"King of the Ring" Marc Márquez goes fastest on day one. Spaniard Izan Guevara sets a new track record in Moto2. Slender margins: High drama guaranteed in Moto3.
Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) lived up to his nickname of "King of the Ring" in practice on Friday. The world champion from Spain set the day's fastest time of 1:19.394 minutes in the afternoon session. Despite crashing, the Ducati rider was also second fastest in Free Practice 1 in the morning. Second place in Friday's standings went to Raúl Fernández (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team). The Aprilia rider from Spain topped the timing sheet in the morning session, with a slender advantage of 0.051 seconds. Third fastest was Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), ahead of Marc Márquez's brother Álex (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) from Australia.
"Yes, it is true that we are in first place. However, it is also true that not everything went entirely to plan. I may be fast, but it does not yet feel entirely natural and flowing - the way it actually needs to feel on this track. We have 30 laps on Sunday. We are pretty well positioned, but still have to adjust a few details, in order to find a more consistent race pace," said Márquez.
The Moto2 class got straight up to record-breaking pace on Friday: Spaniard Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) was on fire in the afternoon, setting a new track record on the Sachsenring asphalt. His fastest lap last just 1:22.260 minutes. A mere 0.036 seconds slower was his compatriot Iván Ortolá (QJMOTOR - R.O.M.E.A - MSI) in second place. Columbian David Alonso (CFMOTO Azul Marino Aspar Team) completed the top three. He was followed by the two riders from German team LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP: Australia's Senna Agius was fourth fastest, while world championship leader Manuel González from Spain ended the day in fifth place.
Close, closer, Moto3: 19 riders within half a second
In Moto3, it was Indonesian Veda Pratama from Honda Team Asia who came out on top in the afternoon. He stopped the clock at 1:25.848 at the end of his fastest lap of the iconic 3.7-kilometre circuit. Second place went to Spain's Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP - MTA), followed by Briton Eddie O'Shea (GRYD Racing). A fever prevented Spaniard David Almansa from German team LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP, who currently lies third in the world championship, from taking part in either of Friday's sessions.
Typical Moto3: The margins were incredibly slim on Friday afternoon, with just half a second separating the first 19 riders. As such, high drama is guaranteed once again this weekend. Austrian Leo Rammerstorfer from Team SIC58 Squadra Corse ended the afternoon practice in 22nd place. The only German-speaking rider in the world championship was 1.3 seconds off the top pace.
The action is really set to heat up on Saturday at the iconic Sachsenring. In the morning, qualifying in the top class - MotoGP - will determine the grid positions for the sprint race in the afternoon and the Grand Prix on Sunday. Qualifying for Moto2 and Moto3 follows in the early afternoon. The young German hopefuls will battle it out for victories and trophies in their opening races in both the Moto4 Northern Cup and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
A number of tickets are still available for the Liqui Moly Motorcycle Grand Prix of Germany, and can be purchased online at adac.de/motogp, by phone on 03723/8099111, or by E-mail to info@sachsenring-event.de. Admission to the standing areas is free for under 14s when accompanied by a paying adult.
