Sachsenring

The Sachsenring must be the only decent Hermann Tilke circuit in existence. Its host to the German round of the MotoGP. The race will be held there in July this year.

Now, a Brands Hatch or Spa it most certainly is not. But nevertheless, it is quite interesting. The Sachsenring circuit website has some video downloads showing a lap of the circuit on board a MotoGP bike. Check it out.

Of course no Tilke circuit would be complete without the tight messy bits but this circuit actually features (gasp!!) a 5th gear corner! So what? I've never seen one on a Tilke designed dog that's what. It has an interesting section that somewhat looks like the back bits of the Brands Hatch GP circuit. It isn't quite as fast as that but nevertheless, it combines some 4th gear corners on a MotoGP bike.

Given that a Formula 1 car would murder a MotoGP bike in the turns, I bet a Formula 1 car would be absolutely thrilling to watch over there. Where a MotoGP bike takes it in second I bet an F1 car can do it in third. Likewise those MotoGP fourth gear bends sure look like fifth gear ones on a Formula 1 car. Brilliant!

What can I say? A decent Tilke circuit. If only the German GP would run there but there's just no way because at 3.67 km it doesn't meet FIA Formula 1 specs. God forbid, they should extend it. Herr Tilke would probably read this article and introduce all manner of ugly chicanery and hairpins to make it as superslow as that dog of a Shanghai circuit.

Speaking of which, I watched a MotoGP race on the telly earlier today. The Chinese MotoGP Grand Prix to be precise. Now, bikes are infinitely narrower than cars, so you'd expect a circuit as wide as the Atlantic Ocean would be exploited by those MotoGP guys for more speeds on the corners. No such luck. Even on the MotoGP bike the corners look super slow and super tight.

Can't wait to watch the MotoGP at the Sachsenring though. Wish the FIA WTCC would hold a round there as well.

But say, how about that Valentino Rossi huh? The Michael Schumacher of the MotoGP world. His Yamaha may be crap but the boy just keeps on winning.