Moto2: Luthi edges out Nakagami to top day one

Thomas Luthi has edged out Takaaki Nakagami to top the opening day of Moto2 action in 2017, finishing ahead of his fellow Kalex rider by only 0.080 after two sessions under the floodlights at Qatar’s Losail circuit.

Luthi topped both of the evening’s sessions, but was one of a handful of riders at the top of the time sheets unable to improve between the day’s first and second sessions, as high winds and dust slowed the pace in the second half of the night’s action.

Miguel Olivera was an impressive third on the new KTM machine’s debut in the class, relegating the Marc VDS duo of Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez to the provisional second row alongside a strong performance for Team Sky VR46’s Pecco Bagnaia, one of the few to improve in FP2.

Matteo Pasini was seventh, ahead of Fabio Quartararo, also an Fp2 improver, and Axel Pins while Luca Marini rounded out the top ten.

Danny Kent only just missed out on the top ten though, 12^th behind the second Forward Racing machine of Lorenzo Baldassarri, but pleased to come home top Suter on their return to the series.