MOTOGP GERMAN GP: VINALES ON RECORD PACE IN FP2 AS MARQUEZ SUFFERS HUGE CRASH
Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales topped second practice for the MotoGP German Grand Prix with a new lap record, as a massive crash left Marc Marquez out of Q2 in 13th.
Cooler conditions than expected for the time of year at the Sachsenring coupled with its unique layout led to a crash-strewn hour of practice that was red-flagged briefly.
Gresini Ducati rider Marquez, who fell off his GP23 in FP1, suffered a monster accident through the downhill right-hander at Turn 11 just seven minutes into the second session.
Marquez tucked the front going through the corner before the rear gripped as he tried to save the accident and spat him into a highside.
He would return to the circuit soon after on a second bike that had encountered issues all day to go fastest with a 1m20.384s with just over half an hour remaining.
Completing just six laps, Marquez then went to the medical centre for checks. No serious injuries were detected, with the Spaniard suffering some pain in his ribs and right hand.
But he wouldn’t return to the session and found himself knocked out of the direct Q2 qualifying places in 11th.
Marc Marquez, Gresini Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The session was red-flagged with just under 40 minutes remaining after VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio popped the air fence in a crash at Turn 1.
Di Giannantonio initially looked to have injured a collarbone in the incident, but medical centre checks revealed no fractures and he was able to return to finish ninth.
VR46 team-mate Marco Bezzecchi was the first faller in the session, coming off at Turn 11 where Marquez crashed.
Ducati’s Enea Bastianini went down at that corner late in the session, while there were tumbles for Takaaki Nakagami (LCR), Joan Mir (Honda), Pedro Acosta (Tech3), Augusto Fernandez (Tech3), Remy Gardner (Yamaha) and Johann Zarco (LCR).
Having had a strong FP1 session, Vinales on the factory Aprilia produced a lap record of 1m19.622s with just under 10 minutes to go.
Nobody got close to Vinales come the chequered flag, with championship leader Jorge Martin second on his Pramac Ducati – albeit 0.340 seconds adrift.
Miguel Oliveira was third on the Trackhouse Racing Aprilia, while Alex Marquez was fourth on the Gresini Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia led his factory Ducati team-mate Bastianini in fifth, with Franco Morbidelli seventh on the sister Pramac-run GP24 ahead of Acosta.
Di Giannantonio grabbed a Q2 place despite his early crash, while the final direct Q2 spot went to KTM’s Brad Binder.
Marc Marquez will join a tough Q1 battle on Saturday morning, with KTM’s Jack Miller only 0.001s outside of the top 10 on Friday afternoon in 11th.
Fabio Quartararo was top Yamaha in 14th, with Zarco the best of the Hondas in 16th.
MotoGP German GP - Second practice results:
2024-07-05T14:38:23Z dg43tfdfdgfd