MotoGP Germany 2012: Ernest's chop

With hardly time to digest what happened last weekend in Assen, the next round of the MotoGP World Championship arrives. This week we visit the German circuit of Sachsenring, the eighth round of the 2012 World Cup. The statistics tell us that this is the 74th time that a Grand Prix has been held in Germany, although in all this time there have been several circuits that have hosted the West German Grand Prix; Solitude, Schotten, Nurburgring and Hockenheim. During the period of the cold war and the division of Germany into two countries, the East German Grand Prix was also held, precisely at the Sachsenring circuit between 1961 and 1972.

The MotoGP World Championship returned to Sachsenring in 1998, and since then only five German drivers have ever reached the podium. Ralf Waldman third at 125 in 2002; Stefan Bradl second at 125 in 2008; Sandro Cortese third in 125 in 2010 and Stefan Bradl again second in Moto2 in 2011.

Let's take a look at the statistics for this GP before someone sanctions us for overtaking too many people on the right at the start.

• We arrived at the Sachsenring with Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo tied at 140 points. Although these are four more points than Casey Stoner had last year at this stage of the season.

• This week ago 49 years that Fumío Ito got the first victory for Yamaha throughout its history. It was in the 250cc class at the 1963 Belgian GP at the Spa Francorchamps circuit.

• The Casey Stoner's victory at Assen was the 43rd of his career, placing him in eighth place in the total ranking, with only one more than Jorge Lorenzo, Max Biagi and Toni Mang.

• Until the last GP of Assen, it had been 34 years since British drivers had a podium finish in the small and intermediate categories at the same time. This was at the 1978 Silverstone British GP when Clive Horton finished second in 125cc. and Tom Herron finished second in 250cc.

• Michele Pirro will celebrate his 26th birthday the second day of training for the grand prix.

• Casey Stoner's victory at Assen means the 22nd time the Australian rider has finished in the top four. That series equals the longest sequence in the top four in the 500cc class achieved by Giacomo Agostini in his racing career. Since the World Championship began in 1949, only two riders have improved this series in the premier class, Valentino Rossi with 28 times and Jorge Lorenzo with 25.

• Since the introduction of the four times in 2002, the brand that has won the most times at the Sachsenring has been Honda with six wins, followed by Yamaha with three and Ducati with one in 2008.

• Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa are the drivers who have won the most times at this circuit with five victories each; Valentino Rossi has one in 250cc and four in MotoGP; Dani Pedrosa has two in 250cc and three in MotoGP.

• Only four riders have scored in the seven Moto2 races disputed in 2012; Andrea Iannone, Scott Redding, Mika Kallio, and Bradley Smith.

• At the old Sachsenring circuit only two German riders managed to win, Ernst Degner in 125cc in 1961 and Dieter Braun in 250cc in 1971 with Yamaha.

• In 2010 Marc Márquez made pole position in 125 cc, won the race by 17 seconds apart and set the fastest lap in the race. Last year on moto2 he also started on pole and won the race.

• Last year the top two 125cc riders crossed the finish line so close together that could not establish who entered first or with Photo Finish. The victory was awarded to Hector Faubel because he managed to lap faster than Johann Zarco during the race.

So far the statistics for this German Grand Prix. Now we just have to wait and see how our favorite riders are doing. Everything else will be accessory.