Marc Marquez secures Sachsenring pole position, Bezzecchi suffers collarbone injury
Marc Marquez of the Ducati Lenovo Team has claimed pole position at Sachsenring, setting a new all-time lap record with a time of 1:19.041. His performance placed him 0.061 seconds ahead of his brother, Alex Marquez, who rides for BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) secured the third spot, completing an all-Ducati front row for the upcoming race.
The qualifying session saw significant drama, particularly for Aprilia Racing rider Marco Bezzecchi. Bezzecchi crashed at Turn 7 during Q2 and was later confirmed to have sustained a broken collarbone. He is expected to return to Italy for surgery and will miss the remainder of the weekend’s events, forfeiting his P8 starting position.
The incident with Bezzecchi occurred after he lost the rear of his RS-GP, leading to a fall in the early stages of qualifying. He was seen holding his arm and was later transported to an ambulance with his left arm in a sling. This injury follows a previous accident at Assen, where he was also reportedly battered and bruised.
Qualifying Session Highlights
The Q1 session saw two World Champions advance to Q2. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) initially led Q1 with a time of 1:19.954. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) was close behind, just 0.034 seconds off Bagnaia’s pace. Bagnaia later improved his time to 1:19.753, extending his lead. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then moved into P2 with a 1:19.864, which remained unbeaten in the closing stages of Q1, allowing both Bagnaia and Quartararo to progress.
In Q2, the focus shifted to whether anyone could challenge Marc Marquez for pole. Di Giannantonio initially took provisional pole with a 1:19.512, placing Marc Marquez in P2. Raul Fernandez then briefly held provisional pole with a 1:19.262, 0.168 seconds ahead of Alex Marquez. Marc Marquez, employing a two-stop strategy, moved into P2, 0.089 seconds behind Fernandez.
With five minutes remaining, Di Giannantonio reclaimed P1 with a 1:19.188. However, Marc Marquez then delivered a strong lap, recording three red splits and a strong Sector 4 to secure provisional pole with his record-breaking 1:19.041. Alex Marquez followed, making it a 1-2 for the siblings. Quartararo also put in a notable lap to secure a spot on the second row.
World Championship leader Jorge Martin qualified ninth, one position behind Bezzecchi’s P8. Martin’s team, Aprilia, faced challenges during the session. Quartararo ultimately secured P6, ahead of Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in P7, though Morbidelli will start P10 in the Grand Prix due to a three-place grid penalty.
Sprint Race and Grid Penalties
The Sachsenring Sprint race saw Marc Marquez maintain his lead over Alex Marquez, securing a victory that resulted in an all-Ducati podium. The top three qualifiers replicated their starting positions at the chequered flag, with less than a second separating them. Despite a slight bobble at the start, Marc Marquez retained his advantage over Alex Marquez and Di Giannantonio.
Martin finished sixth in the Sprint race, extending his title lead over the injured Bezzecchi. Bezzecchi is scheduled for surgery on Sunday morning for his displaced collarbone fracture. Most riders opted for hard front and soft rear tyres for the Sprint, with the exception of Alex Rins, who chose a medium rear.
Other riders facing penalties include Morbidelli and Diogo Moreira, both receiving three-place grid penalties for the Grand Prix due to obstructing other riders during Friday practice. Pedro Acosta is competing in his first event since undergoing carpal tunnel surgery on his right wrist. Fermin Aldeguer of Gresini is absent after fracturing a vertebra in Friday practice at Assen, and Johann Zarco remains out due to knee ligament injuries from Catalunya in May, with Cal Crutchlow replacing him at LCR.
The 2026 German MotoGP at Sachsenring features a new grid format with wider spacing between each row, implemented after a ban on front holeshot devices at Assen. The Sprint race was scheduled to start at 3pm local time.
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Source: motogp.com
