Marquez takes Sachsenring pole, Miller leads way for Ducati

Marc Marquez has qualified on pole for the German MotoGP in lap record time while Jack Miller was the fastest Ducati rider in fifth position.

Marquez got down to an all time lap record time of 1:20.195s to take a 10th consecutive pole across all classes at the Sachsenring.

Fabio Quartararo and Maverick Viñales were both just over two tenths of a second slower than the Repsol Honda rider and will start Sunday’s 30-lap grand prix from second and third respectively.

Marquez was fastest with a 1:20.575s on his first timed lap and, despite setting what would prove to be his fastest first sector on the next lap, he pitted to go for a two-stop strategy.

He broke his year-old all time lap record for a first time when he clocked a 1:20.215s during his second run, then laid down what would stand as the pole lap on the second flyer of his third run.

Quartararo was his nearest rival despite partially dislocating his left shoulder when he had a big wobble through Turn 11 during Free Practice 3.

The Frenchman was third after the first runs and, on a more conventional one-stop strategy, took the #20 Petronas SRT Yamaha to a best time of 1:20.400s on his penultimate flying lap.

Factory counterpart Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha) went for three runs and clocked a best of 1:20.406s on the latter, while Alex Rins ended up fourth having managed to stay up when he had an early off.

The Suzuki Ecstar rider will be joined on the second row by Miller, who got as high as second on his Pramac Ducati, and Cal Crutchlow (Castrol LCR Honda).

Starting from Row 3 will be Franco Morbidelli (Petronas SRT Yamaha), Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar), although the latter could be summoned to the stewards after Danilo Petrucci was seen remonstrating at him having been held up by #36 during the session.

Takaaki Nakagami managed to qualify 10th on the Idemitsu LCR Honda despite having to walk around on crutches after his clash with Valentino Rossi last weekend.

The Japanese rider came from Qualifying 1, denying Andrea Dovizioso progression to Qualifying 2, when he lifted with the chequered flag out.

He will share the fourth row with Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha), who also had to go into Q1, and Petrucci, who had a big spill at Turn 9 on his final run but could at least walk away from the crash scene.

Dovizioso therefore starts a position behind his Mission Winnow Ducati team-mate in 13th, and a position ahead of Jorge Lorenzo’s Repsol Honda stand-in, Stefan Bradl.

Race start is 2200 AEST.

Qualifying: German MotoGP