second. Speed Master’s Andrea Iannone, not wishing the leading trio to pull away, overtook Came IodaRacing Project’s Simone Corsi with 17 laps to go, pushing past Espargaró shortly after.
With track conditions still not ideal after the wet track before, riders were tentative to make rash moves, leading to uncharacteristically cautions racing. Eight laps before the end however Espargaró sized up Iannone and took him on the inside, as further down the grid Tech 3 Racing’s Xavier Siméon and Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Gino Rea both crashed out.
As Márquez looked for a way past Lüthi, Espargaró went past him into second, although was taken straight back. He was subsequently ordered to drop a place, after being sighted for passing under a yellow flag. Espargaró did however not see the pit board instantly, yet Iannone helped him by passing him with four laps remaining.
This ignited an entertaining battle between the pair, as Lüthi lost the lead to Márquez. The dice for fifth place was also gaining momentum a few laps before the end with JiR Moto2’s Johann Zarco and NGM Mobile Forward Racing’s Alex de Angelis swapping positions frequently.
The final lap was a thrilling affair with Lüthi and Espargaró desperate for the lead, with Iannone mixing it up as well. The Swiss rider looked to be lining up a move in the final turn, yet did not have enough drive on to the straight, meaning it was Márquez who took the chequered flag, with Lüthi and Espargaró completing the rostrum. Márquez now holds a 48-point lead at top of the championship standings in front of Espargaró. Fourth spot went to Iannone, followed by Corsi, De Angelis, Zarco, Tech 3’s Bradley Smith, Redding’s teammate Mika Kallio and Pons’ Esteve Rabat.
2012 Brno Moto2 Results:
Pos. | Points | Num. | Rider | Nation | Team | Bike | Km/h | Time/Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 25 | 93 | Marc MARQUEZ | SPA | Team CatalunyaCaixa Repsol | Suter | 156.9 | 41’19.178 |
2. | 20 | 12 | Thomas LUTHI | SWI | Interwetten-Paddock | Suter | 156.9 | +0.061 |
3. | 16 | 40 | Pol ESPARGARO | SPA | Pons 40 HP Tuenti | Kalex | 156.9 | +0.440 |
4. | 13 | 29 | Andrea IANNONE | ITA | Speed Master | Speed Up | 156.9 | +0.510 |
5. | 11 | 3 | Simone CORSI | ITA | Came IodaRacing Project | FTR | 156.3 | +10.319 |
6. | 10 | 15 | Alex DE ANGELIS | RSM | NGM Mobile Forward Racing | FTR | 156.2 | +10.643 |
7. | 9 | 5 | Johann ZARCO | FRA | JIR Moto2 | Motobi | 156.2 | +10.717 |
8. | 8 | 38 | Bradley SMITH | GBR | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 156.2 | +10.873 |
9. | 7 | 36 | Mika KALLIO | FIN | Marc VDS Racing Team | Kalex | 156.2 | +11.047 |
10. | 6 | 80 | Esteve RABAT | SPA | Pons 40 HP Tuenti | Kalex | 156.2 | +11.517 |
11. | 5 | 60 | Julian SIMON | SPA | Blusens Avintia | Suter | 156.1 | +12.388 |
12. | 4 | 18 | Nicolas TEROL | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 | Suter | 156.1 | +12.603 |
13. | 3 | 81 | Jordi TORRES | SPA | Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 | Suter | 156.0 | +14.896 |
14. | 2 | 77 | Dominique AEGERTER | SWI | Technomag-CIP | Suter | 155.8 | +17.772 |
15. | 1 | 49 | Axel PONS | SPA | Pons 40 HP Tuenti | Kalex | 155.8 | +17.848 |
16. | 63 | Mike DI MEGLIO | FRA | MZ Racing | MZ-RE Honda | 155.8 | +17.906 | |
17. | 30 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | JPN | Italtrans Racing Team | Kalex | 155.8 | +18.495 | |
18. | 72 | Yuki TAKAHASHI | JPN | NGM Mobile Forward Racing | FTR | 155.0 | +30.630 | |
19. | 95 | Anthony WEST | AUS | QMMF Racing Team | Speed Up | 154.8 | +34.634 | |
20. | 44 | Roberto ROLFO | ITA | Technomag-CIP | Suter | 154.7 | +34.765 | |
21. | 14 | Ratthapark WILAIROT | THA | Thai Honda PTT Gresini Moto2 | Suter | 154.7 | +34.892 | |
22. | 4 | Randy KRUMMENACHER | SWI | GP Team Switzerland | Kalex | 154.6 | +36.981 | |
23. | 23 | Marcel SCHROTTER | GER | Desguaces La Torre SAG | Bimota | 153.5 | +54.677 | |
24. | 8 | Gino REA | GBR | Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 | Suter | 152.0 | +1’19.583 | |
25. | 22 | Alessandro ANDREOZZI | ITA | S/Master Speed Up | Speed Up | 151.8 | +1’23.216 | |
26. | 57 | Eric GRANADO | BRA | JIR Moto2 | Motobi | 151.7 | +1’25.144 | |
27. | 82 | Elena ROSELL | SPA | QMMF Racing Team | Speed Up | 151.3 | +1’32.208 | |
Not Classified | ||||||||
71 | Claudio CORTI | ITA | Italtrans Racing Team | Kalex | 155.7 | 2 Laps | ||
19 | Xavier SIMEON | BEL | Tech 3 Racing | Tech 3 | 155.6 | 9 Laps | ||
10 | Marco COLANDREA | SWI | SAG Team | FTR | 151.7 | 9 Laps | ||
45 | Scott REDDING | GBR | Marc VDS Racing Team | Kalex | 0 Lap |