What a strange Moto2 qualifying for Celestino Vietti! The VR46 Academy rider had to assert himself in Q1 after a weak training session at the Sachsenring, but managed to do so with flying colors and even stormed into pole position in Q2. Fermin Aldeguer put himself in a good starting position for the German Grand Prix with third place on the grid, while world championship leader Sergio Garcia only ended up in 12th place after a fall. Local hero Marcel Schrötter just missed out on a place in Q2 and started from 22nd position.
This is how Q1 of Moto2 went:
In Q1, a surprise was looming for a long time, as KTM-Ajo substitute Marcel Schrötter was on course for Q2 until well into the final phase. However, three minutes before the end, it was teammate Celestino Vietti who pushed the German out of the top four with a best time of 1:23.111 minutes. Schrötter tried to respond immediately, but was unable to improve and subsequently lost a few more positions.
In addition to Vietti, Dennis Foggia, Darryn Binder and Senna Agius also secured a place among the top four and thus in Q2. Schrötter, on the other hand, missed out on a place in the second qualifying segment by less than two tenths. He has to settle for 22nd place on the grid for his home race at the Sachsenring, behind Jaume Masia, David Munoz and Ayumu Sasaki.
This was Q2 of the Moto2 at the Sachsenring:
Diogo Moreira had the best start in Q2 and secured his place in the sun after the first flying lap. But of course it didn’t stay that way for long, because in the second lap two drivers were already faster again – albeit only slightly. At this point there were only five thousandths of a second between Tony Arbolino, Ai Ogura and Moreira. But Manuel Gonzalez, Alonso Lopez and Marcos Ramirez in fourth, fifth and sixth places were also not a tenth of a second away from the best time.
With this interim result, the pit stops then began. After the drivers had collected more fuel and fresh rubber, they gradually returned to the track around five minutes before the end. It was Vietti who was able to make the best use of the new tires on the first flying lap. He set a new best time of 1:22.778 minutes. Jake Dixon climbed to second place, Fermin Aldeguer to third and Agius to fourth.
Yellow flags for the crash of world championship leader Sergio Garcia prevented any further improvements. Pole position for the German Grand Prix therefore goes to Vietti, who had come from Q1. Dixon and Aldeguer complete the first row of the grid. Behind them, positions four to six go to Agius, Gonzalez and Arbolino. Assen winner Ogura lands in seventh place, Lopez is tenth and Joe Roberts eleventh. Garcia pays for his crash by starting in 12th place, while Aron Canet only finishes in 14th place.
Falls and incidents:
Albert Arenas went off the track on a fast lap in Q1 and had to take a trip through the gravel trap at Turn 10. However, the Gresini driver was able to return to the track and continue driving without any major problems.
The only crash of the session was caused by world championship leader Sergio Garcia, who slid over the front into the gravel bed in turn 1.