Germany, Marquez wins Valentino battles, but finishes 3rd

The Spaniard dominates in Sachsenring ahead of Crutchlow and Rossi. With Pedrosa and Lorenzo both out he leads the standings

We won't know until the season is over but this German GP could prove to be crucial to the 2013 MotoGP world championship. Marc Marquez took control of the race and went on to win ahead of Crutchlow and Rossi, thus leap-frogging fellow countrymen Daniel Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo, who both suffered broken collar-bones and were unable to race.

ahead of laguna — Honda's boy wonder is now leading the standings and next Sunday in Laguna Seca, a circuit which has always proved favourable to the HRC, could take further advantage of his acceleration and zoom even further ahead as Lorenzo has been ruled out and Pedrosa will ride but won't be in the greatest of physical condition or feeling much like putting on pressure. So the twenty-year-old from Cervera could find things very much in his favour. We shall all remember this week's events, with Lorenzo and Pedrosa both falling, as a key moment of this year's championship.

The Sachsenring race on video

passion — Marquez confirmed his passion for this circuit where he achieved his fourth consecutive victory, considering the 125 in 2010 and 2011 and then the Moto2 in 2012. He didn't get off to a great start either, considering he was behind Bradl, Rossi and Espargaro in fourth after a just a few corners. It took him seven laps to overtake all of them with three apparently easy passes, that is if you are watching from your armchair and don't ride a motorbike. Then he raised the rhythm, keeping a steady 1 minute 22 and no one else got a look in. Just a super Cal Crutchlow, who had an even worse start, managed to hold on to him, managing to get to 1.5 seconds from him with six laps to go. But there was nothing doing.

rossi solid — Where was Valentino? Rossi kept up with the best of them, he rode a great GP and deservedly conquered a place on the podium. It was obvious however that his pace was not that of the good old days and that today he only managed to put Bradl under pressure, resigning himself to the fact that Marquez and Crutchlow were running away with it. Was it a problem or good race management to avoid pointless risks? Definitely after his victory in Assen (and with Pedrosa and Lorenzo out of the picture) something more could have been hoped for. Andrea Dovizioso came in seventh on the Ducati, with Pirro tenth. Next Sunday will see another exciting episode at Laguna Seca.