Track temperatures of 33.5°C welcomed the Moto3™ World Championship to Qualifying at the Sachsenring. Low 1’27s were the benchmark as the lights went out and Qualifying for the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland began. There were a number of crashes early in the session and the red flag was brought out with 25 minutes remaining as there was oil down at Turns 4,5 and 6. The oil had come from the bike of Danny Webb (Platinum Bay Real Estate), the Brit’s bike seen smoking before he was flicked off at Turn 7. Webb went to the medical centre for checks on his shoulder.
Jorge Martin (Pull & Bear Aspar Mahindra) was flicked off early in the session at Turn 6. He was unharmed and able to get back to the pits for repairs. Romano Fenati (SKY Racing Team VR46) suffered his third fall of the weekend, coming off at Turn 4.
Not been a good day for @RomanoFenati, his second crash at the beginning of a session.
— MotoGP™ (@MotoGP) July 16, 2016
Up & walking. #GermanGP https://t.co/eSyYX0xmCm
Turn 4 claimed Niccolo Antonelli (Ongetta-Rivacold) almost immediately after, the Italian holding his collarbone when he stood up. After checks it was revealed the Italian had broken his left collarbone, thus being declared unfit for the race. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing Moto3) was the next victim at the corner due to the oil, tumbling through the gravel trap but avoiding any serious injury.
Action resumed once the spillage had been cleared, Fenati almost immediately running on at Turn 1 after his teammate Andrea Migno (SKY Racing Team VR46) had gone down at the corner. The drama didn’t stop with the crashes, 11 riders starting their last laps with red sectors. Having been strong all weekend, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing Moto3) set a 1’27.129 to take his second pole of the year. The Italian has had six poles during his career, always coming in pairs.
For the second time in his career, Andrea Locatelli (Leopard Racing) will start from the front row. A 1’27.448 saw the Italian 0.319s behind his countryman, half a second faster than any of his teammates. Locatelli’s previous front row came in Austin in 2015 when he was third, going on to take seventh in the race.
Completing the front row and leading the rookies was Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0), 0.053s off second place. Canet has had an up and down weekend with a big crash earlier in the day, but is showing no signs of slowing down. In France he showed that he can stay with the front runners, tighter tracks seeming to suit his style.
Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) secured his best ever grid position with fourth, ahead of the injured Jorge Navarro (Estrella Galicia 0,0). Many had expected Navarro to struggle to evens core points in Germany, his fifth place an incredible result given his recently broken leg.
Championship leader Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completes the second row of the grid. As ever he was followed by a number of riders looking for a tow, traffic ruining several of his faster laps.
Maria Herrera (MH6 Team) suffered a nasty fall in the final five minutes and was taken to the medical centre where she was diagnosed with a left wrist fracture. Gabriel Rodrigo (RBA Racing Team) was a late faller in the session coming off on the exit of Turn 12.
Check out the full Moto3™ Qualifying results here and see who is starting where on the grid for Sunday’s GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland.