Round eight of the MotoGP World Championship is the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring in Hohenstein, Germany. The championship is dead even now. Can Jorge Lorenzo reclaim his points lead? This race at the Sachsenring is in Oberlungwitz, Germany. MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeletta has made some announcements. Only four bikes can be run per team and there are new ideas about CRT bikes. The schedule is still being ironed out.
The qualifying session was wet. In fifteen seconds, there were four polesitters! Nicky Hayden set fast laps but he was only able to manage seventh. Casey Stoner has pole even though Stefan Bradl, Dani Pedrosa and Ben Spies were also up there. Spies starts in second. Alvaro Bautista was penalized for crashing out Jorge Lorenzo in Holland. Colin Edwards is also running well. Stoner has his fourth pole of the year. This is Stefan Bradl's home race. Michele Pirro and Franco Battaini are two other riders to watch. Battaini is the test rider for Ducati, filling in for the injured Karel Abraham.
The bikes are on their warmup lap right now. This track is short and counterclockwise. It's the shortest track on the schedule, with thirteen turns. Turn 11 (the waterfall) is one of the best corners on the track. 30 laps is the race distance. Let's go get it!
At the start, Ben Spies gets the jump, but Dani Pedrosa is into the lead with Stoner passing Spies. Stefan Bradl is up to fifth. Jorge Lorenzo also has a good start. Cal Crutchlow loses three places into the Coca Cola Curve as the bikes go into the turn 9, 10, 11 complex, going to the final corner (the Sachsen Curve), to complete lap one. Lorenzo wants by Spies but cannot get there. This is a long race.
Lorenzo is trying to pass Spies while Bradl battles Cal Crutchlow. Alvaro Bautista is up to fourteenth, as the bikes come towards turn seven, into Stemquell. Casey Stoner flies by Pedrosa for the lead. Barbera passes Bradl and there's a battle between Valentino Rossi and Cal Crutchlow, too. Crutchlow holds off Bradl, chasing his team mate, Andrea Dovizioso. Jorge Lorenzo goes back through turn eight another time. Dani Pedrosa is a three-time winner at the Sachsenring. Dovizioso closes on Lorenzo.
Casey Stoner turns a 1:22.6 lap time which is slower than Pedrosa's record last year. Pedrosa ran 1:22.3 in Friday morning practice. Michele Pirro is out of the race. Stoner runs fast lap at 1:22.624. Can Pedrosa win this race? His last win was in the Japan round in 2011. Pedrosa sets fast lap and is a tenth up on Stoner on lap four. Alvaro Bautista has come to twelfth spot, knocking on the door of the top ten. Lorenzo passes Ben Spiesx. Bautista passes Randy de Puniet and is past all the CRT bikes.
Cal Crutchlow battles Andrea Dovizioso. Crutchlow continues battling his fractured ankle. Nicky Hayden wants to get by Stefan Bradl. He thought so through turn twelve but couldn't do it as there's a huge battl;e between Dovizioso and Spies. Dovizioso takes fourth spot away. Crutchlow is running Spies down too. Crutchlow (in a bold move) passes Spies. Jorge Lorenzo is no quicker than the two leaders by a tenth (1:23 flat to 1:23.1). Jorge Lorenzo has not won at the Sachsenring yet.
Some dark clouds are gathering. There might be some rain. But, it's not certain yet. Crutchlow wants to pass Dovizioso. But, can he do it? For next year, Crutchlow might land on a factory Ducati while Andrea Dovizioso is looking to go to the factory Yamaha squad. The two riders are running for the Tech 3 Yamaha satellite team right now. Seventeen laps left in the race. Spies is dropping off the pace of the two Tech 3 Yamaha's. Dovizioso can run into the turns better. Dani Pedrosa sets fast lap. Not sure of the time, though.
Stoner is pushing Pedrosa, just like the Crutchlow/Dovizioso scrap. The race is now half over. Fifteen laps down. Fifteen to go as the bikes come through turn seven again, (the Stemquell). In the downhill section, Pedrosa is nearly right behind Stoner, but, he's going to have to make a move if he wants the lead. Stoner sets a 1:23.1. He may be slowing just a bit. Dani Pedrosa has now taken the lead. He can get more points since Lorenzo is out and Lorenzo is technically tied with Jorge Lorenzo for the points lead. Lorenzo is out of it.
Stoner is booking it with ten laps left. He just set his fastest lap. Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi pass Hector Barbera. Stoner is closing on Pedrosa. He's really getting off the corners well. Can Stoner drive around Pedrosa? Not this time. Three Yamaha's battle for fourth. It's Crutchlow, Dovizioso and Spies. Hauden, Barbera and Rossi scrap too, with Hector Faubel knocking on the door. Pedrosa is a tenth up on Stoner. The Ducati team was thinking about getting the spare bikes but changed their minds. Rain could come before the end.
Seven laps left now. Jorge Lorenzo will lose his championship lead to Stoner after this race. The Dovizioso, Crutchlow and Spies scrap intensifies. Spies tried to putting the move on the two Monster Yamaha's, but couldn't quite do it. Cal Crutchlow goes too deep into turn one, and slides into the gravel trap. That is the Coca Cola curve. Crutchlow recovers, but loses tons of time. Four laps to go. Stoner wants by Pedrosa into turn twelve but can't get there. Andrea Dovizioso and Ben Spies battle and Stefan Bradl is now sixth with two laps to go. Can Stoner make a move? Not quite. Stoner slides. Can Stoner get around the outside? Stoner closes the line up.
Coming to turn one, Stoner will not give up as the two bikes passed a lapped rider. They climb the hill into turns four through six. This is the Stemquell. Rossi passes Hayden and Stefan Bradl hangs on. Bradl fends off Rossi. Final lap. It's Pedrosa vs. Stoner. Bradl is going to pass Rossi and Crutchlow passes Barbera and Bautista. Dani Pedrosa sets fastest lap! Pedrosa has to push like you know what. Who's going to do it? Pedrosa wiggles and Stoner falls! That's the race. Pedrosa wins it!
#26 Dani Pedrosa ESP Honda
The rain began falling. Dovizioso and Spies get the positions after Stoner's wipeout. The next round of the championship will be the Italian Grand Prix taking place next weekend at the Mugello circuit.
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