Edwards and Crutchlow set for Sachsenring The 2011 MotoGP World Championship reaches the halfway stage this weekend with Monster Yamaha Tech 3 riders Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow determined to deliver strong performances at Germany’s Sachsenring circuit. Experienced American Edwards is looking to consolidate his place inside the top 10 in the overall rankings having scored points in six of the seven races he’s started in 2011. And he’s determined to leave Europe full of confidence ahead of his crucial home round at the spectacular and challenging Laguna Seca track in California on July 24. His best result at Sachsenring was fourth position in 2007 and he is confident the improving handling perf ormance from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 this season will be a crucial advantage in dealing with the demands of the 2.281 miles track. This weekend presents another big challenge for British rookie Crutchlow, who will be making his Sachsenring debut. The 25-year-old is concentrating all his efforts on bouncing back from difficult races in Assen and Mugello recently and is aiming for a welcome return to the top 10. Sachsenring is the shortest track on the World Championship schedule but certainly one of the most challenging, the undulating layout made up of predominantly left-hand corners. A tight and twisty first section is ended by one of the most jaw-dropping turns on the calendar. Turn 11 is taken flat-out in fifth gear with a blind entry that drops down to a left-hander at the bottom of the hill, which has become a favourite overtaking point. Immediately after Sunday’s 30-lap race, the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team heads off to Laguna Seca for the first of two visits to America in the space of five weeks. Colin Edwards, 9th – 53 points: “The last two races haven’t been that fantastic but we can point to a bad tyre choice in both for that. We’ve got to take some responsibility for that but sometimes you roll the dice and gamble but the result doesn’t go your way. That’s all behind me now and I’m just concentrating 100 per cent on getting a good result in Germany this weekend. This track is pretty special with so many left-hand turns but our chassis is much better than last year, so I’m sure the bike will be easier to ride in the tight and twisty sections. The break after Mugello has really helped my physical condition. I’ve been able to get some good rest and the muscle damage around the r ibs on the right side of my body isn’t as painful as it was. I’ll only understand how much of an improvement there’s been on Friday when I get on the bike, but I’m expecting a lot less discomfort than in Mugello where it was quite tough. Aside from 2003 when I had the fireball at the bottom of the hill, I’ve really enjoyed my time at Sachsenring. The German fans are really knowledgeable and they love MotoGP, so hopefully we can put on a good show for them. I’ll be looking for a good result to take some momentum into my home race at Laguna Seca, which is a huge weekend for me and one I’m already excited about.” Cal Crutchlow, 14th – 32 points: “Like a lot of tracks so far in 2011, I haven’t seen this one before but it looks really good on TV and I can’t wait to get started on Friday. The track is obviously dominated by left-hand turns but I’m not worried that is going to be a big p roblem for me. The left collarbone I broke at Silverstone last month is fine and I’m happy with the progress it is making. After all the weather disruptions of the last few weeks, I’m just hoping for a dry weekend so I can learn the track quicker. And I’m also hoping for hot conditions because that will give me an opportunity to solve some of the front-end issues I’ve been experiencing lately. When the temperature is hot I’ve had some issues with front-end feeling, so hopefully some hot weather will give us the perfect opportunity to find a solution. I’m confident I can be running back inside the top ten and getting the results I know that the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is capable of.” Circuit Introduction Car and bike races have been held on closed public roads in the area around the town of Chemnitz, Germany since the 1920s and were still taking place until as recently as 1990. It was decided, however, that the five mile course through such a densely populated area was no longer suitable and a new circuit was built five miles west of Chemnitz in 1996. Although mainly used as a driver training centre and road transport safety station, Sachsenring first hosted MotoGP in 1998 and many improvements have taken place since then, including a drastic layout enhancement in 2001. Numerous tight corners make it one of the slower tracks on t he calendar but there is never any shortage of close racing action. Circuit Info Length: 3.671 m. / 2,281 miles Width: 10m Left corners: 10 Right corners: 3 Longest straight: 700 m. / 0,435 miles Constructed: 1996 Modified: 2003 Circuit Records Fastest Lap: 2008 – Casey STONER (AUS) – Ducati: 1’21.067; 163.0 km/h Circuit Record: 2010 – Dani PEDROSA (SPA) – Honda: 1′ 21.882; 161.4 km/h Best Pole: 2008 – Casey STONER (AUS) – Ducati: 1’21.067; 163.0 km/h Top Speed: 2004 – Troy BAYLISS (AUS) – Ducati: 290.9 km/h