Marc Márquez crashes in German GP FP1, finishes second

**Marc Márquez** crashed early in the German Grand Prix free‑practice session on 6 July 2026, yet still managed the second‑quickest time of 1:20.880, only 0.051 seconds shy of leader **Raul Fernandez**.

The 45‑minute session at the Sachsenring began with **Marc Marquez** sliding off his bike at Turn 3 on lap three. He re‑joined quickly, switched to a fresh medium rear tyre and set a 1:20.880 lap with just under 25 minutes left. **Raul Fernandez** topped the charts on a fresh set, posting 1:20.829 to claim the session win.

Despite the early tumble, **Marquez** never lost momentum. He reclaimed the top of the timesheets after his crash, but the lack of fresh rubber kept him marginally slower than Fernandez. The Spaniard finished the session 0.051 seconds behind, a razor‑thin gap that underscores how competitive the field is at Sachsenring.

**Fabio Di Giannantonio** completed the podium for the VR46 Ducati squad, while **Marco Bezzecchi** (Aprilia) set the early pace before his own crash at the Dutch GP. **Alex Marquez** (Gresini Ducati) edged into sixth, and **Alex Rins** (Yamaha) used new rubber to climb to seventh. Honda’s **Joan Mir** and **Jack Miller** (Pramac) rounded out the top five on fresh tyres.

The practice results hint at a tight battle for pole. **Marc Marquez** proved he can recover from setbacks, but the decision not to change tyres could cost him on the final qualifying lap. With the summer break looming, teams will likely fine‑tune setups based on these split‑second differences.

The Spaniard will aim to improve his tyre strategy for qualifying on Saturday. A clean run could see him challenge **Raul Fernandez** for the top spot, while avoiding another Turn 3 incident will be vital. The outcome of this session sets the stage for a dramatic showdown at the season’s final pre‑break race.