German MotoGP, Sachsenring - Free Practice (2) Results
Barcelona winner Oliveira continues the momentum by leading Friday practice for the German MotoGP at Sachsenring.
Oliveira soon beat Marc Marquez's FP1 time, then kept his KTM fastest until Marquez responded at the midway stage of the 45-minutes.
New-tyre time attacks in the closing minutes saw the timesheet shuffled, Oliveira ultimately rising back to the top from title leader Quartararo, while Marquez bucked the trend by electing to remain on used tyres and dropped outside the top ten (+0.6s).
Sachsenring, the shortest and slowest circuit for top speed in the world championship, was not part of last year's Covid calendar, which also meant Marc Marquez's record of winning every race at the circuit since he joined the MotoGP class in 2013 remained intact. Add in three victories in the 125cc/Moto2 classes and the Spaniard is unbeaten at the track since 2009!
Marquez faces a challenge to continue that run this weekend given his best of seventh place since his return from injury and Honda being without a podium this season - but while still struggling for strength in his right arm and corresponding shoulder area, Marquez has far less trouble with left-hand corners, which dominate the anti-clockwise German track and says he will not have physical limitations this weekend.
The #93 is also finally using his 2021 Honda fairing upgrade this weekend, a Yamaha style 'loop'. Team-mate Pol Espargaro fell for the second time today, while trying the new aero package in FP2, but recovered for fifth and top Honda.
Rossi and younger brother Marini also fell during the afternoon.
Rins is returning to action for Suzuki after missing Barcelona due to a fractured wrist in a bicycle accident, while texting. The Suzuki rider made a strong return in fourth.
| German MotoGP, Sachsenring - Free Practice (2) Results | |||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max | |
| 1 | ^11 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1'20.690s | 21/23 | 298k |
| 2 | = | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.220s | 21/22 | 293k |
| 3 | ^7 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.333s | 21/22 | 293k |
| 4 | ^3 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.387s | 22/23 | 294k |
| 5 | ˅1 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.418s | 19/20 | 297k |
| 6 | ˅3 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.441s | 21/24 | 292k |
| 7 | ˅2 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +0.453s | 19/20 | 296k |
| 8 | = | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | +0.491s | 20/20 | 298k |
| 9 | ˅3 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.502s | 19/22 | 298k |
| 10 | ^4 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.538s | 18/18 | 290k |
| 11 | ^7 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.592s | 21/22 | 293k |
| 12 | ˅11 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.601s | 16/26 | 297k |
| 13 | ^3 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.603s | 24/25 | 297k |
| 14 | ^5 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +0.708s | 22/22 | 298k |
| 15 | ^7 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.736s | 21/23 | 299k |
| 16 | ˅7 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.763s | 22/23 | 296k |
| 17 | ^4 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.878s | 16/19 | 295k |
| 18 | ˅5 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.905s | 15/18 | 293k |
| 19 | ˅4 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +1.012s | 18/20 | 295k |
| 20 | ˅3 | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* | +1.188s | 22/22 | 290k |
| 21 | ˅1 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.278s | 21/24 | 291k |
| 22 | ˅11 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | +1.521s | 8/24 | 299k |
Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP1.
= Rider is same position as FP1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP1.
* Rookie
Official Sachsenring MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 20.115s (2019)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 21.228s (2019)
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
