Motorcycle World Championship
Hoping for a “motorsport folk festival” at the Sachsenring
Jonas Folger from Germany from the Gasgas Factory Racing Tech3 Team in action. photo
© Jan Woitas/dpa
The rush and enthusiasm of the fans before the motorcycle races at the Sachsenring are huge – despite the poor chances of success for the local heroes. Questions and answers about the German Grand Prix.
A German pilot with a chance of winning the home race of the motorcycle world championship at the Sachsenring is not in sight. The rush of fans will still be great. Thomas Voss from the organizer ADAC is hoping for a “motorsport folk festival” despite the rain on Friday – there are good reasons for that.
Which German hopefuls are there?
Thanks to the short-notice nomination of Jonas Folger, at least two local heroes are at the start. The test and reserve rider from the manufacturer GasGas will again stand in for the injured Pol Espargaró in the MotoGP class. Following his long break from racing, Folger has struggled to keep up. This weekend, too, he should hardly have a chance to assert himself against the strong competition. In Moto2, Lukas Tulovic is the only regular German driver. He lags behind his own expectations. After the first two free practice sessions, he was 23rd in the combined timesheets.
Why doesn’t Stefan Bradl start?
Although Joan Mir is out with the Honda factory team and Alex Rins is also unable to drive for the LCR satellite team after an operation, those responsible have decided against Stefan Bradl as a substitute. A mission at the Sachsenring was “too short-term”, said Bradl. Instead, he works as a TV expert.
Who are the favorites in the premier class?
In all classes, Marc Márquez has only failed to win once at the Sachsenring since the 2010 season. Last year, when Fabio Quartararo won, he was absent. However, Márquez’ employer Honda is having difficulties. That’s why the role of favorites goes to Ducati and World Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia. At the last Grand Prix in Mugello, four Ducati riders finished in the first four places. “But they are vulnerable here because they cannot play to their great strengths due to the layout,” said ex-racing driver Alex Hofmann of the German Press Agency.
What is the importance of the race?
The race is a crowd puller. The organizers are expecting more than 200,000 spectators over the three days, and a few remaining tickets are still available. But the event is also important for the region. “The Sachsenring is not only an attraction, it also proves to be a unique economic factor,” said Jörg Markert (CDU) in his function as President of the Saxony State Tourism Association.
Where is the Motorcycle World Championship broadcast?
The third free practice session, the qualifications for all three World Championship classes and the sprint race of the MotoGP series on Saturday can be seen live on Servus TV. The station is also on the air on Sundays from 10 a.m.