The Ducatis also proved their worth in the third free practice session of the German MotoGP Grand Prix, which defined the framework of the ten riders who have direct access to Q2 this afternoon at Sachsenring.
Pecco Bagnaia reiterated that he has a great feeling with his Desmosedici GP on the Teutonic ups and downs, because he went to further retouch the record he had set yesterday. This time the vice-world champion even went under the 1’20 “wall, stopping the clock at 1’19” 765.
Five riders have managed to break through this barrier and four of these have done so on a Ducati. However, in second position Aleix Espargaro made a good leap forward: the Granollers rider definitively promoted the new Aprilia fairing, mounting it on both of his RS-GPs, and finished 64 thousandths from the top.
In the penultimate run, the Noale manufacturer also complained that he was hindered by Franco Morbidelli. An episode that also ended up under the stewards’ magnifying glass and therefore could even worsen an already very complicated weekend for the Yamaha rider, only 22nd this morning.
As mentioned, the Ducatis have made a big voice and in third position we find Jack Miller, but in fourth and fifth position there are the two Prima Pramac Racing bikes, with Johann Zarco preceding a growing Jorge Martin, despite the right hand still a little sore from the carpal tunnel operation. Luca Marini also enters Q2: the Mooney VR46 driver finished 15th, but the FP2 time trial allowed him to remain in the cumulative top 10.
Sixth time for the world leader Fabio Quartararo, who is therefore the first not to have fallen below 1’20 “. The Yamaha rider was very unlucky, because he was unable to complete his last run for a more unique event. how rare: the visor came off on the left side of the helmet, forcing him to abort a good lap and return to the pits.
A good step forward also for Joan Mir, good at climbing up to seventh place with his Suzuki, with a gap of just over three tenths. The Majorcan really put everything into it, because during his best lap it seemed pretty clear that he was at the limit and maybe even a little further. Now it will be necessary to understand what his teammate Alex Rins, only 17th, will want to do instead, who after FP3 will have to decide whether to continue or stop to allow his fractured left wrist to recover in view of Assen.
A small climb also for Honda, which at least managed to place one of the RC213Vs in Q2. Takaaki Nakagami did it, eighth at just over four tenths, despite the fact that in the final he ran into a crash at turn 1. His teammate Alex Marquez also ended up on the ground, with a disastrous fall at turn 9, from which fortunately he got up without consequences. Poor instead Pol Espargaro, who will be in Q1 having not gone beyond the 13th time.
Maverick Vinales, who yesterday said he was able to establish a special feeling with his Aprilia on this track, left the last pass for Q2 and confirmed it this morning. They still chew bitter instead in KTM, with Miguel Oliveira who found himself out of the cumulative top 10 by just 20 thousandths.
Unfortunately, the Italian drivers who will have to pass from Q1 are also different. In fact, the 11th and 12th times of FP3 were not enough for Marco Bezzecchi, who was also the victim of a crash at turn 12, and for Fabio Di Giannantonio. However, the negative surprise is undoubtedly Enea Bastianini: the Gresini Racing driver has never found the right pace this weekend and finds himself 18th at 882 thousandths. A blow for a rider who is aiming for the World Championship, especially for the speed shown by the other Ducatis.
Already mentioned of Franco Morbidelli’s 22nd time, it didn’t go much better for Andrea Dovizioso, who with the Yamaha RNF occupies the 19th position with a gap of just under nine tenths.
