Swiss rider Thomas Luthi was the fastest Moto2™ man on track at Jerez on Monday, where he led a top five which also included Takaaki Nakagami, Claudio Corti, Pol Espargaró and Marc Márquez.

Thomas Luthi got the final pre-season Test at Jerez off to the best possible start by setting the fastest Moto2™ time on Monday. The Interwetten Paddock GP rider set his best lap, a 1’42.627, in the morning session during which the Moto3™ bikes were also on track, prior to the later afternoon session which saw each category get its own run.

Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami continued his progress with the Italtrans team by posting the second quickest time of the day at +0.266s off Luthi, with his team-mate Claudio Corti just behind in a best time of 1’42.963.

Pons 40 HP Tuenti rider Pol Espargaró was the last man under 1’43” as he ducked below the barrier by 27-thousandths of a second, with the fit-again Marc Márquez making positive progress in his first official Test of the pre-season. The CatalunyaCaixa Repsol rider completed the top five, just under half a second off Luthi’s time in 1’43.080.

Finn Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Racing), a podium finisher in the final race of 2011 at Valencia, Andrea Iannone (Speed Master), Esteve Rabat (Pons HP 40 Tuenti), Alex de Angelis (NGM Mobile Forward Racing) and Toni Elías (Mapfre Aspar Moto2) completed the top ten times, combined across the two sessions ran on Monday.

Scot Redding (Marc VDS Racing) closed the day 11th fastest, ahead of Simone Corsi (Ioda Racing Project) who recovered from a morning-session crash to go 12th quickest. Johann Zarco (JiR Moto2), runner-up in the 2011 125cc World Championship, placed 14th on the timesheet, 12 positions and almost two seconds ahead of former 125 rival and champion Nico Terol.

Brits Bradley Smith (Tech 3) and Gino Rea (Gresini Racing) ended the opening day in 17th and 22nd positions respectively.

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