Marc Marquez shattered the Sachsenring lap record as he stormed to the top of the practice timesheets for the 2026 German , but the spotlight also fell on reigning champion .who faces the prospect of fighting through Q1 after missing out on the top 10.
Marquez, riding for Ducati, set a blistering 1:19.394 in Friday’s decisive session, eclipsing the competition and igniting the paddock with his outright pace. The day was not without drama, as a treacherous bump at Turn 3 caught out multiple riders-including Marquez himself, who found the gravel during FP1. Despite that early setback, the Spaniard reasserted his dominance when it mattered, securing the benchmark time in front of a packed Sachsenring crowd.
Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse showed formidable form, topping the FP1 session with a 1:20.829 and later holding second in the combined times, just 0.166s behind Marquez. VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio also impressed, pushing his way to third with a 1:19.674 before ultimately settling 0.280s off the lead. Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi and KTM’s Enea Bastianini made their presence felt during the early running, but it was Di Giannantonio who set the pace mid-session, before Marquez unleashed his record-breaking lap.
The session was not without controversy. Pedro Acosta, representing KTM, was visibly frustrated after being blocked by VR46’s Franco Morbidelli, gesturing angrily at the Italian, who was subsequently placed under investigation by race stewards for impeding Acosta on the racing line. Morbidelli, who has a recent history of similar incidents, again drew the ire of his rivals and officials.
As track temperatures climbed, the action intensified in the closing stages. Factory Ducati’s Bagnaia, under immense pressure, improved to eighth with his first late push but was quickly shuffled down the order as Jorge Martin (Aprilia), Morbidelli, and Fernandez posted faster laps. Bagnaia’s final time left him 13th, 0.738s off Marquez, making him the only Ducati GP26 rider outside the top 10 and forcing him into the Q1 shootout alongside KTM’s Brad Binder.
Meanwhile, crashes continued to shake up proceedings-Bastianini slid out at Turn 8, triggering yellow flags that compromised late efforts, notably affecting Binder’s last-gasp charge. LCR Honda stand-in Cal Crutchlow, after a strong showing on fresh soft tyres, finished 21st.
The final top 10 that advanced directly to Q2 featured: Marc Marquez (Ducati), Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse), Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46), Alex Marquez (Gresini), Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha), Ai Ogura (Trackhouse), Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), Jorge Martin (Aprilia), Pedro Acosta (KTM), and Franco Morbidelli (VR46). Notably, Bagnaia and Binder will have to fight for a spot in Q2, setting the stage for a tense Saturday at the Sachsenring.
The opening day at the German has already delivered high drama, unexpected pace, and a fierce battle for supremacy-promising an electrifying continuation as the weekend unfolds.