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Source: Keystone
Since Friday it is known that Tom Lüthi will leave the German team IntactGP. Now the future of the Emmentaler is decided.
The separation from the German team had become apparent in recent days. This year’s results were too unsatisfactory, the technical problems too great and the progress too little. The team’s confidence in Tom Lüthi as a first-rate driver and, conversely, their confidence in his team of technicians had suffered too much. Now the separation occurs “by mutual agreement”, as Lüthi’s leadership writes.
The end of his career was not a problem even a few weeks after his 34th birthday. Instead, Lüthi will be part of the Spanish Stop and Go Racing (SAG) team for the next two years. Lüthi replaces Australian Remy Gardner, who switches to KTM. SAG is based in Sabadell, about 30 kilometers from Barcelona, where the ninth Grand Prix of the current season will be held this weekend. Eduardo Perales’ company has been in business for over 20 years and has a solid reputation.
“The team is small and very familiar,” says Lüthi. “That makes me feel good and is a good basis for a trusting cooperation.” In the past, another Swiss driver, Jesko Raffin, drove for the Spanish team.
Lüthi wants to catch up with the top
Financially, Lüthi is likely to make some cuts and have to contribute some of his sponsorship money to the new team. For the Emmentaler, however, it will primarily be about getting back to the top. Since the introduction of the Moto2 category ten years ago, the 2005 125cc world champion, with the exception of the failed diversion to MotoGP, has finished in the top six of the world championship each season and with at least four places on the podium. Last season, Lüthi was third in the World Championship with a victory and another seven places in the top 3.
For his new crew chief, it is clear that the Swiss is still one of the best riders in Moto2. “He is a very competitive driver and the objective of next season is to fight with him for the World Cup,” explains Perales. That, of course, is totally in the spirit of Lüthi.
This year, after excellent test results in February, the worm is there. The Bernese did not go beyond a fifth place in the Styrian GP. Lüthi and his team were unable to adjust the machine so that the best results were possible. It remains to be seen if this will change with certainty about the future in the remaining seven races of the year.
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