2017 Sachsenring MotoGP Qualifying Result: Getting The Crown A Little Wet

By Zara Daniela | Sat, 01/07/2017 - 13:16

A downpour towards the end of the Q1 set the mood on wet for the second qualifying session of the MotoGP class. After escaping a challenging Q1, Danilo Petrucci confidently fired in a time over a second faster than his rivals, who were still getting a taste for the conditions. That experience helped him carry that speed throughout the session, the Italian looking set for a proper celebration tonight until the King of the Ring entered the court and snatched back his crown.

Marc Marquez put in the fastest time of the session on his final lap, while he already occupied top spot, to record his eighth consecutive pole position at the German track. It was an eventful afternoon for the world champion, who also rubbed fairings with Maverick Viñales, the Spaniards getting in each other’s way, with some friendly fire added by Petrucci back in parc fermé.

Dani Pedrosa also looked like a contender for pole early on, but the Spaniard had to settle for third position, placing the Pramac Ducati rider in a Honda sandwich on the front row.

Cal Crutchlow added yet another Honda to the second row of the grid, which will be shared with Jonas Folger as the lead Yamaha in the session and the factory Ducati of Jorge Lorenzo.

Pol Espargaro worked wonders in the rain to fight his way out of Q1 as the rain hit hard and didn’t stop there – the Spaniard qualified seventh, on the third row of the grid and gets bragging rights in the Espargaro household, Aleix finishing right behind him. Valentino Rossi gambled on the medium rear in the final minutes of the session, as a dry line was appearing, and improved but not substantially, the Italian completing the third row.

Andrea Dovizioso could not conjure up any magic in the wet and will start tenth. His only consolation is that his main rival in the championship starts right behind him, Maverick Viñales unable to put his Yamaha any higher than eleventh, ahead of Alvaro Bautista.

Johann Zarco will have to pull off something special as he could only manage nineteenth position in the tricky conditions of Q1.

Results:

Pos. Num. Rider Bike Time Gap 1st Prev.
1 93 Marc MARQUEZ Honda 1'27.302    
2 9 Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 1'27.462 0.160 0.160
3 26 Dani PEDROSA Honda 1'27.949 0.647 0.487
4 35 Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 1'28.089 0.787 0.140
5 94 Jonas FOLGER Yamaha 1'28.210 0.908 0.121
6 99 Jorge LORENZO Ducati 1'28.383 1.081 0.173
7 44 Pol ESPARGARO KTM 1'28.402 1.100 0.019
8 41 Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 1'28.526 1.224 0.124
9 46 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 1'28.669 1.367 0.143
10 4 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 1'28.703 1.401 0.034
11 25 Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 1'28.823 1.521 0.120
12 19 Alvaro BAUTISTA Ducati 1'28.968 1.666 0.145
    Q1 Results:        
Q2 9 Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 1'27.688    
Q2 44 Pol ESPARGARO KTM 1'27.695 0.007 0.007
13 43 Jack MILLER Honda 1'27.967 0.279 0.272
14 76 Loris BAZ Ducati 1'27.979 0.291 0.012
15 38 Bradley SMITH KTM 1'28.015 0.327 0.036
16 29 Andrea IANNONE Suzuki 1'28.103 0.415 0.088
17 36 Mika KALLIO KTM 1'28.285 0.597 0.182
18 8 Hector BARBERA Ducati 1'28.404 0.716 0.119
19 5 Johann ZARCO Yamaha 1'28.444 0.756 0.040
20 17 Karel ABRAHAM Ducati 1'28.625 0.937 0.181
21 22 Sam LOWES Aprilia 1'28.659 0.971 0.034
22 42 Alex RINS Suzuki 1'29.504 1.816 0.845
23 45 Scott REDDING Ducati 1'29.578 1.890 0.074
24 53 Tito RABAT Honda 1'30.028 2.340 0.450

 

2017
9
MotoGP
Sachsenring, Germany
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Comments

Congratulations to Marc Marquez. He is definately doing his job very well this week-end. making the most of the Honda's strength in the tight corners & getting max performance from the bike for the rest of the lap.

I feel M.M.93 & Dani Pedrosa could achieve good results here. Sunday arvo the championship might be even closer!!

Another Awesome ride from Danilo Petrucci number 9 Nine tenths quicker than JLo 99. Danilo 9 & Dovi 04 are the best hopes for Ducati. It is good to see Jorge do better in qualy. It seems J.L99 is competitive in the wet when there is good consistent grip. not so rapid when conditions are a bit sketchy.

Interesting times, Jack Miller & Loris Baz, even Bradley Smith, did good times but in the wrong session. They would have, could have, maybe should have been the second row between Dani Pedrosa & Cal Crutchlow. But if you don't get into Q2 then you miss out. that is the same for every racer in the paddock.

Well done Pol & KTM only a fiftieth of a second faster & they might have taken Lorenzo's place on the second row. OOps his time from Q1 1m 27.695 seconds was good enough for the front row. should be a good race.

David Emmett, good on you for actually riding to Saxonring, two wheels good.

Never mind the weather enjoy the golden age of motorcycle grand prix racing.