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Having held off a late rally from Marc Marquez in Assen to extend his lead atop the driver standings, Valentino Rossi will be well aware that he faces an even tougher challenge if he's to be top of the podium at the Sachsenring come the end of MotoGP German Grand Prix.
The iconic Italian was almost reeled in by the reigning world champion in the Netherlands last time out, adding another thrilling chapter to what's been an absorbing season. But besting the Spaniard in Germany, where Marquez has won in all four of his visits in various disciplines, is a major challenge.
There was a thrilling battle between Rossi and Marquez at Assen.
Can Rossi make another big step toward what'd be a first world title in six years? Will Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo get back on the winning trail? Or will Marquez, who has endured a difficult start to the season, finally catch fire at his favourite circuit?
Here's a look at a couple of key drivers ahead of the showpiece, the weekend's full schedule and where to catch the action via an online stream.
German Grand Prix Schedule Friday, July 10 8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. FP1 Friday, July 10 1:05 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. FP2 Saturday, July 11 8:55 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. FP3 Saturday, July 11 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. FP4 Saturday, July 11 1:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m. Q1 Saturday, July 11 1:35 p.m. - 1:50 p.m. Q2 Sunday, July 12 1 p.m. RaceMotoGP.com
All the action can be streamed via the BT Sport website (UK).
Valentino RossiThe Yamaha star strode into the Dutch GP with a lead intact in the driver standings, but he was under big pressure from his team-mate Lorenzo, who had won the last four races. Rossi showcased his experience to notch pole position in qualifying before holding things together under pressure late on.
Indeed, as we can see here courtesy of Crash.net MotoGP, the Italian finally hooked things up in qualifying:
It meant he was going to be extraordinarily difficult to beat in the race itself, and for long spells it seemed as though the Yamaha rider would coast to victory at a circuit he relishes. However, we were treated to a sensational finish thanks to some remarkable riding from the reigning world champion.
Rossi did magnificently to cling on to victory.
The tussle between the two men went on for laps and, as we can see here, it came to a thrilling conclusion on the final corner of the race, per BT Sport MotoGP:
In many respects, it was an incident emblematic of these two MotoGP greats. The know-how of Rossi was on show in spades as he clung on against the Spaniard, closing him out and getting to the chequered flag first, and the youthful vibrancy of Marquez, showcasing the enterprising driving style that has made him such a treat to watch.
Buoyed by that victory, expect another strong performance from Rossi this weekend but for him to ultimately lose out on top spot at the Sachsenring.
Prediction: Runner-up
Marc MarquezAlthough a man of Marquez's immense talent and ambition will have probably been disappointed to have only finished second in Assen, for Honda it was encouraging to see the Spaniard back up at the front of the field chasing a race win.
Aside from a win in Round 2 of the 2015 campaign, Marquez has been lacking the spark that has seen him clinch the previous two world titles. Although he has admitted there are still issues to solve with the bike, the 22-year-old is expecting a strong performance this weekend, per MotoGP.com:
We worked well all weekend in Assen and we have found some positive progression with the bike. There are still some things to solve, but we have definitely made a step forward. Sachsenring is a small and twisty little circuit, unlike any others on the calendar.
I've enjoyed good results here in the past and I hope this weekend can prove to be a good weekend for us also. The weather can be tricky there so we will have to work hard from the first session.
Indeed, since first racing here in 2010, Marquez has won on every visit to this iconic circuit. But with the Yamaha now unbeaten in the last six races, will the Spaniard's know-how on board the Honda be enough to usurp their dominance?
As noted here by MotoGP Fan Zone, Marquez has been pretty much perfect at this venue in MotoGP to this point:
Will Marquez win again in Germany? Will Marquez win again in Germany?The Yamaha will be strong again, and if Rossi can manage to string together back-to-back poles, he'll be very difficult to edge out. But the Honda made big strides at Assen, and with Marquez aboard, they have the best rider possible to negotiate this circuit.
He may not have enough to land pole position this year, but if Marquez can show composure and assurance comparable to what was on display a fortnight ago, he'll be too strong for the chasing pack.
Prediction: Winner
