MotoGP Germany: Preview of the race weekend

06/15/2021 |
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MotoGP

Image: GeeBee Pictures

After a dramatic GP in Catalonia, the Liqui Moly Motorcycle Grand Prix Germany attracts to the first race weekend in another clash of MotoGP. The narrow and winding venue is a different challenge than most, and traditionally there is a single king of the Sachsenring: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).

With seven wins out of seven in his MotoGP time – and a few before that – the number 93 was almost invulnerable on the track, but this time he’s making a comeback after an injury and the flashes of brilliance have been very big so far Fight for the eight-time world champion.

“Like old Marc” was his review of the laps he drove in Barcelona, ​​and on Monday in the post-race test he drove more laps than anyone else. So is it too early to expect the king to return to the throne?

If he doesn’t, there will be a somewhat blank slate behind him. Traditionally, however, in recent years the next bike after the winner has been a Yamaha. Will it be like this this time? Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will hope so after a dramatic end to his race in Barcelona, ​​where the winning pace turned into sixth place in the final result after two penalties.

He will want to regain that ground, and teammate Maverick Viñales will want to catch up fully – something also goes for Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Franco Morbidelli and Valentino Rossi as some tougher times continue in their garage.

Traditionally, another Honda has sometimes made it onto the podium alongside Marc Marquez. The brand’s top rider is Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and he wants this good shape for the bike on the track to become a friendlier weekend in Germany after a jump recently.

After all, in 2021 he was already fourth, no matter how difficult the year was sometimes. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) will also watch the machine’s past performance to strengthen themselves. And what did HRC find out in the post-Catalan GP test?

The lesser known names in terms of track record go for the rest. Ducati, who started tied with Yamaha at the top of the constructors’ championship, seemed to be getting closer and closer to the top in Germany as their bike was designed to turn better and better . And this season it’s seemingly better than ever.

Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) praised the machine after his podium finish in Catalonia and offered a short “We’ll see” about the Sachsenring, but 2021 says so far there is more reason to be optimistic than ever. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will have a few eyes on him too, with the Italian’s driving style and cornering speed being a major topic of conversation earlier in the year, but his Barcelona weekend was a little more subdued.

However, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) prevailed last time. The Frenchman was the top rider of the independent team and top Ducati – as in the overall standings, although Miller in particular is gaining ground – and has significantly reduced his gap to the top two penalties after Quartararos.

What can he do? He had a harder time on the Yamaha track, or even more so in 2017 compared to the exploits of his then teammate Jonas Folger, but Zarco won the Moto2 ™ race on track in 2016, just 0.083 behind the same year before . So he knows his way around … can he do it in the premier class?

In front of all the Borgo Panigale machines in Barcelona, ​​however, was Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The Portuguese gave an outstanding boost – and a smart one – on Sunday to exit the Catalonia GP with his first win in factory colors and he’s another one with some good stats in his past on the track, just 0.066 off the win in Moto2 2017 only behind Morbidelli.

Teammate Brad Binder won the Moto2 race the following year. Since this is a stretch where the Austrian factory has no 2020 data and a best result outside of the top ten given the speed of its rise, will it be more of an arduous struggle at this particular – and in some ways peculiar – venue? Or are the drivers, the previous mileage and the updates of the RC16 ready to pick up where they left off?

Meanwhile, Suzuki has a few highlights that give rise to optimism – besides a bike that is extremely easy to steer. First is a fourth place on the grid for Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) on the 2019 grid, the last time we drove at the Sachsenring, although he did not finish the race and arrives in front of Barcelona struggling to be fit after a bike accident .

But the other is his team-mate – and the reigning champion – Joan Mir’s seventh place in 2019. Looking back on the Mallorcan’s record on the track in his short, steep climb to the top of the MotoGP world, the Moto3 ™ win is rising the way to the title, to the best Moto2 result at the time in 2018 a second place. And then straight to seventh place as a MotoGP ™ rookie – his second-best result in the premier class at the time, behind Barcelona, ​​where he finished sixth.

Since then he has become world champion and Suzuki team champion. So what can you do at the Sachsenring this time when you have established yourself at the top?

After all, the fight for the top 5 continues for Aprilia and will continue in Germany. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) came close, but in the end achieved her best result in the MotoGP ™ era, sixth place, which speaks for an impressive season, but one that is fixed on one goal: the top 5 and the Podium.

Aleix Espargaro skipped the post-GP test to Catalonia after falling out of the race, but his arm was examined after previous arm pump surgery. Everything is fine and the number 41 will strive for more fame in Germany … can he crack the top 5 this time?