Jorge Lorenzo may have a commanding lead at the top of the MotoGP championship but teammate Valentino Rossi will steal the headlines this weekend when the Italian makes his return to racing just six weeks after breaking his leg.
Rossi was expected to be absent until the Czech Grand Prix in August but after testing a World Superbike last week in Misano rumours started to fly that the nine times world champion was considering making a comeback. After testing at Brno on Monday it seemed all but certain that the Sachsenring would see his racing return with only this weekend’s local medical officer in a position to halt his return.
Rossi is clearly impatient to return to racing with the Italian saying, “I'm really excited that my doctors think I can ride this weekend. I will see the medical officer and then we will have the final decision. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone and being back in the paddock; I was tired of being at home!”
With Rossi’s departure to Ducati set to be officially announced in the coming weeks the question that Lorenzo and Yamaha must be asking themselves has to be, will Rossi be willing to assist his teammate to win the title?
Lorenzo has been imperious this season with five wins from seven races and is riding a wave of confidence after winning the last three races. The Spaniard has been exceptional this season and has shown a maturity that was missing since moving into the MotoGP class and the confidence that he consistently showcased en route to two 250cc world titles is now on full display in the premier class. Last season he was beaten by Rossi in this race by just 0.099 seconds after a race long battle at the front of the field. Lorenzo though will start the race as favourite this year and even though he is yet to win in Germany anything less than a victory would surely disappoint the 23 year old.
Lorenzo’s compatriot Dani Pedrosa is best placed to stop the championship leaders run of form. Pedrosa, riding for Honda, has an enviable record in Germany having won three times in the past and has always been impressive on the contrasting slow and high speed sections that make up this track and the triple world champion will know that if he is to challenge for a first premier class title he needs to start clawing back to Lorenzo.
2007 world champion Casey Stoner had his first ever rostrum in the 2003 German 125cc Grand Prix and the former world champion is a former pole sitter and race winner in the MotoGP class. His form is improving once more after a trying start to the year that included crashes in Qatar and France and the Australian comes to the Sachsenring on the back of podiums at Assen and Barcelona. Another podium is probably the best that Stoner can expect this weekend.
Frenchman Randy de Puniet has been the surprise package of the season thus far with impressive pace in qualifying, including front row starts for the last three races. This weekend sees his satellite LCR Honda fitted with factory parts as he tries to translate his undoubted speed into a first podium of the season.
This weekend is sure to see sparks flying on track and the return of Rossi is sure to galvanise the paddock but once more the onus will be on Stoner and Pedrosa to stop Lorenzo’s dominance.
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