German MotoGP, Sachsenring – Friday Practice Results (2)

* Rookie

Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than Practice 1.
= Rider is same position as Practice 1.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than Practice 1.

Official Sachsenring MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 19.765s (2022)
Fastest race lap:
Marc Marquez SPA Honda 1m 21.228s (2019)

Marco Bezzecchi leads a punishing Practice 2 for the 2023 German MotoGP at Sachsenring which saw big accidents for Takaaki Nakagami (pictured), Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, then a big save for Marc Marquez through the same Turn 11 that had destroyed Nakagami’s Honda.

But the drama wasn’t over for Marquez, who later lost the front of his RCV under braking for Turn 1 – his sliding bike then wiping out Johann Zarco as the Frenchman prepared to rejoin the track from pit lane.

The collision ripped Zarco’s Pramac Ducati in half, but his feet and legs thankfully missed the impact and both riders returned for the final minutes.

However, Marquez was left in 14th place and will need to take part in Saturday’s Qualifying 1 at a circuit where he has never been beaten as a MotoGP rider.

Gresini Ducati team-mates Fabio di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez completed the lengthy, and expensive, P2 fallers list.

Jorge Martin pulled a huge stoppie from his Pramac Ducati when the rear was kicked into the air by a braking bump into turn one before becoming the first rider to beat team-mate Zarco’s 1m 20.461s pace setting morning time in the closing stages.

Reigning world champion and title leader Francesco Bagnaia then nipped 0.090s under Martin as Desmosedicis briefly filled the top six positions until Jack Miller powered his KTM into second.

The frantic final few minutes then saw Aprilia’s injured Aleix Espargaro briefly on top – before Bezzecchi and Martin also saved their best for last.

• Sachsenring: Latest Moto2 Results
• Sachsenring: Latest Moto3 Results

Worsening weather after morning practice spelt bad news for the likes of Luca Marini, Maverick Vinales and Jack Miller – facing a trip to Saturday’s Qualifying 1 if the rain continued.

Fortunately for the trio, and others outside this morning’s top ten, the twisty undulating track was dry enough for slicks by the start of the afternoon hour.

Nonetheless, the added risk from the moisture meant some riders, including Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo, chose to sit out the opening part of the session…

Those risks were soon dramatically illustrated when Takaaki Nakagami destroyed his Honda, but fortunately walked away, after sending his RC213V cartwheeling through the gravel at the infamous Turn 11, bringing out red flags to retrieve debris from the track.

It was not immediately clear if the LCR rider had been using the Kalex or standard chassis, but subsequent photos suggest it was the Kalex.

“4

Marquez, who had been watching Nakagami’s accident on TV in the pits, took to the track when the session restarted and later made a big front-end save at Turn 12 – rookie Augusto Fernandez getting a perfect view from just behind.

Namesake Raul Fernandez was later sent sliding down the track at Turn 11, while RNF team-mate Miguel Oliveira defied his injured shoulder to lead the middle stages… then also ed, at Turn 10.

Marquez then narrowly held on to his bucking Honda when the rear let go on entry to Turn 11, returning wide-eyed to the Repsol Honda pits. Replays showed Marquez giving the middle finger to someone or something, presumably his bike.

But worse was to follow when he returned for the final minutes and wiped out Zarco.