German MotoGP: Marquez takes pole at crashfest Sachsenring

Marc Marquez is on pole for tomorrow’s German Grand prix, after a weekend of big crashes has led to a much-depleted grid for the race.

Championship favourites Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa both sat out today’s qualifying sessions after crashes. Lorenzo suffered a big highside yesterday, bending the plate inserted into his already broken shoulder only weeks ago. He will sit out the remainder of the weekend after undergoing fresh surgery this afternoon.

Pedrosa crashed in free practice this morning; damaging a left shoulder he has years of problems with. Although not reported as broken, he was helicoptered to a local hospital for CT scans to determine the damage. However, a big knock to his head could be the real problem, with results of a concussion test determining his race fitness.

Cal Crutchlow was the best of the Yamahas, bouncing back himself from a big crash yesterday to finish one place ahead of Valentino Rossi. Rossi, Marquez and Crutchlow spent most of the session swapping the lead, before a blistering lap from Marquez left the Yamahas to decide the rest of the front row.

Fourth was local star Stefan Bradl, although is best chances for a front row start were dashed when he lsot the front and went down on his second lap, and was forced onto his number two bike for the remainder of the session.

Fifth was a phenomenal ride for Aleix Espargaro on his Aprilia CRT machine, out-qualifying most of the MotoGP machines, with Nicky Hayden the best of the Ducatis finishing out the second row.

Bradley Smith was sixth, ahead of the Gresini Honda of Bautista and the second factory Ducati of Dovizioso. Claudio Corti and Danilo Petrucci were ten and eleven, advancing from Q1, while twelfth is Pedrosa’s, after his free practice time yesterday.

Michael Laverty managed his best MotoGP qualifying so far, and will start tomorrow’s session from 16th.

Marquez told the tv cameras after the session “on the first run I was struggling to find grip on the front type, but on the second run I felt good. Crutchlow and Valentino are going to be good tomorrow so it won’t be easy. I’m ready to fight for the podium and, if we’re lucky, the victory.”

Crutchlow said afterwards “To be even on the bike today has been really difficult. I’m not really with it today, I’ve had two big crashes and I’m really feeling it on my body. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day.”

1 1’21.311 93 Marc MARQUEZ Honda
2 1’21.434 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW Yamaha
3 1’21.493 46 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha
4 1’21.862 6 Stefan BRADL Honda
5 1’21.887 41 Aleix ESPARGARO ART
6 1’22.157 69 Nicky HAYDEN Ducati
7 1’22.297 38 Bradley SMITH Yamaha
8 1’22.484 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA Honda
9 1’22.561 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati
10 1’23.059 71 Claudio CORTI FTR Kawasaki
11 1’23.361 9 Danilo PETRUCCI Ioda-Suter
12 1’22.221 26 Dani PEDROSA Honda
13 1’23.152 14 Randy DE PUNIET ART
14 1’23.333 8 Hector BARBERA FTR
15 1’23.349 51 Michele PIRRO Ducati
16 1’23.549 70 Michael LAVERTY PBM
17 1’23.565 68 Yonny HERNANDEZ ART
18 1’23.631 5 Colin EDWARDS FTR Kawasaki
19 1’23.752 17 Karel ABRAHAM ART
20 1’23.820 7 Hiroshi AOYAMA FTR
21 1’24.395 52 Lukas PESEK Ioda-Suter
22 1’27.273 67 Bryan STARING FTR Honda
23 1’23.008 29 Andrea IANNONE Ducati