2013 Germany Grand Prix at Sachsenring in Germany
Both Yamaha Factory Racing pilots have something to prove at Sachsenring MotoGP this weekend.
Nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi carries a “new spirit” following his win at Assen MotoGP two weeks ago. The victory in the Netherlands was Rossi’s first since winning the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2010.
Rossi’s 80th premier-class win renewed the Italian’s motivation, and he’ll be hoping to take another win in 2013 this weekend at Sachsenring. And Rossi is lucky there; he earned five wins, including four in the premier class (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009).
Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1 MotoGP) says: “I’m going to Sachsenring with a new spirit. I am very happy for the Holland race. Now I want to keep it going like that. We also want to confirm at Sachsenring the step we’ve made with the bike.
“We must continue to improve the bike, as we have done after testing at Aragon, because now we want to try to fight for important positions. We want to stay with the top guys every weekend. I really like Sachsenring and then there will be Laguna Seca. These will be two very important weekends.”
As for the other factory YZR-M1 pilot, Jorge Lorenzo, the Spaniard continues to ride his superhuman performance at Assen. The two-time MotoGP Champion broke his left collarbone at practice for Assen, and flew home to Barcelona for surgery. Lorenzo then returned for the race, and 38 hours after surgery rode to a fifth-place finish at Assen.
Lorenzo is not yet 100 percent, but is determined to not let Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa run away with the points lead (Lorenzo currently trails Pedrosa by seven points). As for Sachsenring finishes, Lorenzo has never won there, but has finished second at the last four consecutive rounds.
Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha Factory Racing YZR-M1 MotoGP) says: “Sachsenring is going to be a little tough for me after the crash at Assen. It is true in Holland we achieved a stunning result for me, the team and also the Championship but I have to be realistic and I have still a long way to recover my collarbone.
“I made a huge effort to race at Assen and finally I could manage a really difficult weekend getting an astonishing fifth position. The situation is still that I need more time to fix the injury though. I won’t be at 100% in Germany but I’m pretty confident I can make a good weekend.
“At least I have had almost ten days to stay calm and improve a bit my physical condition. It will be difficult to compete another time but for sure I will push even harder than in Holland. The track is not one of my favorite tracks in the championship but at this level I don’t mind where we race. I have to give everything inside of me on each race.”
Yamaha’s management also commented on this upcoming weekend’s round of MotoGP at Sachsenring.
Wilco Zeelenberg (Yamaha Factory Racing Team Manager) says: “After the little drama at Assen finally Jorge got a terrific result, especially considering his physical condition after suffering a surgery to repair his broken collarbone then racing 38 hours later.
“Jorge made an incredible race at Assen, one of the most demanding tracks because of the layout. In Germany maybe it could be a little better for us. This circuit is not as fast as Assen and I think it is going to be easier for him to ride; it’s smoother with slow corners. The only problem is Jorge’s collarbone: it is still mending and he won’t be in a perfect shape. Anyway, for sure his physical condition will be better than in Holland and I guess he will be aiming to fight for the podium.”
Massimo Meregalli (Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director) says: “In the last few years Sachsenring has not been one of our favorite circuits but we are arriving from three victories in a row so for sure we will start the weekend completely differently to the past. We are ready and hopefully Jorge’s shoulder will be in much better shape than last weekend. We go there with the intention to leave a mark.”
