German Grand Prix Sachsenring MotoGP FP3: The Maniac wants the cake!

Before this 2018 edition of the German Grand Prix, we were certain: the Sachsenring circuit was the preserve of Marc Márquez and the Ducatis were going to suffer there!

However, at the end of the first day, the German track presented us with a completely different panorama, with an unexpected offensive from the Ducatis, as well as the Hondas and Yamahas who were struggling a little.

Concerning Marc Márquez, it is however appropriate to put things into perspective since the Honda driver, just like John Zarco, did not use a new rear tire in the last minutes of FP2 to tease the time.

It therefore seems impossible not to count on him for victory on Sunday while, conversely, Valentino Rossi seems much more disturbed by a significant change in grip between morning and afternoon.

On this French national holiday, it will also be necessary to monitor Johann zarco whose modest ranking yesterday does not at all reflect its real potential. Confidence therefore remains aboard the Yamaha number 5, but you shouldn't miss this 3-minute FP45 or, for the moment, alone Jorge Lorenzo, Danilo Petrucci, Andrea Iannone, Andrea Dovizioso, Marc Márquez, Maverick Vinales, Takaaki Nakagami, Jack Miller, Cal Crutchlow and Álvaro Bautista are pre-qualified for Q2.

In terms of miscellaneous information, the wild card Mika Kallio will require surgery after his violent fall in turn 8 during FP2, while Stefan Bradl replaces at short notice Franco Morbidelli, declared fit by the doctors but having withdrawn.

Note that the famous turn #11, nicknamed until now Waterfall, is now called Ralf Waldmann in honor of the fallen German pilot.

Weather-wise, the track conditions are excellent, with a surface temperature of 28° and temperatures of 18° in the air at the start of this third MotoGP session of the German weekend:

Sachsenring MotoGP™	2017	2018
FP1	1'21.599 Andrea Dovizioso	1'21.442 Andrea Iannone (See here)
FP2	1'28.115 Hector Barbera	1'20.885 Jorge Lorenzo (See here)
FP3	1'20.745 Marc Marquez	1'20.438 Andrea Iannone
FP4	1'21.822 Marc Marquez
Qualification 1	1'27.688 Danilo Petrucci
Qualification 2	1'27.302 Marc Marquez
Warm Up	1'21.635 Jonas Folger
Course	Marquez, Folger, Pedrosa
All time lap record	1'20.336 Marc Marquez 2015

 

When the red lights go out, it's this time Xavier Simeon who rushes first and we see that Marc Márquez stands out once again in terms of its tire fitment by adopting a hard front tire.

The first minutes allow us to observe that Valentino Rossi, like yesterday morning but unlike yesterday afternoon, is in the mix, just behind Marc Marquez who recorded an already fast 1'21.263. This allows him to be provisionally prequalified in 7th position.

Same observation for Dani Pedrosa who enters the top 5 of this morning after less than 5 laps, even if this is not yet enough to pre-qualify.

Last headliner in apparent difficulty yesterday, Johann zarco clocked 1'22.181 during his first run, one second off the best time, which only gave him 14th position and, obviously, kept him out of the top 10 in the combined ranking for the moment.

The hierarchy at the end of the first run is composed of Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Andrea Iannone, Dani Pedrosa, Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins, Álvaro Bautista, Andrea Dovizioso, Cal Crutchlow and Aleix Espargaro.

On resumption, Tito Rabat enjoy the wake of Maverick Vinales to climb into 5th position, but it is Alvaro Bautista who continues to impress by taking provisional 3rd place.

Dani Pedrosa continues to improve but is still not in the top 10 overall.

Johann zarco stays a long time in his box where we work on the rear shock absorber of his motorcycle. Halfway through the session, the Tech3 driver returned to the track although he was currently in 17th position. Guy Coulon confirms a lack of traction but remains faithful to his plan which will allow his driver to aim for the top 10 during the very last run of this morning.

Jack Miller takes his Ducati to 2nd place taking advantage of Valentino Rossi in front of him while Johann zarco applies to the letter the plan planned by Guy Coulon and positions itself 4th, temporarily integrating the top 10 overall.

A quarter of an hour before the flag is lowered, the hierarchy of the session is as follows: Marc Marquez, Jack Miller, Valentino Rossi, Takaaki Nakagami, Bradley Smith, Johann Zarco, Cal Crutchlow, Álvaro Bautista, Andrea Iannone and Tito Rabat.

Andrea Iannone then triggers hostilities first by achieving the best time of the weekend: 1'20.845!

Alvaro Bautista et Cal Crutchlow are making very good attempts, but then it's Danilo Petrucci which improves to 1'20.786.

9 minutes from the checkered flag, are pre-qualified: Danilo Petrucci, Andrea Iannone, Jorge Lorenzo, Álvaro Bautista, Cal Crutchlow, Marc Márquez, Andrea Dovizioso, Dani Pedrosa, Jack Miller and Maverick Vinales.
Valentino Rossi is then only 11th, John Zarco 15e.

The official Yamaha rider made his first effort and lifted his M1 to 6th position overall thanks to a 1'21.242. The Doctor then clocked a 1'20.812 which propelled him into 2nd place in the combined.

Marc Marquez then took pole position in 1'20.734 and he still seemed on the verge of improving when Aleix Espargaro ruined his lap.

But the feat comes from the Ducati of Danilo Petrucci and Álvaro Bautista who, alone, stole the spotlight from Marc Márquez in 1'20.537 for the Pramac driver.

Andrea Iannone didn't stop there and slapped a 1'20.438 at the last minute.

In extremis, Cal Crutchlow and Valentino Rossi enter the top 5 while, conversely, Andrea Dovizioso and Johann Zarco will have to go through Q1.

Ranking German Grand Prix MotoGP FP3 at Sachsenring:

Ranking German Grand Prix MotoGP FP3 (combined) at Sachsenring:

Credit rankings and tires: MotoGP.com