2019 Sachsenring MotoGP Qualifying Results and Coverage: 10-In-A-Row For Márquez

2019 Sachsenring MotoGP Qualifying Results:
Márquez, Quartararo, Viñales Front Row

Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Márquez made it ten poles in a row across the three classes at the Sachsenring in a terrific MotoGP Q2 session that went down to the checkered flag. Fabio Quartararo, aboard his Petronas Yamaha SRT, did his best to deny Márquez the pole, but came up 0.205 seconds short as Márquez saved his fastest qualifying lap for last.

Márquez used a two-stop qualifying strategy at the Sachsenring, even though it meant he pulled off on this third lap while setting a fastest-lap pace through the first three sectors. Putting in his best sector 3 time and fastest top speed of 295.4 km/h on his final qualifying lap, Márquez ended Q2 with two laps—5 and 9—quicker than Quartararo.

Quartararo was fighting off the effects of a dislocated left shoulder in FP3, as well as still recovering from arm pump surgery on his right forearm. It was hard to tell, as Quartararo tore through three consecutive laps in the 1:20.4 range as he chased Márquez’ track-record lap time.

Like Márquez, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales went with a two-stop strategy. Viñales attempted to follow Márquez out of the pits on the two riders’ final run. Instead, Márquez stayed put until Viñales left the pits. Even without a Márquez tow, Viñales put in his best time on lap 9 of 10, putting Viñales on the front row.

Márquez’ best time came with a hard front and soft rear Michelin, while Quartararo and Viñales went fastest with a medium front and soft rear.

Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins ran off the track on lap three, but was able to return on his second run to put in a 1:20.531 time on lap 7 of 8. That put Rins on the front of the second row, 0.159 seconds ahead of the top qualifying Ducati, ridden Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller. Fighting off a leg injury, LCR Honda Castrol’s Cal Crutchlow finished the session filling out the third row, with a 1:20.857 lap time.

It was a difficult Q2 session for Ducati Team’s Danilo Petrucci. He had two altercations with Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir. Mir impeded Petrucci twice, the second time resulting in veteran Petrucci gesticulating menacingly at the rookie.

On the first lap of his second run, Petrucci suffered a high-speed crash in turn 9. He tumbled through the gravel trap, with his factory Ducati hitting the airbags. That put Petrucci last in Q2. Mir went on to qualify in P9, behind Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Franco Morbidelli and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaró on the third row of the grid.

Q1 was filled with drama, as Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso was denied passage to Q2 by injured Takaaki Nakagami on the LCR Honda Idemitsu. Nakagami, who is unable to walk without crutches, knocked Dovi out of Q2 with a 1:21.102 final lap in Q1. Dovizioso missed Q2 by 0.003 seconds. Rossi, whose crash in Assen injured Nakagami, topped Q1 comfortably, being the only rider in the 1:20s.

2019 Sachsenring MotoGP Qualifying Results