Rain or slicks?
This is undoubtedly the question that MotoGP riders are asking themselves a few minutes before this warmup as they watch the Moto2 race on a track that was wet during the night but whose trajectories are now drying at high speed.
In a session where there is more to lose than to gain, the answer seems obvious, especially since no more bad weather is forecast today, and the temperatures of 13° in the air and 17° on asphalt require the greatest caution...
Here are the references available before this 20-minute session:
|
Sachsenring MotoGP™ |
2018 |
2019 |
| FP1 |
1'21.442 Andrea Iannone (See here) |
1'21.390 Fabio Quartararo (See here) |
| FP2 |
1'20.885 Jorge Lorenzo (See here) |
1'20.705 Marc Márquez (See here) |
| FP3 |
1'20.438 Andrea Iannone (See here) |
1'20.347 Marc Márquez (See here) |
| FP4 |
1'21.318 Andrea Dovizioso (See here) |
1'21.153 Maverick Viñales (See here) |
| Q1 | 1'20.751 Andrea Dovizioso (See here) | 1'20.933 Valentino Rossi (See here) |
| Q2 |
1'20.270 Marc Márquez (See here) |
1'20.195 Marc Márquez (See here) |
| warm up |
1'21.230 Pol Espargaró (See here) |
1'23.116 Marc Márquez |
| Course |
Marquez, Rossi, Vinales (See here) |
|
| All time lap record |
1'20.270 Marc Márquez (2018) |
1'20.195 Marc Márquez |
Conditions are gradually improving as #MotoGP warm-up gets underway! 👍
Will we see slick tires in the next 20 minutes? 🤔#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/2gLduGIFMn
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) July 7, 2019
Karel Abraham sets off first at the opening of the track.
For the moment, everyone has chosen rain tires...
In 1'30.072, Johann zarco stands out at the end of the first round, before ceding leadership to Miguel Oliveira in 1'29.451 then to repeat it in 1'28.310.
Tito Rabat has already gone to his box and comes out with a slick tire at the rear, quickly imitated by Francis Bagnaia.
Slick tires seem to be the way to go! 👍@PeccoBagnaia uses dry rubber to go fastest so far! 🔝#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/FaYxtgDd74
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) July 7, 2019
A little before mid-session, Andrea Dovizioso achieves 1'28.086, still on rain tires, while Joan Mir breaks down with his Suzuki.
At mid-session, the top 10 is made up of Andrea Dovizioso, Maverick Vinales, Johann Zarco, Franco Morbidelli, Fabio Quartararo, Karel Abraham, Miguel Oliveira, Joan Mir, Valentino Rossi and Jack Miller, all on rain tires, while Marc Marquez, Pol Espargaro, Álex Rins, Aleix Espargaró, Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Iannone, Danilo Petrucci and Stefan Bradl, not wanting to take any risks, always observe things from their box…
But this is the moment when the drivers on slick tires start to be faster, like Francis Bagnaia who won in 1'27.205 8 minutes from the checkered flag while most of the drivers are now on the track, with the exception ofAleix Espargaró.
Francis Bagnaia recorded a 1'25.207 before breaking the 1'25 mark.
Johann zarco makes a minor mistake at the fast turn 11 while Danilo Petrucci et Karel Abraham hold on, without falling.
That's a FAST crash for @JohannZarco1! 😲
The Frenchman loses control at the Ralf Waldmann curve but is quickly on his feet! ✊#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/OJDkOf77FF
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) July 7, 2019
In the last minute, Maverick Vinales pulls off a 1'24.476, but it's the local stage, Stefan Bradl, which believes it will impose itself before Marc Marquez does not make everyone agree in 1'23.116.
In the end, a session without much meaning, apart from the fact that it will be very difficult to beat a certain Marc Marquez, both wise and fast…
MotoGP German Grand Prix warmup standings at Sachsenring:
Credit ranking: MotoGP.com
