Aegerter finds confidence again, Mulhauser wants Top-15
Thomas Lüthi (Garage Plus Interwetten) started the second half of the Moto2 World Championship season in the best way possible: on the new circuit of Red Bull Ring located in the Styria mountains (Austria), the Swiss rider signed the quickest time of the day ahead of Alex Rins and the current championship leader and a reigning champion Johann Zarco. Lüthi, who has been here more than a month ago for a two-day test with the KTM MotoGP prototype and then the Moto2 test, did an important number of fast laps in today's cool conditions. Strong sixth position of the first day goes to Dominique Aegerter (carXpert Interwetten), who is less than half a second behind his teammate. The third rider of the Swiss team, Robin Mulhauser, was 22nd. Fred Corminboeuf, the boss of CGBM Evolution, who extended his contract with Lüthi for another two years, sums up the day as follows: "Tom confirmed our impressions from the two-day test today; he will have to confirm on Saturday in qualifying to secure a front row start and especially on Sunday to fight for the victory. Now that everything is clear regarding his future, the whole team is calm and our objectives are clear for the second half of the season: we want to be in the front each race to prepare for 2017 even better. Dominique's day was promising, he was making a progress throughout; we brought a Kalex 2014 for him that suited him better and although there is still work to be done, "Domi" is back. As for Robin, he finished 1,4 seconds from pole, he made the most of his holidays and he knows what is expected from him from now on. He has no choice but to show us, with his results, that he can still keep his place in Grand Prix next year."
They said...
Dominique Aegerter (carXpert Interwetten, 6th): "Today was positive for me. Since the private test in Brno after the German Grand Prix I have been using a 2014 Kalex that suits me better. I immediately felt good on this bike, although we still have things to improve, especially in terms of balance. The gaps are small, I finished the two sessions of the day in the Top-10, which was the objective. During the first nine Grand Prix we never found an ideal solution with the new Kalex, I was struggling a lot to turn the bike. Now the feeling is significantly better and being a rider who needs to feel the bike's reactions, I am feeling a lot better."
Robin Mulhauser (carXpert Interwetten, 22nd): "After the test in Brno and the two days we spent on this circuit in Austria, I took 9 days off in the United States that I really enjoyed. This morning I was surprised, as everyone else, with the low temperature and I found it difficult to find ideal grip. It was better in the afternoon already. When we look at the layout of the circuit it looks easy but it is not the case at all. That said, I love it: its different levels, it's exciting. My objective on Saturday is Top-15 in qualifying!"
