Valentino Rossi needs to win again to stop the criticism from those who doubt his superiority this season, when he is defending his world MotoGP title. The truth is that the Italian had no enemies in the first half of the year, but they also took a victory away from him at Donington. Anyway the Italian has not won a GP since the race since 8th June although he is still the clear leader thanks to his 8 podiums, with an advantage of 34 points over Sete Gibernau. At the Sachsenring he will have to pay attention to the Yamaha because two years ago they occupied the whole podium; Biaggi, Checa and Nakano.

In 250cc, Fonsi Nieto has a great chance to demonstrate that his first victory of the season in Great Britain was not just a flash in the pan and that he is the winner from 2002 again. The rider from Madrid warned everybody at Donington that his intention was to go on vacations, after the German GP, having reduced the gap with respect to Manuel Poggiali substantially, still the leader in the category, or having removed him from that privileged position. In Great Britain Fonsi kept his word and he got himself to within 15 points of the man from San Marino. In Germany he wants to give him the final rites, with help from Toni El�as of course. The latter wants to get back on the podium where he has not been since Le Mans, where he got his second consecutive victory.

Daniel Pedrosa will be out to increase his advantage at the head of the general 125cc classification, after a fall at Donington, caused by Stefano Perugini, and which left him without points for the first-time since last year�s Rio GP. Dani, with a 26 point lead, will be on the lookout for Steve Jenkner who will be riding in his 100th race in the WSC, and H�ctor Barber�, buoyed up with morale and in great form after getting his first ever victory 15 days ago.

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