Michael Scott | July 14, 2018
2018 German Moto2 and Moto3 Saturday Results
Moto2
Records tumbled also in Moto2, with veteran Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Kalex) setting the pace early in the session, and staying there throughout. (Gold & Goose photo)
Records tumbled also in Moto2, with veteran Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Kalex) setting the pace early in the session, and staying there throughout; hailing his team having solved a problem that spoiled the last two races. “Now I can ride good again,” he said.
Times were very close, with 24 riders within a second of pole, but only two others inside the record.
Luca Marini (SKY VR46 Kalex) was second, a career best for Rossi’s half-brother, and his second successive front row. Third fastest, two thousandths slower, was his team-mate, points leader Pecco Bagnaia, confident of a strong race.
All three train together at Valentino Rossi’s ranch outside Tavullia.
Sam Lowes (SII KTM) was third, among a bunch of Kalexes, with HP40 teamster Lorenzo Baldassarri fifth, and Xavi Vierge (Dynavolt Kalex) next.
Alex Marquez (EG-VDS Kalex) had a heavy crash in the morning free session, but came back to place seventh, heading team-mate Joan Mir and second Dynavolt rider Marce Schrotter on row three.
Title challenger Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM) was 15th to team-mate Brad Binder’s tenth; Catalunya winner Fabio Quartararo (Speed Up) 18th after an early tumble.
Australian Remy Gardner (Tech 3) placed 20th; American Joe Roberts (NTS) 30th.
Moto3
Jorge Martin, leader on points, reinforced his reputation as King of Moto3 Qualifying in Germany. (Gold & Goose photo)
Jorge Martin, leader on points, reinforced his reputation as King of Qualifying in Germany. The Del Conca Honda rider claimed his sixth of the season and 15th in his career, taking control early in the sunny session, then reinforcing it with a time of 1’26.434, inside the lap record, but only six hundredths faster than Marcos Ramirez (Bester KTM), in a career-best second.
The final flurry put title challenger Enea Bastianini (Leopard Honda) up into third, with times at the short track desperately close, and the Italian just five thousandths away from second.
The top 21 were all within one second.
Second Bester KTM rider Jaume Masia was fourth to lead row two, also a career best; with Aron Canet (EG Honda) and Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Honda) alongside.
Former points leader Marco Bezzecchi (Redox KTM) leads row three, after crashing early in the session. John McPhee (Green Power KTM) and Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Honda) complete the row, with Fabio di Giannantonio (Del Conca Honda) rounding out the top ten.
