Motorsport: Bitter disappointment for Tom Lüthi
Last year's World Champion Johann Zarco (Kalex) secured his second Moto2 World Championship title early in Sepang. The Frenchman did not show any weakness at the Malaysian GP in very difficult conditions and won clearly. Because the world championship runner-up Thomas Lüthi (CH, Kalex) could not go beyond 6th place, the Swiss Zarco can no longer [...]
When the tropical rain subsided in Sepang, world championship leader Johann Zarco had by far the most reserves on the rapidly drying track. The 26-year-old Frenchman and next year's MotoGP rider had already demonstrated his superiority in qualifying, when he secured pole position with a massive 2.1 second lead. Zarco waited patiently behind the long-time leader Morbidelli in the race, overtook him in the 14th of 19 laps and then immediately made off to the front.
Difficult track caused problems for the Swiss
The Swiss Tom Lüthi was the big beaten. After the two sensational victories in Japan and Australia, he had come within 22 points of the Frenchman and had legitimate hopes of catching Johann Zarco in the last two races. But Tom Lüthi, who is not particularly fond of mixed track conditions (i.e. semi-wet, semi-dry conditions), only finished sixth in Sepang and thus forfeited all chances. Tom Lüthi came off as a fair loser, was the first to congratulate Zarco and admitted without envy: "Zarco was the best today and throughout the season. He deserves the title."
World Championship standings (after 17 of 18 Grand Prix): 1. Zarco, 251 points (world champion); 2. Lüthi, 214; 3. Rins, 203; 4. Morbidelli, 197; 5. S. Lowes (GB, Kalex), 162; 6. Folger, 159; 7. Nakagami (J, Kalex), 159; 8. Baldassari, 125; 9. Syahrin, 117; 10. Corsi, 98; 11. Aegerter (CH, Kalex), 71; 25. Raffin, 14; 30. Mulhauser, 4. 32 riders classified.
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