Joan Mir joined teammate Rins inside the top five as the rookie completed 19 laps to get another solid session under his belt, he’ll take part in Q2 shortly, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro making it an all-Spanish top five in FP4 at the Sachsenring – 0.512 splitting the quintet.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “First of all we are very proud that we have been selected by Dorna Sports and ADAC as a partner for the new Northern Talent Cup on the Road to MotoGP™. It’s a great pleasure to work with young, talented riders and KTM is successfully doing this in other racing disciplines. We share the opinion that an easy entry-level bike was missing in the past, and we are happy to provide the appropriate machine for young riders with the ambition to reach the Moto3 category. This is especially true in relation to handling, service and cost efficiency. It was important to offer an optimal price-service ratio. We are looking forward to the launch of the Northern Talent Cup with exciting riders and race action. I am sure this concept will find and produce new northern and central European talent in road racing.”

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

VNE Snipers’ Romano Fenati salvaged fifth, matching his best qualifying performance since returning to the Moto3™ class, after having his lap time cancelled halfway through the session despite jumping to the top of the timesheets. Fresh from a podium in Assen, Redox PrüstelGP’s Jakub Kornfeil completes the second row of the grid, just under half a second adrift of Sasaki, after progressing through from the earlier Q1 session.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

Behind the top three was the two FlexBox HP 40 machines of Augusto Fernandez and Lorenzo Baldassarri in fourth and fifth, with home hero Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP), Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (MB Conveyors Speed Up) all just two tenths astray from Binder’s time. NTS RW Racing GP’s Bo Bendsneyder clawed himself into the top ten in the latter stages to secure a Q2 place, with Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM) completing the top ten. Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) was the only rider to not improve his Friday time and despite a crash at Turn 3 in FP3, the Spaniard sits 11th and goes straight into the pole position shootout. Nicolo Bulega (SKY Racing Team VR46), Tetsuta Nagashima (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) and Andrea Locatelli (Italtrans Racing Team) complete the top 14.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Fabio Quartararo has partially dislocated his left shoulder following a huge moment down The Waterfall in the closing stages of FP3. The Frenchman will, however, be able to ride in FP4 at the HJC Helmets Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland where the team will assess his condition.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

Unlike what we’re used to seeing, the fast lap times weren’t just being set on a soft rear. A lot of the riders were using the hard-rear Michelin compound, with Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager Piero Taramasso saying: “The hard rear tyre gives you more stability, the rear is more stable, it gives you more confidence and you can push more. The soft one is also designed for lower temperatures, the hard is designed for higher temperatures, this is the situation for the afternoon.” Riders such as Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Viñales were doing personal best lap times on the hard-rear, Mir went to P5 with less than ten minutes to go, with Viñales going above Marquez’ Friday time on the same tyre.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

Filip Salac (Redox PrüstelGP) ended the session third quickest, just 0.070 adrift of the 1:26.044 set by Ramirez, meaning the top three all went under the previous best lap. Alonso Lopez (Estrella Galicia 0,0) heads into Q2 having finished fourth quickest, narrowly ahead of yesterday’s pacesetter Ayumu Sasaki aboard the Petronas Sprinta Racing Honda.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here

There’s no minimum level of experience required for riders, but a certain skill level must be shown. Previous experience could include dirt-track, motocross, scooter or mini bike racing, but the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup is focused on searching for talent and potential, not experience.

Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here