Marquez the ringmaster once again in Germany

Spain's two-time defending world champion Marc Marquez set himself up for a sixth successive win at the Sachsenring on Saturday as he posted the fastest time in qualifying for Sunday's German MotoGP.

The 22-year-old Honda rider was recording his sixth successive pole spot at the Sachsenring where he has prevailed in the past five editions in all three categories.

He grabbed pole with a track record 1min 20.336sec.

Marquez has not been in the dominant form of last year and has just the one win to his name this season leaving him fourth in the standings, 74 points off leader Valentino Rossi.

"We will try for six wins, the most important thing is the confidence with the bike is really high," said Marquez, who just lost out in a thrilling battle with Rossi at the Dutch MotGP a fortnight ago.

"In this circuit I always get good results but this weekend I feel good and I’m constant.

"I was also fast over one lap so I'm happy, also happy with the work that we have done. Tomorrow is the most important so we have to keep on like this."

Marquez led a Spanish 1-2-3 in qualifying with his team-mate Dani Pedrosa second, his best qualifying performance of the season, and two-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha in third.

Pedrosa, who is the nearly man of MotoGP having never added the world title to those he won at 125 and 250cc, said he could have been even faster but for British rider Cal Crutchlow obstructing him.  
"Yeah, I was happy with my first feeling in the first run but Crutchlow didn’t see me and ruined my lap," said the 29-year-old, who has finished championship runner-up on three occasions.

"Unfortunately I had to stop and change tyres and I wasn’t sure if we could do it on the second tyre because sometimes you don’t get the same feeling.

"Actually I produced a good lap and to get the front row at this track is very important.

"Hopefully we can make a little step tomorrow as Marquez’s pace is very high and we’re still missing a little. Hopefully we can make a good start and make the right tyre choice, which will be critical."

Lorenzo, whose winning run of four successive races came to a halt when Rossi won in Assen a fortnight ago, admitted the form Honda had shown would mean a hard time ahead on Sunday to challenge them.

"Impressive, it seems the Honda has no problems," said the 28-year-old.

"They’re able to brake later and accelerate very soon. It will be tough to stay with them, I am the first Yamaha to do a 1’20 on this track so I am very happy with this lap time.

"I did my best and I didn’t get even close to them. I think our goal is to try to get the podium, the victory will be difficult but you never know. The podium is definitely achievable."

Rossi, winner on the circuit four times but not since 2009, posted just the sixth fastest time on his Yamaha.
Source: AFP