It was a dramatic and challenging Saturday at the Sachsenring for the Fantic Racing Lino Sonego team, with rain playing a major role throughout the day. Wet conditions made the German track even trickier, pushing riders to the limit during both FP2 and qualifying.
Barry Baltus was one of the stars of the day. After finishing 18th in the combined practice standings, he had to go through Q1 – but he did so in style, topping the session with confidence. In Q2, the Belgian continued to push hard and improved lap after lap, showing great feeling in the wet. He missed out on pole by just 0.070 seconds and secured a superb second place on the grid. The top four riders showed an impressive pace, finishing over a second clear of the rest of the field.
It was a more difficult session for Aron Canet. The Spanish rider struggled to find the limit in the tricky conditions, and a crash in the second half of Q2 prevented him from improving further. He ended up qualifying 12th. Canet injured his left hand in the fall and lost a fingernail, but after a check at the medical center, no serious injuries were found. He has been declared fit to race and will be ready to fight in tomorrow’s Grand Prix.
Barry Baltus:
"Big thanks to the rain today! We made a big step forward in the wet. From the very first lap this morning, we worked well and found a great feeling with the bike and the tires. I’ll try to take full advantage of this front row start tomorrow – whether it’s dry or wet, it doesn’t matter. Starting from the front is always a benefit. I also think going through Q1 was an advantage today: you already get a feel for the track and the conditions. Let’s see what the weather does tomorrow, and let’s fight at the front again. Huge thanks to the team for the amazing job – see you on race day!"
Aron Canet:
“A tough day. I didn’t have a great feeling in the wet and, unfortunately, I crashed. My finger hurts a lot – it’s not broken, but it’s really in bad shape, and my shoulder is also very sore. Tomorrow morning I’ll have a medical check to see if I’m fit to race. I really hope so, and I’ll give it my all."
Roberto Locatelli – Team Manager:
"It was an intense qualifying day. Barry Baltus did an outstanding job – he showed consistency, speed, and tomorrow he’ll be able to fight for the top positions, even in the rain, which everyone expects.
For Canet, it will be a real race of endurance. He’ll have to manage the pain in his left hand after the crash, but he has the strength to take on this challenge. He’s not at 100%, we know that, but we’ll still aim to bring home the best possible result. We’re back on track already next week, so it’s important to limit the damage and recover as quickly as possible. Racing without a fingernail – trust me – is extremely painful."
