Alvaro Bautista takes a sensational sixth at the Sachsenring

Sachsenring has been Marc Márquez territory since 2010 and it stayed that way today after a performance that only local rookie Jonas Folger was able to get close to. The Spanish rider led all but five laps of a race that also saw Folger take his turn at the front, to the delight of the home crowd.

Dani Pedrosa was again on the podium in Germany to edge closer to the championship leaders, with the top four now separated by just ten points thanks to the victory of Marquez combined with fourth place for Maverick Viñales, fifth for Valentino Rossi and eighth for Andrea Dovizioso, going into the mid-season break.

Álvaro Bautista produced a sensational race in Germany, setting a strong and consistent pace that allowed him to move from fourteenth place on the first lap to sixth place at the end.

The Pull & Bear Aspar rider finished just five seconds behind the podium positions as he ended the ninth race of the season as the top Ducati. The Spaniard was satisfied with his best result other than fourth in Argentina and fifth in Italy, and is determined to pick up where he left off when the season resumes.

6th Álvaro Bautista:
“I’m happy because I knew I had a good rhythm in the dry, and although qualifying and the conditions on track yesterday were not the best, today I’ve had some fun going forward. We have been consistent throughout the race. This year we have had some bad luck but our true level should always be like in this race. Let’s be positive and think that everything will be fine from now on. We will recharge the batteries to get stronger and try to continue closing on the leaders. It is difficult to fight for the top five, there are a lot of factory bikes, but we will try to give the maximum in each race. Talk of a podium is almost impossible, unless circumstances dictate. You have to be realistic and optimistic and think that finishing in the top six of the World Championship with all the bikes that are out there can be a great result.”