Dovizioso the man to beat on Day 1

2017-07-02 18:45
As well as leading the MotoGP™ World Championship for the first time, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) topped Day 1 at the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland to stake an early claim on the top spot this weekend after going quickest in FP1 before rain fell in the afternoon. The Ducati rider was a frontrunner throughout the first session before moving down the order until a final push saw the rider from Forli back on top. The margin over the second fastest man on track – Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) – was only 0.038 as the two currently at the top of the standings dueled it out, setting the scene for a competitive push for Q2 on Saturday morning. Third fastest was one of the Sachsenring’s most successful riders, Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa, who was another tenth back as he shot back up the timesheets after a more difficult Dutch GP.

Fourth fastest overall in the dry was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), with the Granollers native also showing pace to place in the top five in the wet. Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was fifth quickest on combined times for a solid Day 1, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top six.

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was P7 on Day 1 but crashed FP2 in the wet – rider ok – with Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) on solid top ten form in ninth, just ahead of Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) despite a crash in FP1 for the Brit.

The fastest fifteen overall were completed by home hero Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).

After the rain came down just ahead of FP2, no times were improved and it was Hector Barbera who was quickest in the wet. Reigning Champion Marquez, winner for the last seven years he’s competed at the track, shone to go second quickest in the rain, ahead of another solid performance from teammate Dani Pedrosa – the only man to have placed in the top three in both the wet and dry.

It was an interrupted first session for the ‘Doctor’ Valentino Rossi, as the Italian suffered an issue on track and ended the day in P16 as the rain prevented anyone improving laptimes.

FP3 sees the MotoGP™ field head back out on Saturday morning to decide entry to Q2, before qualifying begins from 14:10 (GMT +2).
Lüthi and Schrötter lead the charge at the Sachsenring

Thomas Lüthi (SWI) was fastest overall in Moto2
Swiss veteran tops the timesheets as the German GP dries out
After torrential rain in MotoGP™ FP2, the second session of the day for the intermediate class saw completely dry conditions by the end of practice, with Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten) bettering his FP1 time to go fastest overall from home hero Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP). Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira was third quickest with his time set in the morning in FP1, which was dry throughout.

Championship leader Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was the fourth quickest rider on Friday, just ahead of another impressive performance from fastest rookie Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46). Takaaki Nakagami (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) followed up his podium form at Assen to go sixth quickest on Day 1 of the German GP.

Schrötter’s teammate Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) was another who shone on home turf on Day 1 to complete a double top ten on Friday for the team, beating Simone Corsi (Speed Up Racing) to seventh.

Previous Sachsenring winner Dominique Aegerter (Kiefer Racing) was ninth fastest on Friday, with Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) tenth after a crash in the morning for the 2014 Moto3™ World Champion.

Hafizh Syahrin (Petronas Raceline Malaysia) took P11, ahead of an impressive performance for Remy Gardner (Tech 3 Racing) in twelfth. Jorge Navarro (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), Xavier Simeon (Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2) and Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team).

Locatelli’s teammate – Mugello winner Mattia Pasini – was another who crashed in the morning, and ended the day in P17.

Moto2™ qualify on Saturday from 15:05 (GMT +2).


Mir back in command, Martin declared unfit after crash

Joan Mir (SPA), unrivaled in Sachsenring

Championship leader clear of the field in FP2 to go fastest on Day 1

Points leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) bounced back from a more difficult Dutch GP in style on Day 1 at the Sachsenring, topping the timesheets by more than half a second from closest challenger and key title rival Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers). The weather stayed dry for Moto3™, under grey skies.

The headline of the day was the Red Flag interruption in FP2 after a crash for title challenger and third fastest on Friday Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3). The Spaniard suffered a highside in the afternoon and was then taken to the Medical Centre at the circuit. He has been declared unfit for the rest of the event with a fractured right ankle and a second break in the same leg.

P4 overall was another strong showing from home hero Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing), after the German showed great pace in FP1 and FP2. Livio Loi (Leopard Racing) was fifth fastest on Day 1 as the Belgian rider got back into the top echelons of the timesheets, ahead of Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Bo Bendsneyder, who set his fastest lap in FP1.

Sky Racing Team VR46’s Nicolo Bulega followed up a promising morning with almost the exact same laptime in the afternoon for P7 on combined timesheets, with Marcos Ramirez (Platinum Bay Real Estate) showing more good form to go eighth and slot in behind the Italian on Day 1. Enea Bastianini (Estrella Galicia 0,0) was P9 in a solid opening day at the Sachsenring, just ahead of teammate Aron Canet, who completed the top ten.

Jakub Kornfeil (Peugeot MC Saxoprint) was P11, with Ayumu Sasaki (SIC Racing Team) was twelfth overall on Day 1 and fastest rookie as he got the German GP off to a flier. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) took thirteenth. Tony Arbolino (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was another flying the rookie flag in fourteenth, and Malaysian Adam Norrodin (SIC Racing Team) completed the fastest fifteen on Friday.

Moto3™ head out for FP3 on Saturday morning at 9:00 (GMT +2).

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