Marquez beats Marini to pole after coming through Q1

Spaniard leads an Italian and a German in a Moto2™ Q2 session that sees 0.8 covers the field

After graduating from Q1, Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) took Moto2™ pole position at the HJC Helmets Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland after setting a 1:23.585 to beat fellow Q1 progressor Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) by 0.079, with home favourite Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) completing the front row.

After setting a new all-time Sachsenring lap record in Q1, Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) was fired up for the second part of qualifying and came out to set the early pace, a 1:23.944 was the provisional benchmark. However, the Spaniard then crashed at Turn 13, the same place he did in FP3 – rider ok. His session was over and while over a tenth under in the first sector, Free Practice pacesetter Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crashed out of contention at Turn 3 while sitting P13.

Marquez then went to the top of the times ahead of rookie Fabio Di Giannantonio (MB Conveyors Speed Up), with Schrötter then going P2 to sit 0.082 off pole position. Marini then went second with 30 seconds remaining as the top three were split by less than a tenth, but could anyone beat Marquez’ time? Schrötter threatened but no one could hold their sector one times round the rest of the lap, so it would be Championship contender Marquez who would take his first pole position since Malaysia 2018.

Di Giannantonio held onto P4 to get his best qualifying of the year in his pocket, the Italian will spearhead the second row of the grid ahead of Assen winner Augusto Fernandez (FlexBox HP 40) and the leading KTM of Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM) – 0.283 covers the top two rows. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had a good session to finish seventh, the reigning Moto3™ World Champion gets his best Saturday afternoon Moto2™ result, with Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) and Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) completing the top ten in Q2.

Championship leader Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) had a disappointing session, the Swiss rider has work to do from P12 as main rival Marquez launches from pole. Navarro’s crash meant he’ll start from P11, just ahead of Lüthi, with Binder’s tumble proving costly – a P17 grid place for the South African.

Marquez is in a prime position to make up for the disappointment of Assen, but what can Lüthi salvage from P12? A spectacular intermediate class race awaits as a top 18 covered by 0.8 get set for lights out on Sunday at 12:20 local time (GMT+2). What will the Championship standings look like ahead of the summer break?

Top 10:
1. Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) – 1:23.585
2. Luca Marini (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.079
3. Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.082
4. Fabio Di Giannantonio (MB Conveyors Speed Up) + 0.196
5. Augusto Fernandez (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.238
6. Iker Lecuona (American Racing KTM) + 0.248
7. Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.283
8. Xavi Vierge (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 0.296
9. Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) + 0.298
10. Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) + 0.343

Click here for the full results!

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