Fabio Quartararo delivered a strong qualifying performance at the Sachsenring on 12 July, securing sixth place in a fiercely contested session won by Marc Marquez.
What happened in qualifying?
Marc Marquez claimed pole position in Germany after a tight battle, edging out Di Giannantonio and Raul Fernandez at the top of the timesheets. His younger brother Alex Marquez lined up alongside him on the front row, defying expectations despite still recovering from a fractured neck vertebrae suffered in Catalonia.
Fabio Quartararo impressed once again, topping the Q1 session alongside Francesco Bagnaia before settling for sixth overall. Pecco Bagnaia, however, will start from the fourth row after a disappointing qualifying run.
Why the crash matters for Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi’s championship hopes took a hit when he suffered a big high-side crash on his second flying lap in Q2. The incident comes at a bad time for the Italian, who is already dealing with less-than-ideal physical condition. His teammate Jorge Martin struggled too, managing only ninth on the grid.
Quartararo’s sixth-place finish keeps him in the mix as the championship battle heats up. His pace in Q1 proved he remains a threat, even if he couldn’t quite match Marquez’s late surge.
What’s next for the field?
The German Grand Prix race day awaits on 13 July, with Marquez leading the charge from the front row. Quartararo will line up just behind Bagnaia, while Bezzecchi’s recovery from injury and his crash will be closely watched.
Martin’s ninth-place start adds pressure on the Ducati squad, who will need a strong race to bounce back from a tough weekend. The Marquez brothers’ front-row lockout gives Honda a rare moment of dominance in qualifying.
How the rest of the grid shaped up
In Moto2, Ivan Ortola took pole after a tight battle with championship leader Manuel Gonzalez. Celestino Vietti and Aron Canet were among the early exits in Q1, while Aymu Sasaki missed Q2 by just 0.03 seconds.
Moto3 saw Brian Uriarte snatch pole by a razor-thin margin, beating Marco Morelli and Hakim Danish. Championship contender David Almansa withdrew due to health issues, adding another twist to the weekend’s drama.