Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/844299
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 JULY 2017 53 Sport MOTOGP Marquez wins shootout for Sachsenring pole number eight The 'King of the Sachsenring' takes his eighth consecutive pole at the venue in a washed out Q2 - with Petrucci hot on the chase REIGNING World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has taken his eighth consecutive pole position at the Sachsenring, but it was anything but easy for the number 93 as he dueled Q1 graduate Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) for the honour under the Saturday afternoon rain. Only a tenth and a half back despite the conditions, 'Petrux' will start second to split the Repsol Hondas - with Dani Pedrosa completing the front row after a weekend of impressive pace. In a late rush for pole as the sun began to peek out, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was a key protagonist in the session and will start fourth, ahead of home hero and rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Jorge Lor- enzo (Ducati Team) completes the second row, putting in a solid performance as he gets to grips with the Desmosedici in the rain. Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Rac- ing) was the second man to move through from Q1, and the Spaniard took the Austrian factory's best ever qualif ying result in seventh to continue the incredible form into Q2. Older brother Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and nine-time World Champion Val- entino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) com- plete the third row. Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was another of those to have a slightly more difficult session to take tenth, but starts ahead of key rival in the points standings Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), who was eleventh fastest in the wet. Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) com- pletes the top twelve on the grid from Q2. Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) just missed the cut in Q1 and will start P13, with Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top fifteen. One big name further down the grid for the German GP is Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) after a more difficult weekend for the French rookie superstar, with Zarco readying himself to line up in P19. 2017 German MotoGP Grand Prix - Qualifying Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. M. Marquez Repsol Honda 01:27.302 10 2. D. Petrucci Pramac 01:27.462 10 3. D. Pedrosa Repsol Honda 01:27.949 10 4. C. Crutchlow LCR Honda 01:28.089 10 5. J. Folger Tech 3 01:28.210 10 6. J. Lorenzo Ducati 01:28.383 11 7. P. Espargaro KTM 01:28.402 10 8. A. Espargaro Aprilia 01:28.526 10 9. V. Rossi Yamaha 01:28.669 9 10. A. Dovizioso Ducati 01:28.703 10 11. M. Viñales Yamaha 01:28.823 10 12. A. Bautista Aspar 01:28.968 10