German MotoGP: Bradley Smith splashes to front row

Bradley Smith will start the German 125GP from second on the grid after a rain-lashed qualifying session at the Sachsenring this afternoon. The Oxfordshire rider clocked a best lap of 1.39.686 to claim his first front row start he was on pole position for the Italian GP in Mugello last month. But in atrocious conditions as heavy rain battered the Sachsenring circuit, Smith was 1.015s slower than Aspar Aprilia team-mate and main world title rival Julian Simon. The Spaniard impressed with a best lap of 1.38.671 to dominate the field, with only five other riders able to lap within two seconds of Simon, who starts tomorrow’s 27-lap race with a 5.5-point lead over Smith. Marc Marquez claimed his third front row start of the campaign with third place, but the Spaniard was a 0.324s further back from Smith, with wild card Marcel Schrotter springing a big shock by claiming the final spot on the front row. The German logged a best time of 1.40.486 to edge out Nicolas Terol for fourth. Terol was lying in second position with only four minutes remaining when he crashed out unhurt, the Spaniard only losing three places, as he had to settle for fifth. Danny Webb was limping heavily after his hopes of a decent grid position were dashed in the final minute following a big high-side at the spectacular at Turn 11. Downhill with a super-fast blind entry point, Webb high-side was on course for a personal best lap that looked certain to put him at least in the top six. But he crashed out and slipped down the rankings to 17th with a best time of 1.41.714. Scott Redding’s miserable weekend continued as he could only finish down in a bitterly disappointing 24th position. The 16-year-old, who crashed at Turn 11 in the dry yesterday when a leaking head gasket poured water onto the back wheel of his Blusens Aprilia, posted a best time of 1.43.192.

 

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