Moto2 Sachsenring: First pole of the season for Sam Lowes

Sam Lowes was a picture of relief after claiming pole position ahead of the Moto2 German Grand Prix, round ten of the championship.

The Elf Marc VDS rider had the measure of the first two sectors and was able to find an advantage over his rivals to claim his first pole of the season ahead of his 150th grand prix start.

That speed over the first part of the track helped Lowes set a 1m 23.493s lap and leap to the top of the timesheets, where he remained as the chequered flag waved as the track got hotter and the session fizzled out.

• Bagnaia continues Sachsenring domination as he beats Quartararo to pole
• German MotoGP, Sachsenring - Full Qualifying Results
• As it happened: Francesco Bagnaia claims brilliant pole at German MotoGP

Albert Arenas had been leading the way before Lowes’ marker was set. Like most he was riding solo with no gains from riding tactically to be had -leaving the Inde Aspar GasGas rider second, 0.272s slower than the Brit.

Augusto Fernandez lead both Friday sessions and remained in the top three after FP3 but fell just short in qualifying, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider continued his consistency to be third again as the session drew to a close.

Jake Dixon had a race run under his belt from Friday but that left him with work to do on Saturday. His FP3 didn’t go to plan a highside as the track changes direction saw him miss much of FP3, leaving the Inde GasGas Aspar rider down in 18th and also in Q1, picking up some chest pain from the fall.

Ignoring his injuries,  the #96 pushed hard to move into Q2 and then went on to go faster again, an eventual fourth.

Home rider Marcel Schrotter also needed to come through Q1, and he too kept the improvements coming to claim fifth for Liqui Moly IntactGP.

Aron Canet was another rider riding around problems, constantly being shown with tissue up his nostrils to stem a nosebleed. The Spaniard had been in a huge car crash earlier in the week.

Despite this the Flexbox HP40 rider lost those on track looking to gain a tow from him and will line up sixth.

Tony Arbolino proved, along with Dixon and Schrotter, that Q1 was a benefit - the track time allowed the Italian to read the track well and complete a huge save at turn one. That meant he could go on to better his time and sit in  seventh on the grid on the second  Elf Marc VDS entry completing a great day for the team.

Vietti comes through Q1 again

Celestino Vietti continued his run of performances where he improves and fights past his issues as the weekend progresses as he again found himself in Q1 - dumped out of the progression places by his nearest title rival Ai Ogura, who finished FP3 in 14th.

Last time out the Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider moved through Q1 to claim pole and went on to win the race, and looking to emulate that, he had the perfect start. Immediately setting the second fastest lap of the weekend at the time in Q1 , the Italian moved effortlessly into Q2.

Unlike Catalunya, the progress then dried up. His time in Q1 was his best of the day, so Vietti starts eighth tomorrow.

Joe Roberts bucked the trend, and made some relatively late gains to climb to ninth for Italtrans.

Fellow American Cameron Beaubier followed and improved to tenth as the chequered flag waved for American Racing.

Filip Salac, who sat on pole in Germany last season in Moto3, came into qualifying with the best time after practice and looked set to be top rookie. It was not to be as Pedro Acosta found his groove to take eleventh for Red Bull KTM Ajo, with Salac off the pace when it counted in 16th for Gresini.

What happened in Q1?

Barry Baltus was knocked out of the progression places, just missing out for RW Racing GP - fifth in the session sees him sit in 19th on the grid.

Jorge Navarro is one place further back on the second Flexbox entry, with Indonesian race winner and triple podium finisher this season 21st on the grid for Idemitsu Hoonda Team Asia as the Thai rider struggles to re-find his form.

Sean Dylan Kelly finished a session in the top ten for the first time, ninth in Q1 will place him 23rd on the grid on the second American Racing entry.

Injury has forced Gabriel Rodrigo out for the rest of the season. His immediate replacement at Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team, Alex Toledo qualified 29th.

Crash.net will bring you lap-by-lap updates from the best races every weekend across two wheels and four wheels - we are your ultimate home of motorsport.