Free Practice 3 for the MotoGP™ World Championship at the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland ignited in fine style with the final opportunity to be seeded directly into Q2 on everyone’s minds. With it all changing in the final 15 minutes as the softer compounds began to be put to use, it would be Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who took top spot, with Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) second and Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) in third, all covered by less than a tenth.
Huge shocks in FP3! ????@FabioQ20 fastest but @JoanMirOfficial, @FrankyMorbido12, Maverick Viñales and @Rins42 are ALL heading for Q1! ????#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/0tF3fusoZO
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 19, 2021
THE TOP 10: seeded through to Q2…
Leading the way and looking in great shape ahead of qualifying, Fabio Quartararo fired in a strong lap time in the closing stages to place his Yamaha on top, moving up from second on Friday. Second went to Jack Miller who initially went fastest with 13 minutes to go to set the fastest lap time of the weekend, with the Ducatis seemingly finding form at a circuit that they’ve historically struggled with. Backing up the Ducati attack, Johann Zarco is third and top Independent ahead of qualifying, ahead of Friday’s fastest rider Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) completed the top five, with four different manufacturers inside the top five.
Making it three Ducatis inside the top six, Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) put in a respectable lap time to enjoy a solid sixth, whilst continuing his strong form from Friday into Saturday, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) was once again inside the top three at different periods throughout the session and finished as top Honda. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was the fourth Ducati inside the top ten with eighth, ahead of the Sachsenring King Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team). It was an impressive display from Alex Marquez (LCR Honda CASTROL), who moved through into Q2 for the first time in 2021, with his achievement enhanced by it being his first visit to the Sachsenring on a MotoGP™ bike.
Straight into the top ten! ⬆️@marcmarquez93 lifts himself out of danger! ????#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/Llppxclq6R
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 19, 2021
MISSING OUT: a power packed Q1!
Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) missed out, as did Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT). It was a disaster for Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who, with seven minutes remaining on the clock, crashed at Turn 1, leaving him to sprint back to the pits to get on his spare bike. He wasn’t the only one to have a crash in the closing stages though, as Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) made it a hat-trick of crashes at the Sachsenring, this time at Turn 7. Mechanical problems for Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) meant he missed out too, whilst Danilo Petrucci (Tech 3 KTM Factory Racing), teammate Iker Lecuona - who had a crash and Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) all improved their times, but couldn’t crack the top ten, meaning they’ll fight it out in what is set to be a power packed Q1.
"I can save it, I can save it!" ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) June 19, 2021
Unfortunately, @LecuonaIker had to drop his KTM in the Turn 1 gravel trap! ????#GermanGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/ZAMzToxXhI
MotoGP FP4 precedes Q1 and Q2 at 13:30 local time (GMT+2), so make sure to tune in!
Top 10 combined:
1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) 1’20.348
2. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) +0.056
3. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +0.085
4. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +0.103
5. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) +0.103
6. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) +0.153
7. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda IDEMITSU) +0.212
8. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) +0.216
9. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) +0.314
10. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda CASTROL) +0.334