Guesswork puts Spies on front row

Front row starter Ben Spies has admitted he was forced to get his head down and focus on building his momentum in the closing stages of qualifying at the Sachsenring after his on-board lap timer stopped working at the crucial moment.

Spies was one of several riders embroiled in an exciting final few minutes of qualifying for the German Grand Prix as gradually improving conditions prompted lap times to begin tumbling as the chequered flag loomed.

However, despite repeatedly improving his lap times, a faulty on-board timer meant the Yamaha rider had few clues as to how he was performing during the laps, with his only markers being the pit-board at the end of each revolution.

Despite this, Spies was still able to turn in the second fastest lap time to secure his second front row start of the 2012 season.

"It's been strange today, we've struggled in the rain a lot in the past, especially at this track in the last couple of years but I had a good feeling in the wet yesterday. I was honestly a bit lost in the last ten minutes of qualifying, my lap timer quit working so I didn't know what times I was doing and what my splits were.

"I just rode off of what I thought was quick and saw P1 on my board a couple of times. In the end I just gave it some stick and hoped I would get on the front row! Great work by the guys to deliver a good bike for the conditions too."