MotoGP

Stoner Grabs Pole In Thrilling German GP Qualifying

2 Mins read

Casey Stoner snatched the 39th pole position of his MotoGP career but few will have been achieved in more dramatic circumstances than today at the Sachsenring. The session took place in wet conditions but the grip levels were rapidly improving in the dying seconds, seeing no fewer than eleven changes of polesitter.

In the worst of the conditions, Stoner was the fastest man but the world champion was given a fright 25 minutes in when his Honda RC213V broke down on him, forcing him to pull off at the Omega corner, which allowed Stefan Bradl to sneak in front of him to the delight of the home crowd. The rain started to fall heavier again, increasing hopes of a fairytale pole for Bradl but with just under ten minutes remaining, everybody rushed out for a final push, and the mayhem began.

The first change of leader came as Jorge Lorenzo clocked a 1:34.390, three tenths up on Bradl, but the Ducati's prowess in the wet showed soon afterwards as Nicky Hayden took over. The next change saw more good news for American fans as Ben Spies moved to the top of the order and despite brief spells at the front for Bradl and Cal Crutchlow, Spies was still on top with four minutes to go.

Bradl sent the spectators wild once more with a 1:32.738 but the joy was short-lived again as Hayden and Spies outpaced him seconds later. Stoner, now on his spare motorcycle, was languishing down in seventh but with a minute remaining, produced a 1:32.414 to demote the American pair.

With the chequered flag out, pole position was still up for grabs and Crutchlow was the first to overtake Stoner on a 1:32.288 but Dani Pedrosa restored Repsol Honda's supremacy within a matter of seconds. Spies then broke into the 1:31s to give Yamaha hope of pole but Stoner snuffed that out pretty quickly, with a 1:31.796 finally settling the argument. Spies and Pedrosa will complete the front row.

Jorge Lorenzo could only manage fifth in the mad scramble at the end with Stefan Bradl's brave challenge only yielding sixth. Nicky Hayden fell all the way back to seventh with Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi also missing out in the end to finish on the third row.

Aleix Espargaro will start a superb tenth on the Aspar CRT machine with Hector Barbera behind him in eleventh while James Ellison in nineteenth on the grid. Alvaro Bautista had set the eleventh quickest time but the penalty imposed from Assen will drop him to the back.

Avatar photo
5101 posts

About author
MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and WorldSBK writer for The Checkered Flag. Contact: [email protected]
Articles
Related posts
MotoGPNASCAR Cup Series

Trackhouse Racing Team entering MotoGP in 2024

1 Mins read
NASCAR Cup Series team Trackhouse Racing will become a MotoGP team in 2024 as they partner with Aprilia to field bikes for Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez.
DakarMotoGP

Marc Marquez shoots down running Dakar Rally on bike

3 Mins read
As much as MotoGP great Marc Márquez likes the Dakar Rally, he has no interest in racing it on a bike. While it has its own challenges, he did not necessarily rule out a run on four wheels.
MotoGPSportscars

MotoGP star Rossi announced as BMW M Motorsports driver for 2023

2 Mins read
BMW M Motorsport has announced the MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi as a works driver for 2023