Sachsenring MotoGP: James Toseland content with fourth row

A late set-up change helped James Toseland claim a respectable 11th place on the grid for tomorrow’s German GP at the Sachsenring.

The British rider has been struggling with the set-up of his Tech 3 Yamaha again but was significantly happier after a late rear suspension alteration.

A best time of 1.22.126 on his final qualifying tyre moved the 27-year-old up to ninth place, but in a typical late flurry of activity, he dropped down two places and will start his 10th MotoGP race from the fourth row.

“I made a change for the last qualifier and it was night and day difference. I found it difficult on the first three tyres and couldn’t break the 1.23 barrier. With that weight transfer problem pitching weight to the front, I wasn’t getting the best out of the extra grip from the qualifier because I didn’t have much feel from the rear going into the corners. I’ve got to say big thanks to my guys because at the end we made a slight change to the rear of the bike and I did a 22.1. Before that I’d hit a bit of a wall.  The change helped massively with the weight transfer and to go a second quicker from one qualifier to the next is a massive improvement. I’m only 11th but another half-a-second and I would have been on the front row, so I’m reasonably happy. I need to get a decent start and hold my position in the top ten because it is a long race and it could rain”, said Toseland.

Toseland also said the tight Sachsenring circuit has been one of the toughest tracks he has had to learn in his rookie campaign.

“Like I said yesterday, this is a tough track. The throttle control knowledge you need for this track is unbelievable. You have got to be so precise and it is almost like you have to learn which position of the throttle you need to be in rather than where you need to be on the track. Too little throttle and you’re going too slowly in the corner and too much and you run wide or it unsettles the balance of the bike. In terms of throttle control I’ve never known a track where you need to be so accurate for lines and apexes and its so hard because you spend so much time at full lean angle”, added the double World Superbike champion.