FIM Moto2 World Championship Sepang, Malaysia October 23 Race Results (all using Honda engines and Dunlop tires): 1. Thomas LUTHI, Switzerland (SUTER), 17 laps, 36:35.114 2. Stefan BRADL, Germany (KALEX), -0.187 second 3. Pol ESPARGARO, Spain (FTR), -7.465 seconds 4. Alex DE ANGELIS, San MArino (MOTOBI), -9.127 5. Dominique AEGERTER, Switzerland (SUTER), -11.494 6. Mika KALLIO, Finland (SUTER), -11.903 7. Michele PIRRO, Italy (MORIWAKI), -12.568 8. Aleix ESPARGARO, Spain (PONS KALEX), -12.963 9. Andrea IANNONE, Italy (SUTER), -14.098 10. Scott REDDING, Great Britain (SUTER), -16.697 11. Esteve RABAT, Spain (FTR), -19.568 12. Kenan SOFUOGLU, Turkey (SUTER), -24.885 13. Jules CLUZEL, France (SUTER), -25.345 14. Mike DI MEGLIO, France (TECH 3), -26.696 15. Xavier SIMEON, Belgium (TECH 3), -32.806 16. Axel PONS, Spain (PONS KALEX), -32.979, crash 17. Kenny NOYES, USA (FTR), -33.179 18. Joan OLIVE, Spain (FTR), -36.497 19. Jordi TORRES, Spain (SUTER), -40.569 20. Mohamad ZAMRI BABA, Malaysia (MORIWAKI), -56.756 21. Ivan MORENO, Spain (SUTER), -65.966 22. Hafizh SYAHRIN, Malaysia (MORIWAKI), -66.110 23. Randy KRUMMENACHER, Switzerland (KALEX), -77.083, crash 24. Robertino PIETRI, Venezuela (SUTER), -79.415 25. Mashel AL NAIMI, Qatar (MORIWAKI), -1 lap, crash 26. Raffaele DE ROSA, Italy (SUTER), -5 laps, DNF, crash 27. Mattia PASINI, Italy (FTR), -9 laps, DNF, crash 28. Santiago HERNANDEZ, Colombia (FTR), -10 laps, DNF, crash 29. Apiwat WONGTHANANO, Thailand (FTR), -10 laps, DNF, retired 30. Valentin DEBISE, France (FTR), -11 laps, DNF, crash 31. Yuki TAKAHASHI, Japan (MORIWAKI), -12 laps, DNF, crash 32. Claudio CORTI, Italy (SUTER), -14 laps, DNF, crash 33. Simone CORSI, Italy (FTR), -14 laps, DNF, crash 34. Anthony WEST, Australia (MZ-RE HONDA), -16 laps, DNF, crash 35. Max NEUKIRCHNER, Germany (MZ-RE HONDA), -16 laps, DNF, crash 36. Yonny HERNANDEZ, Colombia (FTR), excluded 37. Marc MARQUEZ, Spain (Suter), DNS World Championship Point Standings (after 16 of 17 races): 1. Bradl, 274 points 2. Marquez, 251 3. Iannone, 172 4. De Angelis, 170 5. Luthi, 151 6. Corsi, 127 7. Smith, 121 8. Rabat, 79 9. Aegerter, 78 10. Takahashi, 77 More, from a press release issued by Honda: 2011 FIM Moto2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 17 SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 SEPANG, MALAYSIA Weather: Sunny, hot, humid Temperature: Ambient 34 degrees C / 48 Track degrees C Weekend attendance: 111,385 LUTHI WINS HIS FIRST IN RED-FLAGGED THRILLER The 2011 Moto2 World Championship will go down to the final race after a dramatic finish that followed a dramatic start to the weekend. Thomas Luthi (Interwetten Paddock Moto2 Suter) won his first intermediate class final by leading when the race was red flagged on the 18th of 19 laps because of a stricken motorcycle on the track. A lap earlier, the Swiss rider had taken the lead from championship leader Stefan Bradl (Viessmann Kiefer Racing Kalex), who had led from the start and would have won the championship had he won the race. Instead, he left Malaysia with a 23 point lead on Marc Marquez (Team Caixa/Catalunya Suter), the 18-year-old Spaniard who was ruled out of the race after failing a medical examination, and who watched the race from his pit box with a patch over his right eye. The drama for Marquez began when he crashed in the wet turn ten on the opening lap of Friday morning practice, suffering injuries to his shoulder, neck, and face. It wasn’t his fault. Marquez and two others fell because corner marshals failed to display the proper flag warning riders of the conditions. (Race organisers were fined 15,000 euros for the infraction.) One of them, Bradley Smith (Tech 3 Racing Tech 3), was earlier ruled out of the race with a broken collarbone. Marquez, the former championship leader, sat out the rest of Friday and Saturday morning practices. He rode one lap at speed to qualify on Saturday afternoon, finishing with the 36th fastest time. Whether or not he wanted to ride was immaterial; he was ruled unfit and could only watch his title hopes slip away. With Marquez out, the path was cleared for his title rival Bradl to take the second Moto2 title back to Germany. But in order to do that he had to win the race. Bradl and Swiss rider Luthi swapped the lead spot on the opening lap with Bradl taking control before the lap was half over. Lap after lap the two riders pulled away from third place, Luthi content to wait for an opening. It came on the brakes entering the turn 15 left on lap 17, the Swiss rider sliding up the inside and taking the lead with two laps to go. Bradl had two laps to counter-attack, but then came the crash by Axel Pons, which left his motorcycle sitting in the middle of the track. The win was Luthi’s first in Moto2 and he was understandably ecstatic. Lost in the drama was the battle for third. Pol Espargaro took control on the second lap and looked secure, but Australian GP winner Alex de Angelis had other thoughts. De Angelis (JiR Moto2 Motobi) fought his way to the front and closed to within 1.3s sec on the 16th lap. Espargaro got the message and opened up his cushion on the next lap and was well in control when the race was called. De Angelis settled for fourth, with Dominique Aegerter (Technomag-CIP Suter) winning the four-way battle for fifth. Bradl leads Marquez 274 to 251 in advance of the season finale in Valencia in two weeks. In order to win the title, he has to finish 13th or better if Marquez wins the race. The battle for third is even closer. De Angelis trails Andrea Iannone, the Speed Master Suter rider who was ninth today, by two points, 172 to 170. MOTO2 RIDER QUOTES Thomas Luthi, Interwetten Paddock Moto2-Suter: Race winner “I’m very, very happy first of all, and just happy. And I have to say, first of all, thanks to the team. They made a really good job. We had some struggles in the middle of the season, then we came back, we are back strong at the end and this is good looking forward to next year. To the race, it was quite difficult. I had some problems in the beginning; I had some small mistakes. Was some hard battles in there. Afterwards I found a rhythm. I could close the gap again to Stefan (Bradl) and then I could quite easily follow him, but I mean we were both on the limit. And we made a good gap to the back. And then was a plan just two laps before the finish just try to go in front, make a break and try to stay in front. It was a little bit of luck. Finally, but still I had still the chance to win without this red flag, and this is good to know. And it was a good weekend, I’m just happy. it’s a great feeling. Stefan Bradl, Viessmann Kiefer Racing-Kalex: 2nd “I made a gap, together with Tom (Luthi), to the rest of the field. At the end I couldn’t believe it, because Tom was leading the lap before; I immediately realised. Yeah, you know inside me there is something really goes strange now because this race was very important for me. We were able to do the championship, but at the end, yeah, what I can say? It’s a little bit unlucky for me, but anyway, I have to take the positive things and I have done a really good job in that race. Congratulations to Tom and anyway we are doing a good job. Thanks to my family, thanks to my team and everything and hopefully we can do it in Valencia.” Pol Espagaro, HP Tuenti Speed Up: 3rd. “De Angelis was so fast at the end. I was all race more or less good. I had good feelings for the first 15 laps, but after I saw de Angelis start to come so fast to me and I had to push hard and improve my lap time 0.5s better and it was difficult, but finally here again. It’s nice to be here.” RESULTS MOTOGP Race Canceled. MOTO2 RACE: (17 laps = 94.316 Km POS / RIDER / NAT. / TEAM / MOTORCYCLE / TIME / KM/H / GAP 1 / Thomas LUTHI / SWI / Interwetten Paddock Moto2 / SUTER / 36’35.114 / 154.678 / 2 / Stefan BRADL / GER / Viessmann Kiefer Racing / KALEX / 36’35.301 / 154.665 / 0.187 3 / Pol ESPARGARO / SPA / HP Tuenti Speed Up / FTR / 36’42.579 / 154.154 / 7.465 4 / Alex DE ANGELIS / RSM / JIR Moto2 / MOTOBI / 36’44.241 / 154.038 / 9.127 5 / Dominique AEGERTER / SWI / Technomag-CIP / SUTER / 36’46.608 / 153.873 / 11.494 6 / Mika KALLIO / FIN / Marc VDS Racing Team / SUTER / 36’47.017 / 153.844 / 11.903 7 / Michele PIRRO / ITA / Gresini Racing Moto2 / MORIWAKI / 36’47.682 / 153.798 / 12.568 8 / Aleix ESPARGARO / SPA / Pons HP 40 / PONS KALEX / 36’48.077 / 153.77 / 12.963 9 / Andrea IANNONE / ITA / Speed Master / SUTER / 36’49.212 / 153.691 / 14.098 10 / Scott REDDING / GBR / Marc VDS Racing Team / SUTER / 36’51.811 / 153.511 / 16.697 11 / Esteve RABAT / SPA / Blusens-STX / FTR / 36’54.682 / 153.312 / 19.568 12 / Kenan SOFUOGLU / TUR / Technomag-CIP / SUTER / 36’59.999 / 152.944 / 24.885 13 / Jules CLUZEL / FRA / NGM Forward Racing / SUTER / 37’00.459 / 152.913 / 25.345 14 / Mike DI MEGLIO / FRA / Tech 3 Racing / TECH 3 / 37’01.810 / 152.82 / 26.696 15 / Xavier SIMEON / BEL / Tech 3 B / TECH 3 / 37’07.920 / 152.401 / 32.806 Pole Position: Thomas LUTHI 2’07.512 156.634 Km/h Fastest Lap (New record): Stefan BRADL 2’08.220 155.769 Km/h Lap 4 Old Circuit Record Lap: Julian SIMON 2’08.691 155.199 Km/h 2010 Circuit Best Lap: Thomas LUTHI 2’07.512 156.634 Km/h 2011 CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS TO DATE: 1 BRADL 274, 2 MARQUEZ 251, 3 IANNONE 172, 4 DE ANGELIS 170, 5 LUTHI 151, 6 CORSI 127, 7 SMITH 121, 8 RABAT 79, 9 AEGERTER 78, 10 TAKAHASHI 77, 11 A. ESPARGARO 76, 12 P. ESPARGARO 73, 13 REDDING 63, 14 SIMON 62, 15 SOFUOGLU 59. 125cc: RACE: (18 laps = 99.864 Km) POS / RIDER / NAT. / TEAM / MOTORCYCLE / TIME / KM/H / GAP 1 / Maverick VIÑALES / SPA / Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing / APRILIA / 40’34.280 / 147.686 / 2 / Sandro CORTESE / GER / Intact-Racing Team Germany / APRILIA / 40’34.634 / 147.665 / 0.354 3 / Johann ZARCO / FRA / Avant-AirAsia-Ajo / DERBI / 40’36.735 / 147.537 / 2.455 4 / Hector FAUBEL / SPA / Bankia Aspar Team 125cc / APRILIA / 40’37.201 / 147.509 / 2.921 5 / Nicolas TEROL / SPA / Bankia Aspar Team 125cc / APRILIA / 40’44.329 / 147.079 / 10.049 6 / Jonas FOLGER / GER / Red Bull Ajo MotorSport / APRILIA / 40’52.244 / 146.604 / 17.964 7 / Zulfahmi KHAIRUDDIN / MAL / Airasia-Sic-Ajo / DERBI / 41’12.986 / 145.375 / 38.706 8 / Jakub KORNFEIL / CZE / Ongetta-Centro Seta / APRILIA / 41’13.379 / 145.351 / 39.099 9 / Alberto MONCAYO / SPA / Andalucia Banca Civica / APRILIA / 41’13.503 / 145.344 / 39.223 10 / Danny KENT / GBR / Red Bull Ajo MotorSport / APRILIA / 41’14.517 / 145.285 / 40.237 11 / Efren VAZQUEZ / SPA / Avant-AirAsia-Ajo / DERBI / 41’29.086 / 144.434 / 54.806 12 / Alexis MASBOU / FRA / Caretta Technology / KTM / 41’42.171 / 143.679 / 1’07.891 13 / Danny WEBB / GBR / Mahindra Racing / MAHINDRA / 41’42.187 / 143.678 / 1’07.907 14 / Josep RODRIGUEZ / SPA / Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing / APRILIA / 41’42.379 / 143.667 / 1’08.099 15 / Alessandro TONUCCI / ITA / Team Italia FMI / APRILIA / 41’42.436 / 143.664 / 1’08.156 Pole Position: Nicolas TEROL 2’13.579 149.520 Km/h Fastest Lap: Nicolas TEROL 2’14.229 148.796 Km/h Lap 12 Circuit Record Lap: Alvaro BAUTISTA 2’13.118 150.038 Km/h 2006 Circuit Best Lap: Andrea DOVIZIOSO 2’12.684 150.529 Km/h 2004 CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS TO DATE: 1 TEROL 282, 2 ZARCO 262, 3 CORTESE 225, 4 VIÑALES 223, 5 FAUBEL 161, 6 FOLGER 150, 7 VAZQUEZ 147, 8 SALOM 107, 9 GADEA 103, 10 MONCAYO 84, 11 KENT 82, 12 KORNFEIL 72, 13 MARTIN 45, 14 OLIVEIRA 44, 15 GROTZKYJ 32. NEXT EVENT: ROUND 18 SUNDAY NOVEMBER 6 VALENCIA, SPAIN More, from a press release issued by Marc VDS Racing Team: TRAGIC LOSS MARS MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX The Marc VDS Racing Team, together with everyone in the MotoGP paddock, were left devastated by the news that Marco Simoncelli had succumbed to his injuries and passed away, following a crash during the Malaysian Grand Prix. The thoughts of everyone in the Marc VDS Racing Team are with Marco’s family, friends, teammates and his extended family in the MotoGP paddock at this very difficult time. Ciao Super Sic… Michael Bartholemy: Team Manager “It is difficult to know what to say. We were all devastated by the news that Marco Simoncelli had lost his fight for life and had passed away this afternoon. Sometimes we forget that competing in this sport that we love is not without risk, only to have it driven home by a tragedy like this. Marco was a larger than life character who will be truly missed by all those that knew him. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.” Mika Kallio took a season best sixth place in the earlier Moto2 race in Malaysia, with Scott Redding finishing in tenth position. More, from a press release issued by QMMF Racing Team: The thoughts of QMMF Racing Team and the Qatari Federation are with Marco Simoncelli and his family Even though Mishal Al-Naimi crashed during today’s Grand Prix of Malaysia, the QMMF Racing Team rider left the Sepang track with confidence for the future, since he had started with a strong pace and stayed ahead of a group of other riders in the opening laps of the race. Soon after Al-Naimi’s heroic finish despite a loose handlebar, all results became meaningless when Honda factory rider Marco Simoncelli lost his life in a tragic accident at the beginning of the MotoGP race. “We are deeply saddened with these terrible news, and the thoughts of us in the team and in the Motorcycle Federation of Qatar are with Marco Simoncelli, his family and friends”, said team coordinator Luis Solano. Mashel Al-Naimi 24th “I had a good start and passed three to five riders. I felt very good on the bike, especially in the fast corners and I tried to push to stay with the group in front of me. Unfortunately I crashed in a slow corner when being hard on the brakes. But I picked the bike up again and continued riding as I wanted in order to confirm my good feeling. It was a pity that the handlebar was loose and slapped against the tank all the time. Then I saw the red flag and stopped. For me it was a good race – despite the crash – and I will now focus on getting a good result in Valencia!” More, from a press release issued by Italtrans/AGP Racing: Grand Prix of Malaysia Sepang, October 21st 23rd , 2011, Race Robertino Pietri (37’54″529 24°) Claudio Corti (dnf) A good race unfortunately, too short. Corti, who started from eight on grid, lost two positions before the first corner, but within lap one overtook four riders and crossed for the first time the finish line sixth. In the following lap, he made up one more place, placing himself in fifth position. Midway in lap number four, everything was already over a competitor racing on his right side had a problem his front folded and could do anything but bringing Claudio down with himself. No serious damage to the two guys Claudio suffered just some bruises at his right first finger but, for both, a race that could see them fighting for a rewarding position was already over. In that moment, Claudio was racing at a rhythm that could bring him on podium. Robertino Pietri finished twenty-fourth, in a race that he describes quite difficult. Robertino Pietri: “To improve the rear grip which has been our main problem on both Friday and Saturday we worsened a little the front. This didn’t help in race, and forced me to a pace slower than I could predict. It’s really a pity, because I am in great physical shape and, in a race like this, that would have a big say in the final part of it”. Claudio Corti: “About the two top guys, I cant say, but the third one was certainly within reach. The bike was excellent and I felt in good physical condition. I did a hard job to improve my resistance, as we all knew that the race would be very, very tough, because of the great heat. I was preserving a bit my strength to give all I had in the second part of the GP. I could do well. I’m really sorry”. Claudio Macciotta (Technical Director): “Claudio was doing precisely what was in his strategy, waiting for a while before attacking. We are satisfied about our week-end, as far as our job is concerned, and race pace, from that point to the end, was precisely what Claudio was hoping for to be in a position to fight for the race”. Luigi Pansera (Team Manager) “We hare working very hard, and have found the right direction. I’m sorry we didn’t were rewarded for it. Maybe we are in credit with fortune, in this last part of the season. We can do well in Valencia. Thank to everybody”. More, from a press release issued by Kenny Noyes’ publicist: Tragedy Overshadows Sepang Race The Grand Prix weekend at Sepang was marked by tragedy with the death of Marco Simoncelli on the second lap of the MotoGP race. Simoncelli’s passing cast a pall over the earlier excitement of the Moto2 race, and shaded the day with sadness. Kenny Noyes and his Avintia-FOGI team send their condolences to the family, friends and team of Marco, and their thoughts and prayers are with them. The incident with Simoncelli was uncomfortably familiar for Kenny Noyes, as the Avintia-STX rider had been involved in a similar one with Axel Pons during the Moto2 race, Kenny striking Pons after Pons crashed in front of him. Luckily for both Kenny and Axel, both riders were unharmed, though Pons suffered a concussion in the incident. Kenny’s collision with Pons brought an end to the Avintia-STX rider’s most successful weekend of the year. After another difficult qualifying session, Kenny once again had a very strong race that saw him battling for the points with Xavier Simeon and Axel Pons. Kenny felt that he was stronger than the two riders he was battling with, and was biding his time on his FOGI-Racing FTR, waiting for the last two laps to make a move. Unfortunately, Pons crashed directly in front of Kenny and he was unable to miss the fallen rider. Kenny crossed the line in 16th place before the race was red-flagged because of the incident with Pons. Kenny Noyes 16th, Fastest Lap: 2’09.803 Kenny said, “It is a very sad day for us all. Marco was one of the greats, both on and off the track and he will be missed by everyone. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” “Marco’s crash really brought it home to me. I also had a real scary moment when Axel Pons crashed in front of me and I ran over him. We were real lucky, though, I saved the crash and Axel was OK. I was so relieved to hear that.”