MotoGP will be heading to Germany this weekend, with a possibility that runaway championship-leader Jorge Lorenzo will be joined by multiple champion Valentino Rossi at the Sachsenring – after the latter’s six-week absence. Rossi’s recovery from his broken leg in Mugello has gone so well that the reigning World Champion is hoping to return to action earlier than expected, although he will have to receive full approval from the Chief Medical Officer at the circuit tomorrow before he can confirm if he will ride.
The undulating wooded hills of the Sachsenring brought about another neck-and-neck Fiat Yamaha battle last year, with Lorenzo missing out by the skin of his teeth to his team-mate. This year however Lorenzo comes to the German track as the man-of-the-moment, having won three races on the bounce and an incredible five in total from seven rounds this season. The 23-year-old Mallorcan has only one Sachsenring podium to his name, but he will be planning to add another this weekend as he looks to extend a championship lead that already stands at 52 points.
Rossi has missed four races over his injury and currently sits seventh in the championship standings. The 31-year-old has been recovering at home in Italy and has undergone an intensive rehabilitation programme, which has resulted in him being back on a bike earlier than expected. The nine-time champion has produced some masterful displays at the Sachsenring over the years, including a superb race in 2006 when he won from tenth position and he has a total of five wins at the track. The evergreen Italian has had two successful tests on a Yamaha R1 in the last week and has been given the all-clear by his doctors, he just has to await the decision of the event Chief Medical Officer tomorrow before he can be sure of riding. Wataru Yoshikawa will once again be present and will ride the second M1 if Rossi is unable to.
Sachsenring is traditionally one of the biggest events of the season with more than 200,000 fans turning up over the weekend. It is also the shortest race of the year with only just over 110kms covered during the 30-laps. The first part of the track is as tight and twisty as any MotoGP circuit, followed by a sequence of six successive left-handers that really give the tyres a hard work-out before a blind right-hander leads to an epic downhill straight. It’s a track that’s all about grip rather than out-and-out speed and always a circuit that brings plenty of excitement.
MotoGP begins its preparations on Friday with an hour of free practice. This is followed by a further hour on Saturday morning with qualifying in the afternoon. Sunday’s 30-lap race is round eight of the season and the event gets going at 14.00hrs local time (12.00hrs GMT).
News update 15/07/2010 : Valentino Rossi has been officially cleared to ride at this weekend’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, six week’s after his accident in Italy. The Fiat Yamaha rider was examined by the Chief Medical Officer for this event, Dr. Huber Fischer, who found him fit enough to compete this weekend. Rossi will be present at the Official Press Conference at Sachsenring at 1700 CET today.
Photo : Fiat Yamaha Team
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