Moto2 Losail, Race: An immense Marquez mocks Iannone

After a hellish winter due to a double vision problem in his right eye, caused by a fall in Sepang last October, Marc Marquez returns to racing and wins the first race of 2012. An immense satisfaction for the Spaniard who had missed all the winter tests with the exception of the last one in Jerez de la Frontera. A very hard-fought race which led him to cross the finish line in Losail with just 61 thousandths of an advantage over our Andrea Iannone, who immediately reached the podium with the Speed ​​Up of Team Speed ​​Master. Third was Pol Espargarò, Team Pons rider riding the Kalex. Pole man Thomas Luthi was “only” fifth and, right at the start of the last lap, to resist an attack from Marquez, he ran wide, saying goodbye to the victory.

Race report

The Moto2 class riders are ready for the first Grand Prix of the 2012 world championship on the Losail circuit, in Qatar. Pole position for Thomas Luthi, riding the Suter of Team Interwetten-Paddock. The Swiss rider will start from the front row with the 2011 vice-champion Marc Marquez riding the Suter of Team Catalunya Caixa Repsol and our Andrea Iannone, riding the Speed ​​Up of Team Speed ​​Master. Third row for Claudio Corti with the Kalex of Team Italtrans, while Simone Corsi is tenth with the FTR of Ioda Racing. The traffic lights go out, the fastest at the start is poleman Thomas Luthi who precedes Marquez, Espargarò, who immediately passes his compatriot, Iannone, Rabat, Corsi, Di Meglio and Neukirchner, while a bad start for Corti who is seventeenth.

The first lap ends with Luthi in the lead but is overtaken at the end of the straight by Espargarò; the two arrive long and Marquez takes advantage of it and precedes Iannone. Followed by Rabat, Di Meglio, Corsi, Neukirchner, Smith, Elias, De Angelis while Corti is eighteenth and Roberto Rolfo returns to the pits due to a problem with the rear brake of his Suter. Series of overtaking with Iannone who makes a millimetric one on Marquez who tries to respond but goes wide. Rabat and Ioda Racing's Roman Simone Corsi catch up behind. Meanwhile, Scott Redding, the great protagonist of the winter tests with the Kalex of the Marc VDS Racing Team, is going very well.

Iannone takes advantage of a double mistake by Espargarò and Marquez to take the lead while Corsi is now fourth. Great brawl for this Moto2 which confirms itself as a truly spectacular category. De Angelis meanwhile is tenth behind Smith and ahead of Mika Kallio. At the moment there are two Italians virtually on the podium; Corsi has in fact moved into third position even if a long run at the end of the finishing straight causes him to lose a few positions.

They continue to battle it out, the top eight riders within less than two seconds. Meanwhile, Marquez regains the lead but he won't have an easy life. After a few passes in the lead, the Spaniard comes wide and leaves room for the two Team Pons riders, Pol Espargarò and Esteve Rabat and is also passed by Luthi and Iannone, who had made the same mistake a few laps earlier. The Team CatalunyaCaixa rider is in difficulty and is also passed by the Roman Simone Corsi who, however, must immediately give him back the position.

Marquez continues to pull while Luthi has meanwhile taken the lead. The Swiss who took pole yesterday seems to be able to fight for the victory together with the Spaniard, while Iannone is now third and virtually on the podium. Behind the Abruzzese of Team Speed ​​Master are Pol Espargarò and Esteve Rabat who in turn precede Redding, Di Meglio, Corsi, Smith and the San Marino Alex De Angelis who however falls without physical consequences.

The last lap begins, Iannone is not far away and is still hoping for victory, a mistake by Luthi who loses three positions, Iannone is now second and very close to Marquez. Final corners, Iannone takes the lead, but arrives slightly wide and the Spaniard manages to pass him right on the finishing straight. Victory therefore for Marquez ahead of Iannone and Espargarò, while Luthi finished fifth behind Rabat.