Red Bull KTM Ajo:
The track has many narrow corners and is one of the slowest on the calendar, characterised by seven consecutive left hand corners which create difficulties in maintaining tyre temperature. It also features one of the shortest straights in Grand Prix racing and ever-variable weather.
Luis Salom has another challenge ahead at the German GP. He is on a run of three consecutive victories, and a win this weekend would make him the first rider to triumph at four Moto3 races in a row. Teammate Arthur Sissis has two successive top ten placings, whilst Zulfahmi Khairuddin is out to regain feeling and points, having left the Dutch TT empty handed.
Following this race, the Moto3 World Championship takes a five-week break, before the riders return to action on Friday, August 16th, at Indianapolis.
Circuit information - Sachsenring
Length: 3.671 m. / 2,281 miles
Width: 12 metres
Left corners: 10
Right corners: 3
Longest straight: 700 m. / 0,435 miles
Constructed: 1996
Modified: 2003
If I had to highlight any part of the track, it would be the first section, which is very slow and which I really like. In addition, I am lucky enough to train in Palma, Majorca, at a very similar circuit to the Sachsenring."
The first part of the circuit is the most difficult and, in addition, there is a second sector with many left handers in succession –seven– which makes it even trickier. Being such a short track, we have a race of many laps on Sunday, so we’ll have to be very focused."
It is a tough place to ride, with blind corners and a last sector that I like a lot. I have to give 100% in Free Practice and move forward with finding a good setting, which will help me to get a good feeling and a strong race result."
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Riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo carry huge motivation with them following an incredible weekend at the Assen TT two weeks ago where both riders emerged as heroes. Rossi returned to form in spectacular fashion, taking his first GP victory for over two years in a faultless ride whilst teammate Lorenzo delivered a superhuman effort. The reigning World Champion underwent surgery on his collarbone following a free practice injury and then raced to an impressive fifth position just 36hrs later.
The Sachsenring circuit has witnessed numerous victories for Rossi, the nine-time champion has taken a 250cc win in 1999 and four premier class MotoGP victories at the East German circuit in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2009. Lorenzo has yet to win at Sachsenring and will find the anti-clockwise circuit a challenge for his recently injured shoulder. Despite this the Mallorcan has the Championship firmly in mind and is yet again determined to give 100% on track.
“Sachsenring is going to be a little tough for me after the crash at Assen. It is true in Holland we achieved a stunning result for me, the team and also the Championship but I have to be realistic and I have still a long way to recover my collarbone. I made a huge effort to race at Assen and finally I could manage a really difficult weekend getting an astonishing fifth position. The situation is still that I need more time to fix the injury though. I won’t be at 100% in Germany but I’m pretty confident I can make a good weekend. At least I have had almost ten days to stay calm and improve a bit my physical condition. It will be difficult to compete another time but for sure I will push even harder than in Holland. The track is not one of my favourite tracks in the championship but at this level I don’t mind where we race. I have to give everything inside of me on each race.”
"I'm going to Sachsenring with a new spirit. I am very happy for the Holland race. Now I want to keep it going like that. We also want to confirm at Sachsenring the step we’ve made with the bike. We must continue to improve the bike, as we have done after testing at Aragon, because now we want to try to fight for important positions. We want to stay with the top guys every weekend. I really like Sachsenring and then there will be Laguna Seca. These will be two very important weekends.”
“After the little drama at Assen finally Jorge got a terrific result, especially considering his physical condition after suffering a surgery to repair his broken collarbone then racing 38 hours later. Jorge made an incredible race at Assen, one of the most demanding tracks because of the layout. In Germany maybe it could be a little better for us. This circuit is not as fast as Assen and I think it is going to be easier for him to ride; it’s smoother with slow corners. The only problem is Jorge’s collarbone: it is still mending and he won’t be in a perfect shape. Anyway, for sure his physical condition will be better than in Holland and I guess he will be aiming to fight for the podium.”
“In the last few years Sachsenring has not been one of our favourite circuits but we are arriving from three victories in a row so for sure we will start the weekend completely differently to the past. We are ready and hopefully Jorge’s shoulder will be in much better shape than last weekend. We go there with the intention to leave a mark.”
After a dramatic weekend in Assen 10 days ago, the Repsol Honda Team head to Sachsenring this weekend for the Grand Prix of Germany, the eighth round of the season.
The 3.67km Sachsenring track, the second shortest on the calendar after Laguna Seca, has numerous tight corners - 10 left and 3 right - and requires a very accurate set up of the bikes.
Dani Pedrosa, who still leads the Championship with 136 points, has an incredible history at this circuit with six victories (four in MotoGP), including the past three years, and a total of seven podiums. Likewise, teammate Marc Marquez, who is 3rd in the Championship just 23 points off Dani, has a very good record here too. He's also won here the last three years (2010 125cc, 2011 and 2012 Moto2) and will be hoping for some dry track time to learn the lines on MotoGP machine.
Dani Pedrosa:
Championship Standing: 1st - 136 points
"This week we head to Germany and I hope we can get a good feeling and have a good weekend. Sachsenring has typically been a good track for me in the past and it's a circuit where I always enjoy racing. It's a short track where you spend a lot of time on the left, but the fastest corner is to the right, so tyre performance will be key. It's important to keep the momentum and ride my best to keep fighting for race wins"
Marc Marquez:
Championship Standing: 3rd - 113 points
"It was a tough and complicated weekend in Assen, but the important thing is that we learned a lot and picked up another podium and some important points. Now we head to Sachsenring, another new circuit for us on the MotoGP machine. We will see how the weather is there as it can change quite a lot!It will be interesting to see what the circuit is like on this bike because it's one of the smallest circuits on the calendar and I already found it small in Moto2 so I can't imagine how it will be in MotoGP! When we get there, I'll take my time to learn the lines with my team, as we do every week, and try our best for another good result"
Circuit information:
First race
1961
GPs held
27
Laps
30
Race distance
110.130km / 68.430 miles
Track length
3.671km / 2.281 miles
Track width
12m
Longest straight
0.700km / 0.485 miles
Corners
13 (10 left, 3 right)
Pole position
Left
Sachsenring
AM Sachsenring
09353 Oberlungwitz
Circuit records:
Pole position
1m 21.067s (163.020km/h) Casey Stoner (Ducati, 2008)
Race lap
1m 21.846s (161.469km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2011)
Race time
41m 12.482s (160.352km/h) Dani Pedrosa (Honda, 2011)
2012 Winner
Dani Pedrosa (Honda)
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Moto2 rider quotes
Scott Redding (Marc VDS Racing Team:
“I think this weekend could be a bit like Assen. Last year we had some issues setting up the Kalex at both tracks, but we knew some of the problem was down to my riding style; I was just too aggressive. This year I’ve changed my style to be a bit smoother, so hopefully we can get the bike dialled in quickly on Friday morning. As always, the goal this weekend is the podium, but it would also be good to extend my lead in the championship by a few points ahead of the summer break.”
Pol Espargaro, Tuenti HP40 Pons:
“After winning the last two races I feel so confident, but we still need to reduce the gap to Scott after taking 17 points away from him at Catalunya and Assen. I think Sachsenring will be a good place for us to recover some more points. Last year there I was very fast in the dry, but I made a mistake in qualifying and had to start from 17th on the grid. In the race I overtook a lot of riders to finish fourth. I hope we can have another good race and then go on holidays with less of a gap to Scott.”
Esteve Rabat, Tuenti HP 40 Pons:
“After making a mistake at Assen when the podium was near, I really want to be on the podium in Germany to reduce the gap between me and Pol and Scott, or to help Pol reduce the difference to Scott. I’ve just got back from Argentina where we tried the new circuit. The whole trip was a really good experience and it was great to ride the track. Every time I’m on the bike – whether in Argentina, at Almeria or at a GP – I feel so happy. I think it’s possible to have a good result in Germany. I didn’t have a great time there last year but this year is different.”
Alexis Masbou (Ongetta-Rivacold FTR Honda) is Honda’s best-placed rider in the Moto3 World Championship, the Frenchman holding seventh overall after a run of strong top-ten performances. Masbou goes well at the Sachsenring – last year he scored his first GP podium at the track, just six tenths away from victory.
South African teenager Brad Binder (Ambrogio Racing Suter Honda) and Australian teenager Jack Miller (Caretta Technology – RTG FTR Honda) round out the championship top ten, with just one point between them.
Honda Moto3 Rider quotes
Alexis Masbou, Ongetta-Rivacold:
“For me this race is always quite difficult – in fact this is always the most difficult point of the season for me – but last year I took my first Grand Prix podium at the Sachsenring! I am still not expecting much, just staying focused and working hard to get what points we can.”
Brad Binder, Ambrogio Racing Suter:
“Sachsenring has always been a track that I’ve been good at. I had three second places there in the Red Bull Moto GP Rookies Cup, and last year I was fourth in the Moto3 race when my bike broke down. I am very confident going into the weekend. The straights aren’t so long, so it will be easier to be closer to the front.”
Jack Miller, Caretta Technology – RTG:
“I got my best result at the Sachsenring last year, and I hope to improve on it this time. The track should suit the bike more than the last few tracks, and I like it a lot. My goal as always is to be top Honda.”
