Just a week on from the Dutch GP, we are in store for yet another legendary weekend of speed in Germany at Sachsenring. Only 10 points separate the top of the championship (Martin & Pecco) at the moment, with Marquez 48 points behind 2nd place. This weekend, we could potentially see the second factory Ducati rider join the top three of the championship, and we could also see a new championship leader as we head into the summer break (deja vu).

Sachsenring famously had been dominated by a certain Spaniard on the Repsol Honda, earning the nickname ‘King of the Ring.’ However, we are now firmly past the days of the Japanese manufacturer dominating most races on the calendar. In the past five trips to Sachsenring for MotoGP, there have been three different riders on the top of the podium: Marquez in 2018/19/21, Quartararo in 2022, and Jorge Martin most recently in 2023. Last year, we saw a fierce battle between current world champ, Pecco, and Jorge Martin, with Jorge coming out on top. Johann Zarco also managed to bag himself a podium, but that is looking unlikely this year on the HRC.

This year we could see a potential shake-up of results, as Marquez is back on form and competing on the ’23 Ducati. We know he loves it at Sachsenring and what he is capable of there. On the other hand, we have two of possibly the best riders we have seen, riding definitely the best bike we have ever seen, battling it out at the top of the championship. Pecco is full of confidence after back-to-back wins and a masterclass performance in Assen, but Jorge will be looking for a repeat of 2023 and head into the summer break with the advantage. I think it is probably safe to assume Fabio won’t be able to compete on his Yamaha this year. However, it will be interesting to see if the engine upgrade has been tuned in using the data from last week. The other Japanese manufacturer, Honda, will have to hope for some kind of total wipeout if they want to get on the podium this time around. We may see the Repsol Honda on the podium taking the win at some point this weekend… However, this will only be via replays of Marc’s previous victories leading up to the race.

This weekend will also bring the return of Remy Gardner to MotoGP, riding the Factory Yamaha bike, in place of Alex Rins. This was a fairly last minute decision as Cal Crutchlow, the usual Yamaha test rider, was not fit to ride. I don’t think anyone has any expectations for Remy, just the hope of finishing the race and collecting as much data as possible; his previous visit to Sachsenring saw him finish in 15th place. Having different riders test the Yamaha will only be a good thing, providing a range of data for different styles and lines to help improve the bike.

My predictions for this weekend are another win for Pecco (it’s a no-brainer with his current form). I think Marquez and Jorge will be fighting for second and third place. I also think my favourite Italian, Digi, could be lurking closely behind the top pack, potentially picking up a trophy if there is a crash (we have all seen what can happen battling Marc Marquez).