Petronas Sprinta Racing’s Jonas Folger took another major stride towards properly completing his racing return by ending the opening Moto2™ session of the HJC Helmets Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland as fastest. There were some early Friday smiles seen on the fans in attendance as we witnessed a German one-two, thanks to Dynavolt Intact GP’s Marcel Schrötter ending second.
Folger, at the top of a Grand Prix session for the first time since he topped MotoGP™ Warm Up in 2017’s German Grand Prix, ended just 0.007 of a second clear of compatriot Schrötter, who himself had quite the session. The German remarkably pulled off one of the saves of the season, after the front end folded on him as dived down The Waterfall. However, moments later, he crashed out at Turn 3 to bring his session to a premature end.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! ????@MarcelSchrotter with a superhuman save down The Waterfall! ????????????#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/8vTxdrkKyP
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) July 5, 2019
American Racing KTM’s Iker Lecuona was third overall, marginally ahead of Italtrans Racing Team’s Andrea Locatelli. Fabio Di Giannantonio made sure there was a Speed Up inside the top five, following teammate Jorge Navarro crashing out at Turn 3, after sticking his MB Conveyors Speed Up machine fifth on the timesheets.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jorge Martin ended sixth, 0.007 clear of the now World Championship leader, Dynavolt Intact GP’s Thomas Lüthi. Eighth at the end of FP1 was Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP40) ahead of MV Agusta Idealavoro Forward’s Stefano Manzi and NTS RW Racing GP’s Bo Bendsneyder – to make it a remarkable five different chassis manufacturers inside the top ten.
What a return to the Sachsenring for @JonasFolger94! ????
— MotoGP™ ???????? (@MotoGP) July 5, 2019
He tops #Moto2 FP1 at his home GP! ????#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/xJ05pqD73F
Despite the German joy at the sharp end, Kiefer Racing’s Lukas Tulovic got his home round off to the worst possible start by crashing out at the first corner in his first flying lap. Red Bull KTM Tech 3’s Marco Bezzecchi was the fourth of FP1’s crashers with everybody, fortunately, being declared unhurt.
Top 10:
1. Jonas Folger (Petronas Sprinta Racing) - 1:24.354
2. Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.007
3. Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM) + 0.287
4. Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.318
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (MB Conveyors Speed Up) + 0.383
6. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.423
7. Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.430
8. Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.475
9. Stefano Manzi (MV Agusta Idealavoro Forward) + 0.505
10. Bo Bendsneyder (NTS RW Racing GP) + 0.534
Click here for full results!