The sidecar field is well mixed as it lines up for the start of the first race, which will be held later today, Saturday. John Smits and Gunter Verbrugge (RCN F1 Yamaha) qualified for pole position. The Dutch duo was 0.211 seconds faster in qualifying than the favored 600cc team of Markus Schlosser and Marcel Fries (LCR F1 Yamaha).
Close behind them is the next 1000 ccm pairing, Andres Nussbaum/Manuel Hirschi (LCR F1 Suzuki), followed once again by three World Championship teams. But neither Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes (Adolf RS F1 Yamaha), Josef Sattler/Uwe Neubert (Adolf RS F1 Kawasaki), nor Bennie Streuer/Kevin Rousseau (LCR F1 Kawasaki) managed a 1:41 lap time like the fastest riders.
The starting grid promises excitement, but the displacement classes will be scored separately. The 600cc teams will race with black start numbers, while the 1000cc teams will have white lettering on a red background. This raises the question of whether Mike Roscher and Anna Burkard (LCR F1 BMW) will be ready to race today. The Saxon-Swiss duo had to retire during the second qualifying session due to a broken exhaust. Roscher then explored every possible option to get his hands on a titanium welder. The start of the first race is scheduled for 5:20 p.m.