Bagnaia (Ducati) and Quartararo (Yamaha) were the fastest in Sachsenring Q1

Due to the extremely close competition – partly because the Sachsenring is only 3.67 km long – some of the big names in MotoGP failed to qualify directly for the second qualifying session on Friday. On the technically twisty circuit between Hohenstein-Ernstthal and Oberlungwitz, overtaking is an even greater challenge, making the best possible starting position all the more important.

Among those taking to the track in the first qualifying session was Pecco Bagnaia, a former winner of the German Grand Prix – the Italian had triumphed in 2024. Bagnaia struggled with problems during qualifying and finished 13th. KTM rider Enea Bastianini was also frustrated. The Tech3 rider was comfortably in the top 10 but crashed in the final stages of the session and missed out on Q2 by a few thousandths of a second. His team-mates Brad Binder and Maverick Viñales also had to go through the first qualifying session.

Shortly before 11, both Yamaha factory riders (Quartararo and Rins), both Honda factory riders (Mir and Marini) and the two MotoGP rookies, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pramac-Yamaha) and Diogo Moreira (LCR-Honda), had to enter the first qualifying session. For the Brazilian Moreira, it was already clear beforehand that he would drop back a few places after qualifying – the Moto2 World Champion had received a grid penalty for lazing about.

Unsurprisingly, it was Pecco Bagnaia who set the first benchmark time of 1:19.954 mins. Bagnaia had also performed well in FP2, finishing third. Behind the Italian, following the first flying lap, came the Honda riders Mir and Moreira, followed by the renowned qualifier Fabio Quartararo on the Yamaha M1. At the halfway point of the 15-minute session, the top four were separated by 0.19 seconds. Bastianini, by contrast, had lost 0.4 seconds and was seventh.

Zweiter im Q1: Fabio Quartararo steigt ins Q2 auf

Foto: Gold & Goose

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Seven minutes before the chequered flag, all 12 riders had fitted fresh, soft Michelin slicks. Bagnaia, who had already been less than a second off the lap record in the first run, managed to improve on his time once again. With a time of 1:19.753, the number 63 Ducati was clearly in the lead ahead of me and Moreira. Whilst Bagnaia shaved off another hundredth, Fabio Quartararo moved up into the coveted second place. The Frenchman pulled into the pits, hoping to finish the session with a place in Q2.

In the final three minutes, Luca Marini (Honda) set off in pursuit of a new fastest time, but lost a lot of time in the final sector. Fourth place was the best his half-brother could manage. Enea Bastianini’s attempts also came to nothing. ‘La Bestia’ will therefore have to start both races from 17th on the grid.

There was relief, however, for Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo, who immediately set about preparing for Q2.