Round eight of the MotoGP World Championship is in Germany, at the Sachsenring, in Saxony, Germany. Dani Pedrosa is not racing today. After breaking his left collarbone, Jorge Lorenzo re-injured his shoulder. He won't race. Dani Pedrosa won't race either. He too, has injured his collarbone, and, he won't race, because he has had low blood pressure. Andrea Dovizioso also had a big wreck, too. MotoGP doctor, Dr. Caceres says that Lorenzo will have to wait to race in the United States, at Laguna Seca, next time out. Pedrosa will be able to race in California next week.
Marc Marquez has pole position. Here's a qualifying report. Lorenzo and Pedrosa are not in this race. So, Marc Marquez has pole, with Cal Crutchlow second, and Valentino Rossi, fourth. Stefan Bradl crashes, but starts fourth. Marc Marquez will race, even though his hand and foot has been hurt for a while. No German rider has won this race at the Sachsenring since 1974. Andrea Ianonne has a dislocated shoulder, and he won't race today either. The field rolls off for the race. Lorenzo will not race at the next race at Laguna Seca Raceway.
This race will be 30 laps. We're ready for a start. At the start, Cal Crutchlow gets the jump and Stefan Bradl passes Marc Marquez. But, it's Valentino Rossi going for the lead, and getting it. Rossi wants his second straight race win. Stefan Bradl gets a good start. Cal Crutchlow drops to fifth. Stefan Bradl takes the lead and the hometown crowd goes crazy! Marquez goes inside Aleix Espargaro. Alvaro Bautista and Cal Crutchlow are in the top spots, too. Tire wear won't be a concern right now. Rossi wants by Aleix Epsargaro into turn eight. No one is pulling away yet. Marquez passes Espargaro. It's Valentino Rossi and Stefan Bradl in front.
Yonny Hernandez from Colombia, crashes out. Game over. Bradley Smith is running farther down the order, and so is Nicky Hayden. Bradl has led in Moto 2 at the Sachsenring, but never in MotoGP. Valentino Rossi has won at the Sachsenring five times. Marquez is trying. Soimeone sets fast lap. Can't tell who it is. Alvaro Bautista will be back in MotoGP next year. Andrea Dovizioso passed Nicky Hayden. Claudio Corti and Danillo Petrucci are moving up. Crutchlow is trying his best. Can he bring Alvaro Bautista along?
This track is difficult to pass at as the bikes fly through turns seven and eight, That's just after a section of corners called Stemquell. Into the last corner, Crutchlow closes, and has the fastest race lap, going through Queckenberg Curve. Cal Crutchlow gains six tenths of a second as Valentino Rossi is flying. Bradl continues to lead. Rossi has a go at Crutchlow. Bradl and Marquez are side by side, and Marquez hangs onto the lead. Bradl has to push, now. Or Marquez will run away with things. This race is only six laps old. Rossi resets fast lap at 1:22.2.
Marquez looks to be checking out on the rest of the field. Stefan Bradl has been passed by Valentino Rossi. Bradl is doing all he can to keep Crutchlow from getting by. Bradl nearly falls into the last corner. Cal Crutchlow passes into the Coca Cola Curve. Can Rossi do anything with Marquez? They are matching lap times at the moment. 20 laps remain. Crutchlow sets his personal best lap at 1:21.1. Bradley Smith is up to sixth, battling with Andrea Dovizioso and Aleix Espargaro. Michele Pirro, subbing for Ben Spies, is also running well.
This is the first big lead we've seen Marquez have in a MotoGP race. When he won at Circuit of the Americas, he was battling with Dani Pedrosa. This time, he's trying to do what he could in Moto 2, and gain a lead without relinquishing it. Valentino Rossi has Cal Crutchlow all over him for second place through turn seven (the first part of Stemquell). Pedrosa is going to lose the lead in the world championship. Andrea Dovizioso passes Aleix Espargaro. Nicky Hayden is languishing in ninth. Rossi and Crutchlow run identical lap times, as Cal Crutchlow is doing his best.
Crutchlow passes Valentino Rossi. Fourteen laps remaining. This race is past halfway. Marquez runs fastest lap of the rac, and he has a 2.8 second lead. 1:22.056 is Marquez's fast lap time. Crutchlow has eaten 4/10ths out of Marquez's lead. He runs a 1:22 flat, just past halfway. Crutchlow continues to close on Marquez, with the gap shrinking to 2.1 seconds now. The Yamaha has a bit more grunt than the Honda uphill through the section of track between corners nine and eleven. Rossi and Bradl are still in contention. Alvaro Bautista runs fifth on a sister Honda to Bradl. This could be Michele Pirro's last race running on Ben Spies' bike. Alex de Angelis from Moto 2 will run next time out at Laguna Seca, and Spies should be back for the race at Indianapolis.
Marquez could lead the world championship if he wins this race. He has won, and he's the youngest ever MotoGP polesitter. There's a battle for seventh between Andrea Dovizioso and Aleix Espargaro. Colin Edwards moves up to 14th from 18th. Will Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa be fit enough for the next race at Laguna Seca? Lorenzo has had another screw, and a bone graft, put into his collarbone. Crutchlow is not giving up. Valentino Rossi is going to finish third, likely. Stefan Bradl has never finished on the podium in a MotoGP race. Bradl has incredible lean angle in his riding style, and he's revolutionizing how to ride a racing bike. So is Marquez.
Cal Crutchlow passes and laps Lukas Pesek. 23 riders finished last time out, all on the same lap at Assen. That has not happened, since a six lap race at the Nurburgring that the world championship riders ran in 1980. Does Marquez have enough to hold off Cal Crutchlow? Crutchlow is desperate. He wants to pass. Five laps remain now. Four now. It could be a bit too late for Crutchlow. Crutchlow is injured, still. But, he's got to go for it. His arm and his leg are not quite healed yet. Marquez plunges downhill into turn twelve. Bryan Staring, a lapped rider, will be passed by Marquez, and he pulls to the outside to let the leaders by.
Marquz is continuing to push, up the steep hill out of turn 13. Crutchlow wants by Bradl and Rossi. Marquez could lead the world championship going into Laguna Seca. Bryan Staring has fallen off his bike. He lost his rhythm, and fell down. Marquez is going to win this race, his second of the season, and will lead the world championship standings. It's not over yet. Rossi will get his third podium of the year. Stefan Bradl wants his first podium. But he's going to have to wait. Aleix Espargaro is pushing, too, fending off Nicky Hayden's challenge.
Marquez will win his second MotoGP race! He takes the lead in the world championship!
#93 Marc Marquez ESP Honda
The next race in MotoGP is the Red Bull United States Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California, coming up next weekend. Stay tuned for that, fans.
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