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SACHSENRING, Germany - It will be a Honda 1-2-3 start at the Sachenring in Germany on Sunday when the MotoGP circus lines up for the ninth GP of the 2014 season.
In order on the front row will be current championship leader Marquez, followed by Dani Pedrosa and Stefan Bradl while hot on their exhausts will be a trio of Yamaha riders - Aleix Espargaro, Jorge Lorenzo and The Doctor - Valentino Rossi.
Not only did Marquez take pole position, he also came through to break the pole lap record held for six years by Casey Stoner by 0.130sec.
PEDROSA HITS THE TAR
Sunday promises to be a great race - the variable German weather permitting - but can there be any doubt that Marquez and his Honda will do it again?
Pedrosa didn't complete quali: he went down at Turn 1 with three minutes remaining. Third-paced Bradl must also have been disappointed: he was on pole for the first five minutes of final qualifying.
Also down - and out - in first quali was Cal Crutchlow (Ducati) who had a bad fall. He was unhurt and made his way back to his garage.
2014 German MotoGP qualification
1 Marc Marquez (Spain) Honda 1min20.937
2 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1min21.233
3 Stefan Bradl (Germany) Honda 1min21.340
4 Aleix Espargaro (Spain) Yamaha 1min21.376
5 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 1min21.508
6 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 1min21.651
7 Andrea Iannone (Italy) Ducati 1min21.679
8 Pol Espargaro (Spain) Yamaha 1min21.771
9 Bradley Smith (Britain) Yamaha 1min21.794
10 Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Honda 1min21.906
11 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Ducati 1min21.120
12 Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 1min1min22.647
Moto2 qualification
1 Dominique Aegerter (Switzerland) Suter 1min24.761
2 Mika Kallio (Finland) Kalex 1min24.885
3 Esteve Rabat (Spain) Kalex 1min25.032
4 Jordi Torres (Spain) Suter 1min25.108
5 Franco Morbidelli (Italy) Kalex 1min25.118
6 Simone Corsi (Italy) Forward KLX 1min25.132
7 Johann Zarco (France) Caterham Suter 1min25.142
8 Thomas Luethi (Switzerland) Suter 1min25.188
9 Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Suter 1min25.240
10 Randy Krummenacher (Switzerland) Suter 1min25.272
2014 German Moto3 qualification
1 Jack Miller (Australia) KTM 1min26.997
2 Alexis Masbou (France) Honda 1min27.106
3 Alex Marquez (Spain) Honda 1min27.143
4 Karel Hanika (Czech Republic) KTM 1min27.357
5 Danny Kent (Britain) Husqvarna 1min27.357
6 Brad Binder (South Africa) Mahindra 1min27.453
7 Alex Rins (Spain) Honda 1min27.585
8 Eric Granado (Brazil) KTM 1min27.603
9 Juanfran Guevara (Spain) Kalex 1min27.673
10 Enea Bastianini (Italy) KTM 1min27.752
FLASHBACK TO FRIDAY PRACTICE
Aleix Espargaro put the factory Honda and Yamaha teams in the shade in practice for Sunday's 2014 German MotoGP while 2014 championship leader Marc Marquez shrugged off a painful crash.
Espargaro (Yamaha) clocked 1min22.041, having been fastest in both sessions. Marquez (Honda) was second quickest, 0.117sec behind fellow Spaniard Espargaro despite being thrown off his bike in a severe highside after a botched gearchange.
NECK HURT IN CRASH
Espargaro, who achieved a career-best fourth at Assen two weeks eawrlier, said on Friday: "I feel great, and it was fantastic to ride here, like last year. We explored a lot of different settings.
"I did 22 laps on the rear soft tyre, it was strong until the end. I think we can race with the soft like in Assen but the temperature can change a lot here in Germany."
Marquez hurt his neck in the crash which came at Turn 3 – later reports said Turn 1 - with the Spaniard admitting it was caused by a problem with the gears on his all-conquering machine. "The day went very well because even though I crashed I was fortunate not to be injuredbut the impact was hard. The crash was a little strange, but when we looked at the telemetry later we understood why it happened.
"It's a long left turn in second gear on the throttle the whole time and I accidentally touched the shift lever with the toe of my boot. This engaged another gear and as I was leaned so far over - and had the gas open - the rear wheel slid out and I was thrown off."
Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) was third-fastest on a track where he was missing in 2013 because of a serious shoulder injury collected at Assen and which compromised his title defence. He was 0.327sec off Friday’s pace with Stefan Bradl (Honda), Alvaro Bautista (Honda) and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) making up the top six.
FOUR SACHSENRING WINS FOR MARQUEZ
Marquez is chasing a ninth win in nine races on Sunday with the flying Spaniard on course to have the title wrapped up in record time. He has a 72-point lead in the championship over team mate Dani Pedrosa and Rossi, each of whom has just signed new deals with their respective teams, locked in second spot.
Marquez, 21, has a successful track record at the Sachsenring. He won on his last four visits -- in the 125 class in 2010, in Moto2 in 2011 and 2012 and in his first MotoGP in 2013. Victory on Sunday will mean he haswon every race across the opening half of the season.
In a stunning season, the defending champion has already become the 13th most-successful rider in history in terms of wins, having celebrated his 40th at Assen two weeks earlier. He’s now after his 25th podium in the top class after already becoming the first rider to claim eight consecutive wins since the top category was introduced at the start of 2002.
Only six other riders in history having won eight or more MotoGP races in a single season: Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo.
In order on the front row will be current championship leader Marquez, followed by Dani Pedrosa and Stefan Bradl while hot on their exhausts will be a trio of Yamaha riders - Aleix Espargaro, Jorge Lorenzo and The Doctor - Valentino Rossi.
Not only did Marquez take pole position, he also came through to break the pole lap record held for six years by Casey Stoner by 0.130sec.
PEDROSA HITS THE TAR
Sunday promises to be a great race - the variable German weather permitting - but can there be any doubt that Marquez and his Honda will do it again?
Pedrosa didn't complete quali: he went down at Turn 1 with three minutes remaining. Third-paced Bradl must also have been disappointed: he was on pole for the first five minutes of final qualifying.
Also down - and out - in first quali was Cal Crutchlow (Ducati) who had a bad fall. He was unhurt and made his way back to his garage.
2014 German MotoGP qualification
1 Marc Marquez (Spain) Honda 1min20.937
2 Dani Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1min21.233
3 Stefan Bradl (Germany) Honda 1min21.340
4 Aleix Espargaro (Spain) Yamaha 1min21.376
5 Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Yamaha 1min21.508
6 Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 1min21.651
7 Andrea Iannone (Italy) Ducati 1min21.679
8 Pol Espargaro (Spain) Yamaha 1min21.771
9 Bradley Smith (Britain) Yamaha 1min21.794
10 Alvaro Bautista (Spain) Honda 1min21.906
11 Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Ducati 1min21.120
12 Nicky Hayden (USA) Honda 1min1min22.647
Moto2 qualification
1 Dominique Aegerter (Switzerland) Suter 1min24.761
2 Mika Kallio (Finland) Kalex 1min24.885
3 Esteve Rabat (Spain) Kalex 1min25.032
4 Jordi Torres (Spain) Suter 1min25.108
5 Franco Morbidelli (Italy) Kalex 1min25.118
6 Simone Corsi (Italy) Forward KLX 1min25.132
7 Johann Zarco (France) Caterham Suter 1min25.142
8 Thomas Luethi (Switzerland) Suter 1min25.188
9 Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Suter 1min25.240
10 Randy Krummenacher (Switzerland) Suter 1min25.272
2014 German Moto3 qualification
1 Jack Miller (Australia) KTM 1min26.997
2 Alexis Masbou (France) Honda 1min27.106
3 Alex Marquez (Spain) Honda 1min27.143
4 Karel Hanika (Czech Republic) KTM 1min27.357
5 Danny Kent (Britain) Husqvarna 1min27.357
6 Brad Binder (South Africa) Mahindra 1min27.453
7 Alex Rins (Spain) Honda 1min27.585
8 Eric Granado (Brazil) KTM 1min27.603
9 Juanfran Guevara (Spain) Kalex 1min27.673
10 Enea Bastianini (Italy) KTM 1min27.752
FLASHBACK TO FRIDAY PRACTICE
Aleix Espargaro put the factory Honda and Yamaha teams in the shade in practice for Sunday's 2014 German MotoGP while 2014 championship leader Marc Marquez shrugged off a painful crash.
Espargaro (Yamaha) clocked 1min22.041, having been fastest in both sessions. Marquez (Honda) was second quickest, 0.117sec behind fellow Spaniard Espargaro despite being thrown off his bike in a severe highside after a botched gearchange.
NECK HURT IN CRASH
Espargaro, who achieved a career-best fourth at Assen two weeks eawrlier, said on Friday: "I feel great, and it was fantastic to ride here, like last year. We explored a lot of different settings.
"I did 22 laps on the rear soft tyre, it was strong until the end. I think we can race with the soft like in Assen but the temperature can change a lot here in Germany."
Marquez hurt his neck in the crash which came at Turn 3 – later reports said Turn 1 - with the Spaniard admitting it was caused by a problem with the gears on his all-conquering machine. "The day went very well because even though I crashed I was fortunate not to be injuredbut the impact was hard. The crash was a little strange, but when we looked at the telemetry later we understood why it happened.
"It's a long left turn in second gear on the throttle the whole time and I accidentally touched the shift lever with the toe of my boot. This engaged another gear and as I was leaned so far over - and had the gas open - the rear wheel slid out and I was thrown off."
Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) was third-fastest on a track where he was missing in 2013 because of a serious shoulder injury collected at Assen and which compromised his title defence. He was 0.327sec off Friday’s pace with Stefan Bradl (Honda), Alvaro Bautista (Honda) and Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) making up the top six.
FOUR SACHSENRING WINS FOR MARQUEZ
Marquez is chasing a ninth win in nine races on Sunday with the flying Spaniard on course to have the title wrapped up in record time. He has a 72-point lead in the championship over team mate Dani Pedrosa and Rossi, each of whom has just signed new deals with their respective teams, locked in second spot.
Marquez, 21, has a successful track record at the Sachsenring. He won on his last four visits -- in the 125 class in 2010, in Moto2 in 2011 and 2012 and in his first MotoGP in 2013. Victory on Sunday will mean he haswon every race across the opening half of the season.
In a stunning season, the defending champion has already become the 13th most-successful rider in history in terms of wins, having celebrated his 40th at Assen two weeks earlier. He’s now after his 25th podium in the top class after already becoming the first rider to claim eight consecutive wins since the top category was introduced at the start of 2002.
Only six other riders in history having won eight or more MotoGP races in a single season: Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo.
