MotoGP 2018 at the Sachsenring: Right in the heart of the paddock

With a paddock invitation from the Sky VR46 Team at the Sachsenring in 2018: images and impressions from the paddock, pit lane and race — right up close to Vale, Marc and Pecco.

In July 2018, a dream came true for me: for the first time, I was able to experience a MotoGP race up close. Thanks to a paddock invitation from the Sky VR46 Team, I was right in the middle of it — in the paddock, the pit lane and the infield of the race circuit. This resulted in some very special images that I would like to share here.

In the paddock: my highlights

Saturday, third free practice. I am standing in the pit lane for the first time when Valentino Rossi rides straight past me. Unbelievable. After qualifying, the riders are still practising starts — and I am right there.

After the Moto2 race, I get the opportunity to meet the riders of the Sky VR46 Team. Francesco Bagnaia and Luca Marini both race in MotoGP's premier class for Ducati today.

In the Dainese trailer, I was able to get close to Vale's leathers, with an interesting guided tour on top. And in the Aprilia garage, I could get right up close to the bikes — the working equipment of Aleix Espargaró. Everywhere in the paddock, the teams' grid girls were also to be admired.

The race

No image describes the situation better than the showdown on the track: young star Marc Márquez charges ahead on his Honda, chased by legend Valentino Rossi on his Yamaha. In the grandstands, Vale's fans dominate. In the end, Marc wins ahead of Valentino and Yamaha team-mate Maverick Viñales.

The Sachsenring

The race circuit is located — as the name suggests — in Saxony. More precisely, near Hohenstein-Ernstthal on the A4 motorway between Chemnitz and Gera. Around 380 km from Munich or 280 km from Berlin. The elevation changes make the route easy for fans to follow and challenging for the riders.

Don't forget: the race at the Sachsenring usually takes place on the first weekend in July. Perhaps you would like to be there sometime.

Conclusion

My impression: experiencing a MotoGP weekend from the paddock is a completely different world from watching from the grandstand. The proximity to the riders, the roar of the machines from just a few metres away, the atmosphere in the team trailer — it stays with you. Anyone who gets the chance of a paddock pass should definitely take it. And the Sachsenring is worthwhile even without backstage access: its elevation changes make it one of the finest stops on the MotoGP calendar.