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 were 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 1000cc pairing, Andres Nussbaum and Manuel Hirschi (LCR F1 Suzuki), followed by three more 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, though 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 ruptured exhaust. Roscher then explored every possible avenue to get his hands on a titanium welding machine. The start of the first race is scheduled for 5:20 p.m.