BEFORE THE SUMMER BREAK, RIDERS GET TO SACHSENRING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY AT THE SHORTEST CIRCUIT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP, HIGHLY COMPLICATED FOR THE CROWDED MOTO2 CATEGORY Sachsenring. This weekend the Grand Prix of Germany will take place; eighth round of the World Championship and last one before the summer break for the categories 125cc and Moto2. The location is the Circuit of Sachsenring, the shortest circuit of the championship with only 3.675 metres. For the riders of the team Blusens-STX this is a new circuit where they must be careful in order to avoid traffic problems due to the small longitude and great amount of riders participating in the Moto2 category. Yonny Hernández races again with the objective of scoring some points, which would mean his third GP in a row and fifth in the season marking points. He wants to improve his position in the general standing, where he is now 20th. His team mate Mashel Al Naimi will try to finish the race one more time and make it his fifth race reaching his objectives (he has participated in five out of seven events of the championship). In 125cc, Tito Rabat expects to be luckier than in his previous two visits to Sachsenring, when he could not finish the race. In 2008 he crashed in the last lap and last year he crashed in the second lap. His best result in Germany is 12th place in 2007, so his aim is to improve this position. Therefore, he needs to classify closer to pole; he was 39th in 2006 in his debut at this circuit, 10th in 2007 and 2008 and 27th last year. 68 YONNY HERNÁNDEZ: “I am as motivated as always, but even more because I have not been in a competition for ten days. These weeks I have practiced in Alcañiz for a couple of days, I have spent time with my family who came to Montmeló, I have trained in the gym and I have been with my brother Santi in the CEV at Motorland. I do not know Sachsenring, but I think it is very technical. It is the shortest of the championship and it has a slow part and a very fast one in the back. I also know there is a very cool descent, but we will have to wait to see how it is. We must dedicate the free practices to getting knowledge of the circuit and adapting to the track, as well as pursuing the best setting for the bike in order to classify in a good place. However, we have to be cautious, because the traffic will be intense in our category. To do a fast lap will be very complicated because it is going to be so full of bikes. It can be dangerous, but we have to be smart and avoid an accident.” 95 MASHEL AL NAIMI: “We are facing another new circuit, but I am very motivated after last week’s practice at Alcañiz, where I did this fantastic progression. I am really happy. Ricard Jové and the team helped me a lot and I want to thank them for the inspiration. It really worked. I have also practiced with supermotard and I am looking forward to ride on a Moto2 again. Every day I understand this category a little better; now I know that you have to do your best time in the qualifying practice, preferably doing two or three fast laps. I know nothing about Sachsenring, I have just seen some pictures and drawings. But I am certain the circuit is small and the first turn is very closed, so we will have to pay attention not to crash or be hit by anyone. It is going to be spectacular, but dangerous. My idea for Friday is to learn the basics, the shape, and later on try to find the ideal times and setting.” 12 TITO RABAT: “After crashing twice I arrive to Sachsenring with the goal of finishing the race and with a good result if possible. I like this circuit quite a lot, it combines fast areas and slow ones. Although I have not been lucky last two years I expect to classify as good as in 2007 and 2008, when I was 10th. I will try to maintain a calmed attitude, because in the last events I have not done well and I think it might be due to an excess of pressure. Also, last two seasons I did not finish the race here and this can not happen again. We can not make mistakes, since my potential and working level is good enough to be in the top positions, which we will try to recuperate.” More, from a press release issued by FTR MOTO: CATALUNYA PACE LEAVES FTR RIDERS READY FOR GERMANY FTR MOTO is looking for a third race win of the year in Sunday’s eighth round of the Moto2 World Championship at Sachsenring in Germany after thrilling displays by its riders in the last round at Catalunya, Spain two weeks ago. Karel Abraham, on the Cardion AB Motoracing Team’s FTR M210 took a career-best fourth place in Spain and climbed seven places to 15th in the World Championship points standings. Abraham is now looking to the Sachsenring race to continue his progress and ensure he is in a competitive position for his home round at Brno, Czech Republic, on August 22, round nine of the Championship. Andrea Iannone looked set to scoop his third win of the year in Catalunya adding to his dominant displays in Italy and Holland before a yellow flag incident led to a ride through penalty for the FIMMCO Speed Up Team rider, leaving him in an eventual 13th place at the finish. Iannone’s team-mate Gabor Talmacsi is 10th in the Championship, has a best finish so far of fifth place, in France, and will be out to repeat his 125cc World Championship victory at the German track in his title-winning 2007 season. Alex Debon is further recovered from his shoulder injury and the Catalunya first corner crash and will be hoping to emulate his opening round runner-up place in Qatar on the Aeroport de Castello-Ajo Team M210. “The last round in Catalunya was a definite step forward for us,” said FTR’s Steve Bones. “We need to continue to prove that the FTR M210 can adapt to each of the circuits on the world Championship calendar, we’ve done OK so far and now Germany’s tight and undulating Sachsenring circuit is the next step. “The results of the four guys on our machines have been really promising with all of them performing well and we’ve had high and lows in terms of race results at each of the rounds so far. I’m now hoping for the day when all of them get to the sharp end of a race hopefully on Sunday in Germany. “We’ve further improved the M210 and Kev Coghlan’s win at Aragon in the Spanish Championship last Sunday again confirmed that we are heading in the right direction with the delicate changes and improvements we are making and we again look forward to the feedback from the riders at the Sachsenring circuit this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda: Sachsenring, 15 July: The battle for the 2010 MotoGP World Championship approaches its halfway point this weekend with the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring race track at 80km from Dresden. LCR Honda MotoGP Team racer Randy de Puniet goes into this eighth race of 18 events holding the fifth position in the points chase continuing his and the LCR Honda team’s superb progress in 2010. The 29-year-old has been the talk of the last few races with a series of stunning performances aboard his satellite-spec RC212V. The hard-riding Frenchman has started the last three races from the front row of the grid and at Catalunya rode to a fourth-place finish, his best result of the year so far. De Puniet: “I’m look forward to racing in Germany and I believe we can get a strong result this weekend. In the last three races we had a very good race pace; it’s a great feeling to fight with the factory bikes and riders. The German track is very short the first part is very slow then the second part is quite a lot faster. I have been very fast in the T1 and sections T2 and also in the final section but last year I could not finish the race as I crashed out. But now I must remain focused on my target to keep my position as the best privateer”. More, from a press release issued by Dorna Communications: Valentino Rossi will make his return to racing this weekend in the eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland at Sachsenring, just six weeks after fracturing his right tibia in a practice crash ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello. The 31-year-old reigning World Champion, who tested at Misano and Brno before making the decision to race this weekend, was passed fit to race by the Sachsenring circuit medical officer today and will definitely take to the track for tomorrow afternoon’s opening free practice session. “Immediately after the crash the doctors said it could be five months before I was fit to return; maybe five months to play football, but I just need to ride the bike,” declared Rossi during today’s pre-event press conference. “The feeling in Misano was quite positive and the feeling in Brno was even better, so we made the decision to return this weekend at Sachsenring. I’m in pretty good shape, but it will be difficult over full race distance I think.” “These two races at Sachsenring and Laguna are very important if I am to comeback in good shape for the last five or six races of the season and try again to win. My shoulder has improved a lot as well, but there is still some pain. The injury to the leg was worse, sure, but I think it will be less of a problem on the bike than the shoulder.” Rossi refused to confirm or deny the rumours about a possible move to Ducati for the 2011 season, telling the assembled journalists: “It’s too early to say now, but I think we will be ready to announce our plans for 2011 at Brno.” Yamaha test rider Wataru Yoshikawa is also at Sachsenring, ready to step in and ride the Fiat Yamaha M1 for the second time should Rossi suffer any problems with his injury during free practice on Friday. Jorge Lorenzo arrives at Sachsenring with a 52-point lead in the Championship, after three successive wins during a run of form that has seen the Mallorcan finish on the podium at every race so far this season. Lorenzo has never won at Sachsenring in any class, but finished a very close second to Rossi last season. For the first time the Fiat Yamaha rider admitted to thinking about the championship during the press conference. “It would be a pleasure to win here, and we will try, but there is no pressure and I have to think a little about the championship also,” declared Lorenzo. “It will be a hard race; the distance is the same as any other Grand Prix, but we will have to complete 30 laps here because of the length of the circuit.” “I think everyone is happy to see Valentino back and, from my side, I’m looking forward to fighting with him once again,” said Lorenzo, when asked about the return of his teammate. Dani Pedrosa, currently lying second in the championship standings, has mixed memories of Sachsenring. The Repsol Honda rider won here in 2007. The following year Pedrosa was leading both the race and the championship when he crashed out and sustained an injury that effectively ended his championship challenge. The Spaniard finished on the podium once again in 2008 and is looking for a repeat performance here this weekend. “The last two races have not been so bad, and this track has been a good one for us in the past,” said Pedrosa. “I’m certainly looking forward to the weekend ahead, although the weather looks to be a little unsettled.” After back-to-back podium finishes at Assen and Catalunya, Casey Stoner is looking for his first win of the season this weekend, at a circuit where he won in 2008 for Ducati. The recent announcement that Stoner would leave Ducati for Honda next season guaranteed that the Australian was questioned on the subject at today’s pre-event press conference. “It was an emotional decision because there have been a lot of good times with Ducati, but we decided we wanted a new challenge for next season,” explained Stoner. “I’m excited about this weekend and the rest of the season, but I’m also looking forward to what the future will hold.” The Australian was also glad to see the return of Rossi to the MotoGP grid after his enforced absence through injury. “I haven’t really been able to really challenge Jorge so far this season, but once Vale gets back up to speed then I’m sure he’ll give him a run for his money!” Making his return to the MotoGP grid this weekend for the first time since Valencia last season is Alex De Angelis. The Italian will replace the injured Hiroshi Aoyama on the Interwetten Honda at Sachsenring and Laguna Seca, with the possibility of additional races should Aoyama’s recovery take longer than expected. “This is a big chance for me and I’d like to thank the Interwetten Team and Honda for this opportunity,” declared De Angelis. “I will do my best to get a good result, but it will be difficult without any testing. Starting here at Sachsenring makes things a little bit easier for me, as this is my favourite circuit.” Earlier in the day Tom Luthi, Stefan Bradl, Sandro Cortese and Arne Tode got a tour of the world in miniature at the Mini Welt landscape park, which is situated close to the Sachsenring circuit. As well as famous German landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate and the Dresdner Frauenkirche, the riders were also able to admire landmarks from around the globe including the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty, all faithfully reproduced in miniature. More, from a press release issued by Damian Cudlin’s publicist: CUDLIN TO MAKE GRAND PRIX DEBUT Australia’s Damian Cudlin will be the latest edition to the most hotly contested class in the world right now, the Moto2 GP World Championship. Having recently performed testing duties for the Pons/Kalex Racing Team in Aragaon Spain, Cudlin was asked to fill in for the injured Axle Pons at the German Grand Prix in Sachsenring on the weekend. The current German IDM Supersport Championship leader was asked to join the squad by team manager Sito Pons, who was impressed with Cudlin’s speed and development skills at the recent Aragon test. “It’s still hasn’t really sunk in that I’ll be making my GP debut this weekend.” Cudlin gleamed. “With so much politics involved in this sport, I always thought riding in GP would remain as just a dream for me, but now, here I am! I’m really excited about this opportunity and am very grateful to the Pons/Kalex Team for giving me a chance. I feel like the luckiest guy in the paddock right now.” Cudlin won the last round of the German IDM series at Sachsenring just a month ago, so favours ‘local knowledge’ as one of his strengths coming into this weekend. “The Moto2 World Championship is filled with some of the best riders in the world, so I’m aware how tough this will be. I just want to make the most of the experience, give 110% and see what happens. I’ve got nothing to lose, so who knows?” The race will also mark the return of Valentino Rossi, back from injury. A crowd of over 200,000 people is expected to witness all the action over 16/17/18th of July.