2014 Phillip Island Moto2 Preview
After having a sustained close battle with Marc VDS Racing Team teammate Mika Kallio, the Spaniard Esteve Rabat has now opened up a 38-point advantage over the Finn. And with only three rounds remaining in the Moto2 World Championship series, Kallio has his work cut out for him in trying to catch Rabat.
If Rabat tops the podium at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, and Kallio does no better than fourth, Rabat will have clinched the 2014 title.
With his current lead, it would appear that the title is Rabat’s to lose, but a lot of things can happen in three races.
Moto2 Rookie of the Year Maverick Viñales (Paginas Amarillas HP 40) – who finished second behind Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Sitag) at Motegi Moto2 last week — is third in the standings, and is theoretically still in the hunt along with Kallio.
But with a 70-point gap to overcome, his chances are slim. That said, he did manage a second-place finish at Phillip Island last year in Moto3 competition, so the course is one he has done well on.
Dominique Aegerter (Technomag carXpert) stands in fourth place with 143 points, only two points ahead of Luthi, who now holds fifth place.
Luthi ran to a second place finish in Moto2 competition last year at Phillip Island, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility for him to have a podium finish there again. Johann Zarco (AirAsia Caterham) is in sixth place overall with 117 points.
