A superb return from injury for Nico Terol at Mugello saw the 125cc World Championship leader take his fifth win of the 2011 season at Mugello, and the Bankia Aspar rider leads the category to Sachsenring this weekend.

The decision to miss the Assen race and have finger surgery did little to dent the Spaniard’s hold on the 125cc class, as he returned to winning ways immediately in Italy. His lead at the top of the standings is a healthy 39 points going into round nine.

Having missed last year’s Sachsenring race due to injury Terol has a best finish at the circuit of fourth (2009), and it is one of just two tracks on the current 125cc calendar at which he is yet to score a podium result.

His closest threat in the standings at present is Frenchman Johann Zarco (Avant-AirAsia-Ajo) who scored his best result of last year (sixth) at Sachsenring. Zarco has made a step up this year having taken four podiums to date, and the perfect birthday celebration for the man who turns 21 on Saturday would be a first GP victory.

Continuing to electrify the category with his superb displays in his rookie season is Maverick Viñales, and the young Spaniard took his fourth podium of the season at Mugello last time out.

The Blusens by Paris Hilton Racing rider trails Zarco by just eight points in the standings, with German rider Jonas Folger only five points behind Viñales.

The Red Bull Ajo Motorsport rider and fellow compatriot Sandro Cortese (Intact Racing Team Germany) are separated by just three points themselves in fourth and fifth and will both compete for the home crowd’s adulation. Marcel Schrötter (Mahindra Racing) will also hope to be spurred on by the German fans.

Five wild card riders will also take part in the 125cc class, four of which will add to the German presence in Luca Gruenwald (Freudenberg Racing Team), Toni Finsterbusch (Freudenberg Racing Team), Marvin Fritz (LHF Project Racing) and Felix Forstenhausler (Schwaben Racing Team) joined by Australian Jack Miller (RZT Racing).

The eni Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland gets underway at 9.15am local time on Friday morning, when the 125cc class takes to the track for the first free practice session.