Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/712794
48 THE surprises had hardly stopped as the MotoGP World Champion- ship headed out for Q2 to decide the grid for the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha Mo- toGP) had made it into the session by the skin of his teeth, crashing while on a flying lap in Q1. Most riders elected to do two runs, the field roaring out of the pits with under five minutes re- maining. It was with this that the king of Sachsenring made himself known, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) setting a 1'21.160 to take his fourth straight pole position in the premier class. The Spaniard is looking to continue his perfect record in Sachsenring, hav- ing won from pole for the last three years in the premier class and set- ting the fastest lap along the way. His incredible record extends even beyond that, having not stepped off the top step in Germany since his first win there in 2010. Behind him was a marvellous Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing), the Spaniard taking his second ever front row start in the premier class. His first came back in 2012 at the Italian GP, on a Ducati for that race as well. Not only was he the leading Independent Team rider, but also the leading Ducati and the only Ducati man on the front row. Second place is Barbera's best grid position in the premier class and his best Qualifying result since his last race in the 250cc class at Va- lencia in 2009. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yama- ha MotoGP) will complete the front row for the German GP, half a second off pole position. 'The Doctor' was pleased to stay on the front row after traffic got in the way during his second run on track with new tyres. Rossi's race pace looks strong enough to chal- lenge Marquez and he'll be hoping to end Honda's domination of the German circuit. Having already failed to score on three occasions in 2016, he needs to get back on the podium. Having set an identical time to Rossi, Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pra- mac Yakhnich) will lead the sec- ond row of the grid ahead of Pol Es- pargaro (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Marquez may have had a distinct advantage with his pole time, but both Espargaro and Petrucci were within a tenth of second place. Maverick Viñales (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Aleix Espargaro (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) and Dani Pedrosa (Ducati Team) formed the rest of the top ten. Just as sectors started to flash red Jorge Lorenzo suffered his second crash within 30 minutes, coming off at Turn 1. His day could hardly get any worse, the factory Yamaha man set to line up in 11th. This is his worst grid position since he was 12th at the Dutch GP in 2013 after breaking his collarbone. Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team) fell just five minutes into the ses- sion at Turn 1 as he began his sec- ond flying lap. It was a small crash but took valuable time away from the session and forced him to use his second bike. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 JULY 2016 Sport MOTOGP Qualifying - 2016 German MotoGP Grand Prix Pos. Driver Team Time Laps 1. M. Marquez Repsol Honda 01:21.160 8 2. H. Barbera Avintia 01:21.572 8 3. V. Rossi Yamaha 01:21.666 9 4. D. Petrucci Pramac 01:21.666 8 5. P. Espargaro Tech 3 01:21.738 7 6. M. Vinales Suzuki 01:21.784 9 7. A. Dovizioso Ducati 01:21.858 9 8. A. Espargaro Suzuki 01:21.883 9 9. A. Iannone Ducati 01:21.890 7 10. D. Pedrosa Repsol Honda 01:21.892 10 11. J. Lorenzo Yamaha 01:22.088 5 12. Y. Hernandez Aspar 01:22.346 8 Faultless Marquez takes pole as disaster strikes for Lorenzo No issues for Marc Marquez as he cruises to pole position yet again in Germany, Lorenzo having a less than ideal day Marc Marquez Lorenzo says gains made amid crashes REIGNING World Champion Jorge Lorenzo is adamant that he and Yamaha have made progress across the course of the German Grand Prix weekend despite an unusual spate of crashes for the Spaniard. Lorenzo struggled for pace at the Sachsenring and lan- guished in 15th position after the third practice session, meaning he had to participate in Q1. Lorenzo scraped through by just 0.046s despite a crash at Turn 8 but was on the back foot once more in Q2 and had set only the 11th best time when he slid off at Turn 1, his third accident of the weekend. "Three mistakes on my part are not normal for me, but this week- end it happened," said Lorenzo. "I'm disappointed about the crashes and the position, but ulti- mately I could see a big improve- ment. "During every practice session we improved the bike and finally we were very competitive with the new tyre, especially in Q1. The lap on which Lorenzo crashed in Q2 was his sole attempt on fresh tyres, having completed his earlier effort on used rubber, and he believes that factor ex- plains his deficit. "I imagined that if I put on a new tyre I could be on the first or second row, but unfortunately I wasn't able to finish the lap," he explained.