Dovizioso the man to beat on Day 1 in Germany

Pedrosa in the rain
Pedrosa in the rain

Fourth fastest overall in the dry was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), with the Granollers native also showing pace to place in the top five in the wet. Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was fifth quickest on combined times for a solid Day 1, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top six.

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was P7 on Day 1 but crashed FP2 in the wet – rider ok – with Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) on solid top ten form in ninth, just ahead of Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing) despite a crash in FP1 for the Brit.

The fastest fifteen overall were completed by home hero Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).

Michelin MotoGP Manager, Piero Taramasso, talks us through the tire allocation for the Sachsenring Circuit.

After the rain came down just ahead of FP2, no times were improved and it was Hector Barbera who was quickest in the wet. Reigning Champion Marquez, winner for the last seven years he’s competed at the track, shone to go second quickest in the rain, ahead of another solid performance from teammate Dani Pedrosa – the only man to have placed in the top three in both the wet and dry.

It was an interrupted first session for the ‘Doctor’ Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), as the Italian suffered an issue on track and ended the day in P16 as the rain prevented anyone improving laptimes.

55 minutes of FP3 sees the MotoGP field head back out on Saturday morning to decide entry to Q2, before qualifying begins from 14:10 (GMT +2).

Friday Results

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 DOVIZIOSO Andrea 4 ITA Ducati Team Ducati 1'21.599
2 VINALES Maverick 25 SPA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.038
3 PEDROSA Dani 26 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.190
4 ESPARGARO Aleix 41 SPA Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 0.233
5 BAUTISTA Alvaro 19 SPA Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati 0.241
6 MARQUEZ Marc 93 SPA Repsol Honda Team Honda 0.299
7 ZARCO Johann 5 FRA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 0.374
8 PETRUCCI Danilo 9 ITA Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 0.393
9 MILLER Jack 43 AUS Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 0.469
10 REDDING Scott 45 GBR Octo Pramac Racing Ducati 0.476
11 FOLGER Jonas 94 GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Yamaha 0.576
12 LORENZO Jorge 99 SPA Ducati Team Ducati 0.610
13 CRUTCHLOW Cal 35 GBR LCR Honda Honda 0.641
14 BARBERA Hector 8 SPA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 0.737
15 LOWES Sam 22 GBR Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Aprilia 0.866
16 ROSSI Valentino 46 ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Yamaha 0.936
17 ESPARGARO Pol 44 SPA Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 0.994
18 ABRAHAM Karel 17 CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team Ducati 1.013
19 RINS Alex 42 SPA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1.043
20 RABAT Tito 53 SPA Team EG 0,0 Marc VDS Honda 1.146
21 SMITH Bradley 38 GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.289
22 BAZ Loris 76 FRA Reale Avintia Racing Ducati 1.390
23 KALLIO Mika 36 FIN Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 1.619
24 IANNONE Andrea 29 ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki 1.700