Sam Tickell is on duty for RacerViews for the 16th round of the 2010 MotoGP season at Phillip Island. He had a chance to spend time with Moto2 rider Thomas Luthi, who has 5 podium finishes so far and is currently 4th in the Moto2 championship points standings.

Hi Tom, thanks for joining us at MotoRaceReports.  The weather this weekend is dreadful, how do you come to terms with this?

Thomas Luthi: We just have to go out and ride but it is not that easy.  First of all we have to go out and find a rain set up.  Rain is ok but it the rain is also cold, it makes it difficult.  You don’t have a lot of grip but we have to out and try.  It looks like the weather will remain like this over the weekend so it will be important to get a good feeling and a good rhythm for the race.

If it does become sunny for the race, how will that affect you, and the Moto2 field?

Thomas Luthi: We can just go back to the basic setup that we have but we have never ridden this at Phillip Island.  We don’t know, actually – if every session, the practice and qualifying are wet but the race is dry, it be a lot of fun actually.  Everyone will be the same – go back to a basic setup and hope it works.

How have you found the transition between the old 250cc class and the new-for-2010 Moto2 class?

Thomas Luthi: The 250cc was a lot of fun, much like the Moto2 but they are two different stories.  The 250cc was more aggressive – more of a race package.  It was lighter, quicker turn in.  The Moto2 has more power but also more weight – so it is heavier, slower in the corners.  It is a lot of fun with the four stroke – you can slide a lot going into the corners – so both have their good sides, and it was a good step to go from the 2 stroke to the 4 stroke.

How does it compare from the step to 125cc to 250cc?

Thomas Luthi: Yeah, completely different.  The 125 to 250, we stayed on the 2 stroke but had much more power – so it was a big step.  So you can see the step from 250 to Moto2 was a different story.

Moving onto your 125cc days, can you take us through the fight in your 2005 Championship year?

Thomas Luthi: That was a long time ago!  It was a tough season though.  We had a big fight with Mika Kallio on the KTM.  It was a good season, we had some big fights and good races.  I won here in Phillip Island – the rest though is history.  I am looking forward.  I have a lot of targets and a lot of goals in the future that I want to concentrate on.

This year you have had a great season on the Interwetten Moriwaki Moto2 machine.

Thomas Luthi: It was a good season – but as a rider it has been up and down. I have five podiums, but also some weak races.  These ups and downs I don’t like so much.  Overall it was a good season, currently I am fourth and about 30 points off second – so that is still possible.  It will be hard, very tough to get that.  There are still three races to go and anything is possible.  Looking forward to get some consistency and end the season well.

Looking forward to 2011, what can you tell us about your plans?

Thomas Luthi: It looks like it will be the same story.  In Moto2 with the same team at this point.

A couple quick questions to finish.  First – your favorite bike you have ridden?

Thomas Luthi: {pauses}.  It was quite special actually.  After I won the 125cc Championship with Honda, they gave me a ride on the 990cc machine, MotoGP bike which was quite impressive.

Your favourite track?

Thomas Luthi: Many of them!  I try to like any track.

Your best race?

Thomas Luthi: I am thinking of this season.  Not 2005.  I think one of my best was Silverstone.  I could have won that race but I had a small mistake on the last lap.

Finally, what do you do to relax?

Thomas Luthi: During the season you have to relax after each race and then prepare again.  I think being with my girlfriend and family and things like that.

Thanks Tom, good luck this weekend.

Thomas Luthi: Thank- you.