Lorenzo keen to bounce back

The Spanish Yamaha rider held a 25-point lead at the top of the MotoGP World Championship heading into last weekend's Dutch TT, but he saw that advantage wiped out as he fell at the first corner and title rival Casey Stoner pocketed the win.

That leaves the pair locked together at the top of the standings as the series heads to Germany.

Lorenzo, the 2010 champion, is still suffering with the ankle injury he sustained in his Assen crash with the Gresini Honda of Alvaro Bautista, and has yet to taste victory on the tight and twisty Sachsenring, finishing second in each of the last three seasons.

Lorenzo, who recently committed his future to Yamaha amid speculation he would replace Stoner at Repsol Honda in 2013, says another podium finish is the minimum requirement this time out.

"Assen was a disaster for us, we worked very hard to build up the Championship lead which unfortunately was lost on the first corner," he said.

"Anyway, now we start again at the same points as Casey. I haven't won a race at Sachsenring but have had good battles there and always finished on the podium.

"That is our goal this weekend, and if possible to fight for the victory. My ankle is quite sore but luckily there is nothing broken."

One man who will desperately be chasing a win this weekend is Dani Pedrosa.

Stoner's Repsol Honda team-mate won at the Sachsenring in 2010 and 2011, but has yet to taste victory in 2012, and needs to start picking up race wins and close his 19-point deficit to the two leaders.

He said: "Every race counts and we have to keep working hard and our time will come. We had a very good weekend in Assen and we have to repeat it in Germany; hopefully with the first win of 2012 that we are chasing so much.

"Sachsenring has been a successful track for us in the past, we've got some very good results there and it's a circuit where I always enjoy racing."