Rain, crashes, top positions: Intact GP duo impresses at home round at the Sachsenring
LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP riders Guido Pini and David Muñoz put in an impressive performance in the rainy Qualifying 2 for the German racing team's home Grand Prix at the Sachsenring - despite a crash each in the infamous Turn 8. Pini secured third place with a strong performance and is therefore on the front row of the grid. On Sunday, his Spanish team-mate will start directly behind him in fourth place and will lead the second row of the grid for the eleventh race of the season.
Everyones hopes are particularly high at the team's home race - but Guido Pini delivered. The 17-year-old Italian showed enormous strength of nerve in the wet Q2: After a crash on his outlap, in which he lost control on the rain-soaked track in turn 8 and crashed his KTM into the airfence, qualifying had to be briefly interrupted with just under twelve minutes remaining. But Pini was not deterred by this. After the resumption of the session, he rode to an excellent third place with a time of 1:35.135 - the ideal starting position for the 23-lap race on Sunday, which could again take place in difficult weather conditions.
David Muñoz was also in top form on both practice days. The Spaniard proved his class on the dry Friday with a new lap record in practice and was fastest in Q2. In the wet FP2, the 19-year-old tested the limits of the traditional 3.67-kilometre long circuit in the heart of Saxony, but then also crashed in turn 8 of Q2. Nevertheless, his lap time of 1:35.155 was enough for a strong fourth place on the grid, putting him at the head of the second row.
The LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Team will therefore start the home race with both riders from promising positions and underlines its ambitions at the Sachsenring - despite the most adverse conditions and two precarious crashes.
Results
FP1
1. Scott OGDEN/ GBR/ KTM – 1'25.707
2. Jose Antonio RUEDA/ SPA/ KTM – 1'25.834 (+0.127)
3. Joel KELSO/ AUS/ KTM – 1'25.873 (+0.166)
14. David MUÑOZ/ SPA/ KTM – 1'26.614 (+0.907)
15. Guido PINI/ ITA/ KTM – 1'26.946 (+1.239)
PRACTICE
1. David MUÑOZ/ SPA/ KTM – 1'24.767
2. David ALMANSA/ SPA/ HONDA – 1'25.127 (+0.360)
3. Scott OGDEN/ GBR/ KTM – 1'25.172 (+0.405)
14. Guido PINI/ ITA/ KTM – 1'25.773 (+1.006)
FP2
1. Adrian FERNANDEZ/ SPA/ HONDA – 1'34.623
2. Angel PIQUERAS/ SPA/ KTM – 1'34.696 (+0.073)
3. Noah DETTWILER/ SWI/ KTM – 1'34.972 (+0.349)
12. Guido PINI/ ITA/ KTM – 1'35.446 (+0.823)
14. David MUÑOZ/ SPA/ KTM – 1'35.732 (+1.109)
Q2
1. Scott OGDEN/ GBR/ KTM – 1'35.001
2. David ALMANSA/ SPA/ HONDA – 1'35.043 (+0.042)
3. Guido PINI/ ITA/ KTM – 1'35.135 (+0.134)
4. David MUÑOZ/ SPA/ KTM – 1'35.155 (+0.154)
