Marc Marquez strikes first with FP1 honours in Germany-

Short, sharp and packed full of energy, the Sachsenring is one of the quirkiest circuit’s on the calendar. FP1 in MotoGP is ticked off, with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) leading the way under dark clouds, even if the forecasted rain held off. It got close towards the end though, with the top 15 covered by less than a second.

Nobody expected anyone else at the top of the standings straight out of the box on Friday morning; Marc was in the groove and with a P1 time set in the opening third of the session. Moving up the order and challenging the #93 for top spot in the closing stages, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) was in contention. A strong start for Yamaha and the Australian, just ahead of Assen sensation Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing). There was a small crash at Turn 1 for Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) but that didn’t bother the Frenchman on his way to fourth, whereas making it five manufacturers inside the top five was Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) on the KTM.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) were next up, ahead of the next Yamaha, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). After a step forward at Assen for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Pecco was slightly behind in P9 on Friday morning at the Sachsenring, ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), making it three Yamahas inside the top ten and a strong start for the Iwata brand.

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was P13 and fell late on at Turn 3, just one place ahead of the returning Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), having suffered a fractured left hand at Assen.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez dethrone Marc Marquez on Friday

The VR46 Italian sets a new Sachsenring lap record to lead the championship top two on Day 1, as Yamaha and KTM pocket top five Practice results.

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) fastest at the Sachsenring? Not today. That accolade went the way of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) after the Italian clocked an outstanding new all-time lap record to lead the MotoGP field by a whopping three tenths. That 1:19.071 was a belter and the closest challenger to it was Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) despite the #73 nursing his left hand fracture, a phenomenal effort from the Spaniard, as Marc Marquez is forced to settle for P3 in Practice.

A SLICE OF EARLY DRAMA FOR BEZ

Less than 10 minutes into Practice, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) suffered a tip-off at the final corner to get his session off to a far from ideal start. Meanwhile, it was Marc Marquez sitting at the summit after the first 20 minutes, the #93 was 0.191s clear of second place Di Giannantonio.

THE FIGHT FOR Q2

The top two stayed the same as we approached the final 20 minutes, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) provisional P3 ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol). However, we were yet to see a flurry of soft tyre time attacks come in, so we strapped ourselves in for a busy end to Friday. The usual state of play for a MotoGP Friday afternoon.

There was a small crash for Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) at Turn 1 and shortly after, Marc Marquez ran on at the same part of the circuit briefly after enduring a big moment coming up the hill at Turn 10. An eventful end to a seamless middle stint in Practice for the championship leader.

With 13 minutes to go, Acosta set a 1:19.843 to go 0.031s behind Marc Marquez, as Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) climbed to P5. A lap later, Acosta improved again and this time, it was good enough to knock Marc Marquez off top spot – a 1:19.772 was now the benchmark.

Acosta and KTM’s time at the top didn’t last very long though. Marc Marquez, with fresh rear Michelin soft rubber, sailed back to P1 to lead Di Giannantonio and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP). Marc Marquez and Di Giannantonio went quicker again on their second efforts, the gap between the leading duo was 0.128s with nine minutes left.

When he needed it, walking wounded Alex Marquez fired in a 1:19.649 to slot himself into the top three. That was a cracking effort, and surely that was enough to book his place into the top 10?

P3 was then Bezzecchi’s as the Italian responded to his early crash in fine style, but then another Italian was third quickest as Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) rose up the order. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was on a flyer though and soon enough, the Dutch GP polesitter was P2, 0.063s away from Marc Marquez, as Acosta then rejoined the top three party with three minutes to go.

Before the close of play, we had two more changes. First, Alex Marquez beat his brother and title rival, but then Di Giannantonio cooked up that phenomenal, table-topping time to head into Saturday as the rider to beat – and by some distance too. What a session for the Italian, and it’s was equally impressive stuff by Alex Marquez to earn P2 following his injury woes in Assen.

THE AUTOMATIC Q2 CONTENDERS

Quartararo ended Friday in P4 ahead of Acosta and Yamaha and KTM stick their noses inside the top five in Germany. Morbidelli was sixth quickest ahead of Bezzecchi and Miller, the Aussie making sure two YZR-M1s are into Q2, as Bagnaia holds onto a top 10 place in P9 ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).

COMING UP: QUALI AND THE TISSOT SPRINT

So it’s Di Giannantonio who acts as the rider to beat so far in Germany, but we’re expecting the weather to now play a leading role in proceedings. You don’t want to miss any of Saturday’s action at the Sachsenring.