Morbidelli and Nakagami look to bow out on a high
![](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2017-MotoGP-Sepang-Moto2-Morbidelli_17GP17_4393_AN.jpg)
After wrapping up the title in Malaysia even ahead of the race after key rival Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten) was declared unfit, Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) is now gearing up for graduation to MotoGP™ and has one last intermediate class chance to win. Lüthi won’t be present ahead of his move, replaced by Ricky Cardus, but there will be two more names looking to make a last mark: Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) and Xavier Simeon (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2).
Morbidelli will want to win, as will Nakagami. Simeon is coming back from injury and will aim as high as possible. But after the last two races have been dominated by Red Bull KTM Ajo, Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder could be about to spoil the party once more and end the season with three highs in a row.
![Tom Luthi](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/2017-MotoGP-Rnd15-Motegi-Fri-Tom-Luthi.jpg)
Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) is another big consideration at the front, having won both races on Spanish soil that he’s contested injury-free. Added to a stunner in the wet at Motegi, it has been a good year for the 2014 Moto3™ World Champion and he will want to bounce back after a crash in Malaysia to get as close as he can to Oliveira in the points. More home heroes like Xavi Vierge (Tech 3 Racing) and local man Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) are gunning for the same glory, too, and Navarro returns from injury. His fellow rookie and Rookie of the Year Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46) is another to watch – always a dark horse to make a serious dent at the front.
![Alex Marquez](https://www.mcnews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MotoGP-2017-Sepang-Q-Alex-Marquez.jpg)
As well as the usual cast of close-fighting rivals in the class, there’s also the addition of Eric Granado (Promoracing) – the European Moto2™ Championship leader in the FIM CEV Repsol and full-time rider at world level next season – and Jake Dixon (Dynavolt Intact GP), who wildcards. More interesting battles throughout the field are assured, as well as the customary fight at the front after a stunning 2017 season – with Morbidelli and Nakagami wanting to bow out on a high.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]CLICK BELOW FOR THE 2017 MOTO2 WORLD STANDINGS.
1. Franco Morbidelli EG 0,0 Marc VDS 288 2. Thomas Luthi Interwetten 243 3. Miguel Oliveira Red Bull KTM Ajo 216 4. Alex Marquez EG 0,0 Marc VDS 190 5. Francesco Bagnaia Sky Racing Team VR46 161 6. Mattia Pasini Italtrans Racing Team 148 7. Takaaki Nakagami Idemitsu Honda Team Asia 128 8. Simone Corsi Speed Up 110 9. Brad Binder Red Bull KTM Ajo 109 10. Xavi Vierge Tech 3 Racing 98 11. Hafizh Syarhin Petronas Raceline Malaysia 96 12. Dominique Aegerter KIefer Racing 82 13. Jorge Navarro Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 60 14. Luca Marini Forward Team 59 15. Fabio Quartararo Páginas Amarillas HP 40 56 16. Lorenzo Baldassarri Forward Team 50 17. Marcel Schrotter Dynavolt Intact GP 47 18. Sandro Cortese Dynavolt Intact GP 43 19. Jesko Raffin Interwetten 26 20. Remy Gardner Tech 3 Racing 23 21. Axel Pons RW Racing GP 22 22. Xavier Simeon Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2 16 23. Yonni Hernandez AGR Team 16 24. Stefano Manzi Sky Racing Team VR46 14 25. Isaac Vinales Teluru SAG Team 14 26. Tetsuta Nagashima Teluru SAG Team 14 27. Khairul Idham Pawi Idemitsu Honda Team Asia 10 28. Andrea Locatelli Italtrans Racing Team 8 29. Ricard Cardus Speed Up 7 30. Joe Roberts AGR Team 6 31. Alex de Angelis Dynavolt Intact GP 5 32. Augusto Fernandez Speed Up 4 33. Danny Kent KIefer Racing 3 34. Edgar Pons Páginas Amarillas HP 40 2 35. Iker Lecuona Interwetten 2 36. Ikuhiro Enokido Teluru MOTOBUM Racing Team 2 37. Tarran MacKenzie KIefer Racing 1 38. Federico Fuligni Forward Team 1 39. Julian Simon Interwetten 0 40. Karel Hanika Willirace Team 0 41. Ryo Mizuno MuSASHi RT HARC-RRO 0 42. Axel Bassani Speed Up 0 43. Steven Odendaal NTS 0 44. Dimas Ekky Pratama Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 0 45. Saeed Al Sulaiti QMMF Racing 0 46. Hector Garzo Tech 3 Racing 0 47. Jake Dixon Dynavolt Intact GP