{"id":2037355,"date":"2026-07-10T18:11:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T15:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2037355"},"modified":"2026-07-10T18:11:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T15:11:41","slug":"marc-marquez-says-losing-the-german-motogp-is-no-big-deal-is-he-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2037355","title":{"rendered":"Marc Marquez says losing the German MotoGP is no big deal &#8211; is he right?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9&#8243;]<\/p>\n<article>\n<header id=\"lbs-article\" class=\"article header article-header section layout layout--article-header\">\n<div class=\"col headline\">\n<div>\n<h1>Marc Marquez says losing the German MotoGP is no big deal &#8211; is he right?<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p>Marc Marquez ended Friday at the German Grand Prix fastest of all, doing nothing to squish suggestions that he is the overwhelming favourite to win this weekend. But he doesn\u2019t believe he\u2019s got the pace yet, nor does he consider a defeat at his ultimate stronghold to be the disaster others suggest it would be. But is he correct on both points?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"section two-column\">\n<div class=\"col article-info\">\n<div>\n<address> Lewis Duncan <\/address>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><time datetime=\"2026-07-10T19:11:41+01:00\">10 Jul 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col article-actions\">\n<div class=\"block block-better-social-sharing-buttons block-social-sharing-buttons-block\">\n<div class=\"social-sharing-buttons\"><span class=\"ssb-title\"> Share<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div id=\"lbs-content\" class=\"content wide-two-column-sticky section layout layout--wide-two-column-sticky\">\n<div class=\"col first-column\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-preferred-source\">\n<aside>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\">\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div>  Prefer Crash.Net on Google <\/div>\n<div> See our stories more often<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"button\">  Add <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>It used to be something of a joke during a MotoGP season that Marc Marquez would have the Sachsenring circled on his personal calendar as a venue he was guaranteed to win at. The left-handed nature of the quirky circuit in Germany\u2019s Saxony region has seen the Spaniard romp his way to victory almost every year he\u2019s actually started a MotoGP race at the track.<\/p>\n<p>In total, he has nine German Grand Prix victories in MotoGP. At the peak of his powers, it was just another stop on a seemingly unrelenting march to more title success. In the wake of his serious arm injury, he still managed to win around it in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>He didn\u2019t compete in 2022 due to more surgery, and he pulled out of the 2023 edition after a weekend littered with five crashes that ultimately set the clock on his decision to leave Honda at the end of the season. The 2024 season marked his first real defeat at the Sachsenring, though he still finished second.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Normal service resumed last year on the factory Ducati on his way to title number seven.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>After his perfect weekend at Balaton Park, another anticlockwise track, just weeks after surgery to correct an ongoing nerve issue in the right shoulder he badly injured last October, it\u2019s been hard to look beyond Marquez to repeat this in Germany. Even below full fitness, he\u2019s proven he can still be unbeatable at left-handed tracks.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s German Grand Prix also comes at a significant moment in the 2026 title battle. After a weekend of survival at Assen, Marquez is just 40 points from the championship lead. After Mugello, he was 102 points behind. A perfect weekend at the Sachsenring, depending on what happens to his rivals, could see him head to the summer break just three points adrift of the standings lead.<\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s not make-or-break for his title hopes, it\u2019s certainly an important moment. And it\u2019s one that got off to a strong start, at least as far as time attack is concerned. He ended Practice on Friday afternoon 0.166s clear of the field with a 1m19.394s.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"placeholder embed x\">\n<div>Loading this video will expose you to potential cookies and tracking by the provider<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A small crash in FP1 put a blot on his copybook. He bounced over a bump he didn\u2019t know was there. It caught out several riders in all classes, but Marquez didn\u2019t make that mistake again. Even with that fall, he was still second-quickest on his factory Ducati on used rubber in the morning session.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table dir=\"ltr\" class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"5\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0 2026 German MotoGP: Outright best laps per manufacturer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bike<\/td>\n<td>Rider<\/td>\n<td>Time<\/td>\n<td>Position<\/td>\n<td>Difference<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>Marc Marquez<\/td>\n<td>1m19.394s<\/td>\n<td>1st<\/td>\n<td>&#8211;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>Raul Fernandez<\/td>\n<td>1m19.560s<\/td>\n<td>2nd<\/td>\n<td>0.166s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Yamaha<\/td>\n<td>Jack Miller<\/td>\n<td>1m19.841s<\/td>\n<td>5th<\/td>\n<td>0.447s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>KTM<\/td>\n<td>Pedro Acosta<\/td>\n<td>1m20.026s<\/td>\n<td>9th<\/td>\n<td>0.632s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Honda<\/td>\n<td>Luca Marini<\/td>\n<td>1m20.214s<\/td>\n<td>14th<\/td>\n<td>0.820s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe tried to ride in our way. The good thing is when I pushed, the lap time arrived,\u201d he said. \u201cBut still I need to improve a few things if I want to have a constant pace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There may be a lot at stake for Marquez this weekend. But he\u2019s been absorbing the pressure in his feet-on-the-ground style that has been even more evident this year amid his current shoulder injury struggles.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, he noted that victory in Germany would be dismissed by the media as an expected result, but defeat would be \u201ca disaster\u201d. He doubled down on that after Friday\u2019s running. At present, he doesn\u2019t see himself as the favourite to fight for the win. And that\u2019s an acceptable position for him to be in as, he believes, a loss this weekend is likely to mean a podium of some description anyway.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLooks like in Sachsenring, if I win, it\u2019s the normal thing,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I lose, which means second position or third, which for me would be OK, means that it\u2019s news. So, let\u2019s see. But at the moment I\u2019m not the fastest out there on race pace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The narrative being pushed by some commentators right now is that one of Marquez\u2019s rivals beating him this weekend will be a huge boost for them. But that line of thought fundamentally ignores the fact that Marquez still isn\u2019t at 100%, despite his recent success at Balaton Park and at Brno.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>If anything, Marquez&#8217;s suggestion that a podium will do should somewhat concern his rivals. It shows he\u2019s thinking longer-term: to win a war, sometimes you must lose a battle. And if he does win, then his rivals will have to face up to the fact that they couldn\u2019t lay a glove on him while he\u2019s potentially vulnerable.<\/p>\n<p>With the summer break following after this weekend, Marquez has much longer to work on his rehabilitation and try to find his new 100% fitness level. So, in a lot of ways, the German Grand Prix will be very much like the Dutch round, in that Marquez is here to survive. It\u2019s just that survival will be the possibility of him scoring a much better result.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Marquez&#8217;s biggest threats come from within right now<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Looking at the race pace analysis from Practice, Marquez isn\u2019t lying when he says he\u2019s not the best. Though there is the caveat that, because of his physical condition, in recent rounds he\u2019s been much more reserved on Friday\u2019s to keep his energy levels intact, he\u2019s currently slower than a handful of riders.<\/p>\n<p>Arguably, Marquez\u2019s biggest threats come from within the Ducati stable. It was a strong Friday for the Bologna manufacturer, with Fabio Di Giannantonio &#8211; the lap record holder at Sachsenring &#8211; third at the end of Practice.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table dir=\"ltr\" class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"6\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a02026 German MotoGP: Top 10 Practice pace analysis<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rider<\/td>\n<td>Bike<\/td>\n<td>Pace<\/td>\n<td>Tyre<\/td>\n<td>Stint length<\/td>\n<td>Laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marc Marquez<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.364s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>9 laps<\/td>\n<td>16 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Raul Fernandez<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.365s<\/td>\n<td>Soft<\/td>\n<td>7 laps<\/td>\n<td>9 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fabio Di Giannantonio<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.222s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>10 laps<\/td>\n<td>13 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alex Marquez<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.314s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>13 laps<\/td>\n<td>17 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jack Miller<\/td>\n<td>Yamaha<\/td>\n<td>1m21.765s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>3 laps<\/td>\n<td>10 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ai Ogura<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.756s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>9 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marco Bezzecchi<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.104s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>6 laps<\/td>\n<td>9 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jorge Martin<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.778s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>3 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Pedro Acosta<\/td>\n<td>KTM<\/td>\n<td>1m21.422s<\/td>\n<td>Soft<\/td>\n<td>6 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read Also<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-dd6f852210f580aadbbf66aa254bcb6a7a647704593b18c9f306d64c50bdb2bd\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li>\u2018If I lose, it\u2019s OK\u2019 &#8211; Marc Marquez \u201cnot the fastest\u201d in Germany MotoGP practice<\/li>\n<li>2026 German MotoGP: Which riders have made it into Q2 after Practice?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>*<em>Franco Morbidelli missing from table as accurate tyre data not available<\/em><\/p>\n<p>His pace was the most significant standout over Marquez\u2019s, with the Italian averaging 1m21.222s over a 10-lap run of representative laps, over which he put 13 laps in total on the tyre. He put in a 1m21.2s lap on his final tour on that tyre, with Marquez\u2019s best end-of-run effort only a shade slower at 1m21.37s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarc is always a step ahead here,\u201d Di Giannantonio said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to be as close as possible to him to try to fight in a good shape for everything. But I\u2019m just trying to do my best\u2026the thing is not fighting Marc. The thing is improving myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Marquez clearly sees Di Giannantonio as his biggest threat right now, as evidenced by his cheeky remark when the Italian\u2019s comments were put to him: \u201cYeah, he doesn\u2019t like the pressure. It\u2019s easier [to pass it on]. But in the end, he\u2019s fighting for the championship. He\u2019s in the championship, so he needs to take the maximum points if he wants to fight with Aprilia in the next races.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Di Giannantonio remains Ducati\u2019s top rider in the standings ahead of this weekend\u2019s racing and is just 16 points from championship leader Jorge Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Gresini\u2019s Alex Marquez also looks strong on used tyres, though he admits he is \u201cmissing a few things; still with the front I\u2019m not super happy, I\u2019m missing some turning\u201d. Sachsenring is proving easier on him physically following his return to action after his horrific Barcelona crash in May.<\/p>\n<p>The most disappointing of the Ducati riders was Pecco Bagnaia, who missed out on a direct Q2 place, as he struggled with a lack of rear grip. The Italian noted that he felt like he was \u201cdoing flat track\u201d, but can\u2019t understand why because his stablemates are not experiencing the same thing.<\/p>\n<p>Bagnaia had a similar issue at Balaton Park, but was able to use Marc Marquez\u2019s data to figure out a set-up that worked for him. So, providing he gets through Q1, and can find something on the set-up side, Bagnaia could still be in the hunt for a podium, just as he was in Hungary.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2><strong>Marco Bezzecchi facing a damage limitation weekend<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>After a triple-header of utter nightmare for Marco Bezzecchi, the German Grand Prix provides an opportunity for the former championship leader to correct course and head into the summer break with something positive to grasp onto.<\/p>\n<p>He hasn\u2019t scored on a Sunday since his Italian Grand Prix victory at the end of May. As such, he is now seven points from the championship lead, which is currently held by Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Bezzecchi also comes to Germany battered and bruised after his huge crash out of the Dutch Grand Prix. As such, he is below his physical best. And that showed on Friday, as he battled to seventh to secure a Q2 spot but was \u201cin trouble with my body\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>His race pace on the medium rear tyre actually works out the quickest of the top 10 on the timesheets. However, it was done on a new medium rear over a much shorter distance than his immediate rivals. So, the true picture of where Bezzecchi slots into the pecking order remains uncertain at this point.<\/p>\n<p>That said, he has absolutely no plans to be conservative as the weekend goes on.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWell, all three things are important,\u201d he said of the race weekend. \u201cThe qualifying, for sure, is the first very important thing, because at the end you make one qualifying for two races, so it will be important.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then just try to take at home the maximum that I can. We know we will have to suffer, but at the end it&#8217;s like this. I will not focus only on the GP or on the sprint. I will focus every time I go on the bike, and we&#8217;ll see what we can bring at home.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Jorge Martin, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the moment, despite his physical limitations, he looks to be in better shape than team-mate Jorge Martin. The championship leader was much slower than him on race pace, though did his work on a used medium rear, so that gap is likely much closer than it appears right now.<\/p>\n<p>But Martin, who was eighth, 0.015s behind Bezzecchi at the end of Practice, admitted he was having a lot of movement on the RS-GP in cornering. So, for the moment, he has \u201cno strong point\u201d.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In his defence, this is the first time he has ridden at the Sachsenring on the Aprilia. And it\u2019s not a venue Aprilia has generally excelled at in the past. So, he is operating from a position of weakness coming into the weekend. Still, with the pressure of the championship lead on his shoulders, this could be a telling weekend in his 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Aprilia, for the most part, doesn\u2019t look like the manufacturer that cleaned up at Assen. Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse was fast on soft rubber. The Trackhouse team has traditionally had a good turn of speed in qualifying trim and the sprints at Sachsenring, so Fernandez will certainly be a big threat on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Assen winner Ai Ogura had a quieter Friday than he did in recent rounds. That\u2019s not necessarily a sign that he won\u2019t take a step forward, but balance issues on his bike are something he says must be resolved first.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Don&#8217;t miss the latest MotoGP talking points<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-field-keywords block-layout-builder\">\n<h2>Tags:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"field_keywords\">Marc Marquez<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-next-prev\">\n<div class=\"next-prev-pager contextual-region\">\n<div class=\"items\">\n<div class=\"item prev\">\n<h3> Previous <span>Article<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"card card_plain\">\n<div class=\"content\"> Fabio Quartararo \u201creally amazed\u201d by Jack Miller&#8217;s Sachsenring MotoGP lap <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"item next\">\n<h3> Next <span>Article<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"card card_plain\">\n<div class=\"content\"> KTM secures new Red Bull deal for 850cc MotoGP era <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-block block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<div class=\"author-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-2a324521b511d3965697c6bdc5f4bde38b30b6f5f0a5d953f23332a04cf174ea\">\n<div class=\"card user default\">\n<div class=\"image\"> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/img_8107.JPG?height=270&amp;format=webp 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/img_8107.JPG?height=180&amp;format=webp 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/pictures\/img_8107.JPG?height=90&amp;format=webp 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"header\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"name\">Lewis Duncan<\/div>\n<div class=\"role\">Head of Editorial<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"desc\">\n<div>Lewis joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having been a journalist for five years covering MotoGP for the Motorsport Network. In February of 2026, he became Head of Editorial.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"views-element-container block block-views-blockrelated-content-related-content-block\">\n<h3>Related Articles<\/h3>\n<div class=\"grid-view grid-2 js-view-dom-id-582c678afea38ad2b8b82d2a8b12c4961b67f03834e47583f79c8617888d38bf\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Marc Marquez leads second practice at Germany MotoGP<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331478_hires.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 German MotoGP\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  Results <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>German MotoGP, Sachsenring &#8211; Friday Practice Results<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Marc Marquez, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP. \" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>2026 Sachsenring MotoGP Practice today: Start times and how to watch<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1246152_hires_1600x900.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Start, 2025 German MotoGP. \" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018My biggest rival is\u2026\u2019 &#8211; Marc Marquez outlines his biggest concern in MotoGP title fight<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331279_hires.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 German MotoGP\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Marco Bezzecchi can match unusual 42-year MotoGP record at Sachsenring<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_281722_hires.jpg?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Freddie Spencer, Belgian 500GP, 1983.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>History-making American woman gets Marc Marquez MotoGP chance<\/p><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/yaakov1.png?aspect_ratio=1:1\" alt=\"Kayla Yaakov on Marc Marquez&apos;s Ducati. Credit: Instagram\/Kayla Yaakov.\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col second-column\">\n<div class=\"sticky\">\n<div class=\"component-card-default block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<h2>Latest News<\/h2>\n<div class=\"component-blocks-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-7931f858463c735eea13868f263f88e694f773132898a9e3ec8b981f7d0690b4\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Nicolo Bulega forced to \u201csacrifice\u201d in MotoGP negotiations but \u201cwe are close\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783710451\"> 5m ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/nicolo-bulega-2026-donington-park-worldsbk-00101.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/nicolo-bulega-2026-donington-park-worldsbk-00101.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/nicolo-bulega-2026-donington-park-worldsbk-00101.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>KTM secures new Red Bull deal for 850cc MotoGP era<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783708205\"> 42m ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332541_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332541_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332541_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Fabio Quartararo \u201creally amazed\u201d by Jack Miller&#8217;s Sachsenring MotoGP lap<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783706945\"> 1h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331855_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331855_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331855_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cNo strong points at the moment\u201d &#8211; Jorge Martin sounds Sachsenring MotoGP warning<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783704845\"> 1h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331799_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331799_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331799_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018My 100% is slower than Pedro\u2019 &#8211; Franco Morbidelli responds to Germany MotoGP penalty<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783703483\"> 2h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331592_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331592_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331592_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Don&#8217;t miss the latest MotoGP talking points<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal\">\n<p>Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"component-card-default block block-configurable-views-block\">\n<h2>More News<\/h2>\n<div class=\"component-blocks-view grid-view js-view-dom-id-34a6bd53aee45f7af2de965b362d03d7fb7c89462ebd5dd682408b4fac872329\">\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Jack Miller: Yamaha missing \u201c15 to 20 horsepower\u201d despite Sachsenring MotoGP surprise<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783702205\"> 2h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331525_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331525_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331525_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Marco Bezzecchi \u201cin trouble with my body\u201d in Germany MotoGP practice<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783702115\"> 2h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018People say I have mental problems\u2019 &#8211; Maverick Vinales defends stance on KTM fallout<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783700751\"> 2h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331183_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331183_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331183_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pecco Bagnaia explains \u201cflat track\u201d Sachsenring MotoGP struggle after Q1 blow<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783699625\"> 3h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331751_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331751_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331751_hires_1600x900.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"card card_default\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div class=\"links\">\n<div class=\"sections\"> MotoGP  News <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018If I lose, it\u2019s OK\u2019 &#8211; Marc Marquez \u201cnot the fastest\u201d in Germany MotoGP practice<\/p>\n<div class=\"card-info\">\n<div class=\"time\" data-timestamp=\"1783699108\"> 3h ago<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?height=270&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 270w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?height=180&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 180w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?height=90&amp;format=webp&amp;aspect_ratio=1:1 90w\" sizes=\"100px\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"summary body\">\n<p>Marc Marquez ended Friday at the German Grand Prix fastest of all, doing nothing to squish suggestions that he is the overwhelming favourite to win this weekend. But he doesn\u2019t believe he\u2019s got the pace yet, nor does he consider a defeat at his ultimate stronghold to be the disaster others suggest it would be. But is he correct on both points?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>It used to be something of a joke during a MotoGP season that Marc Marquez would have the Sachsenring circled on his personal calendar as a venue he was guaranteed to win at. The left-handed nature of the quirky circuit in Germany\u2019s Saxony region has seen the Spaniard romp his way to victory almost every year he\u2019s actually started a MotoGP race at the track.<\/p>\n<p>In total, he has nine German Grand Prix victories in MotoGP. At the peak of his powers, it was just another stop on a seemingly unrelenting march to more title success. In the wake of his serious arm injury, he still managed to win around it in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>He didn\u2019t compete in 2022 due to more surgery, and he pulled out of the 2023 edition after a weekend littered with five crashes that ultimately set the clock on his decision to leave Honda at the end of the season. The 2024 season marked his first real defeat at the Sachsenring, though he still finished second.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Normal service resumed last year on the factory Ducati on his way to title number seven.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>After his perfect weekend at Balaton Park, another anticlockwise track, just weeks after surgery to correct an ongoing nerve issue in the right shoulder he badly injured last October, it\u2019s been hard to look beyond Marquez to repeat this in Germany. Even below full fitness, he\u2019s proven he can still be unbeatable at left-handed tracks.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s German Grand Prix also comes at a significant moment in the 2026 title battle. After a weekend of survival at Assen, Marquez is just 40 points from the championship lead. After Mugello, he was 102 points behind. A perfect weekend at the Sachsenring, depending on what happens to his rivals, could see him head to the summer break just three points adrift of the standings lead.<\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s not make-or-break for his title hopes, it\u2019s certainly an important moment. And it\u2019s one that got off to a strong start, at least as far as time attack is concerned. He ended Practice on Friday afternoon 0.166s clear of the field with a 1m19.394s.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"placeholder embed x\">\n<div>Loading this video will expose you to potential cookies and tracking by the provider<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A small crash in FP1 put a blot on his copybook. He bounced over a bump he didn\u2019t know was there. It caught out several riders in all classes, but Marquez didn\u2019t make that mistake again. Even with that fall, he was still second-quickest on his factory Ducati on used rubber in the morning session.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table dir=\"ltr\" class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"5\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0 2026 German MotoGP: Outright best laps per manufacturer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bike<\/td>\n<td>Rider<\/td>\n<td>Time<\/td>\n<td>Position<\/td>\n<td>Difference<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>Marc Marquez<\/td>\n<td>1m19.394s<\/td>\n<td>1st<\/td>\n<td>&#8211;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>Raul Fernandez<\/td>\n<td>1m19.560s<\/td>\n<td>2nd<\/td>\n<td>0.166s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Yamaha<\/td>\n<td>Jack Miller<\/td>\n<td>1m19.841s<\/td>\n<td>5th<\/td>\n<td>0.447s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>KTM<\/td>\n<td>Pedro Acosta<\/td>\n<td>1m20.026s<\/td>\n<td>9th<\/td>\n<td>0.632s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Honda<\/td>\n<td>Luca Marini<\/td>\n<td>1m20.214s<\/td>\n<td>14th<\/td>\n<td>0.820s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe tried to ride in our way. The good thing is when I pushed, the lap time arrived,\u201d he said. \u201cBut still I need to improve a few things if I want to have a constant pace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There may be a lot at stake for Marquez this weekend. But he\u2019s been absorbing the pressure in his feet-on-the-ground style that has been even more evident this year amid his current shoulder injury struggles.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, he noted that victory in Germany would be dismissed by the media as an expected result, but defeat would be \u201ca disaster\u201d. He doubled down on that after Friday\u2019s running. At present, he doesn\u2019t see himself as the favourite to fight for the win. And that\u2019s an acceptable position for him to be in as, he believes, a loss this weekend is likely to mean a podium of some description anyway.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLooks like in Sachsenring, if I win, it\u2019s the normal thing,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I lose, which means second position or third, which for me would be OK, means that it\u2019s news. So, let\u2019s see. But at the moment I\u2019m not the fastest out there on race pace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The narrative being pushed by some commentators right now is that one of Marquez\u2019s rivals beating him this weekend will be a huge boost for them. But that line of thought fundamentally ignores the fact that Marquez still isn\u2019t at 100%, despite his recent success at Balaton Park and at Brno.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>If anything, Marquez&#8217;s suggestion that a podium will do should somewhat concern his rivals. It shows he\u2019s thinking longer-term: to win a war, sometimes you must lose a battle. And if he does win, then his rivals will have to face up to the fact that they couldn\u2019t lay a glove on him while he\u2019s potentially vulnerable.<\/p>\n<p>With the summer break following after this weekend, Marquez has much longer to work on his rehabilitation and try to find his new 100% fitness level. So, in a lot of ways, the German Grand Prix will be very much like the Dutch round, in that Marquez is here to survive. It\u2019s just that survival will be the possibility of him scoring a much better result.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Marquez&#8217;s biggest threats come from within right now<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Looking at the race pace analysis from Practice, Marquez isn\u2019t lying when he says he\u2019s not the best. Though there is the caveat that, because of his physical condition, in recent rounds he\u2019s been much more reserved on Friday\u2019s to keep his energy levels intact, he\u2019s currently slower than a handful of riders.<\/p>\n<p>Arguably, Marquez\u2019s biggest threats come from within the Ducati stable. It was a strong Friday for the Bologna manufacturer, with Fabio Di Giannantonio &#8211; the lap record holder at Sachsenring &#8211; third at the end of Practice.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table dir=\"ltr\" class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"6\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a02026 German MotoGP: Top 10 Practice pace analysis<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rider<\/td>\n<td>Bike<\/td>\n<td>Pace<\/td>\n<td>Tyre<\/td>\n<td>Stint length<\/td>\n<td>Laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marc Marquez<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.364s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>9 laps<\/td>\n<td>16 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Raul Fernandez<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.365s<\/td>\n<td>Soft<\/td>\n<td>7 laps<\/td>\n<td>9 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fabio Di Giannantonio<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.222s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>10 laps<\/td>\n<td>13 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alex Marquez<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.314s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>13 laps<\/td>\n<td>17 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jack Miller<\/td>\n<td>Yamaha<\/td>\n<td>1m21.765s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>3 laps<\/td>\n<td>10 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ai Ogura<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.756s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>9 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marco Bezzecchi<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.104s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>6 laps<\/td>\n<td>9 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jorge Martin<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.778s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>3 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Pedro Acosta<\/td>\n<td>KTM<\/td>\n<td>1m21.422s<\/td>\n<td>Soft<\/td>\n<td>6 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read Also<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-dd6f852210f580aadbbf66aa254bcb6a7a647704593b18c9f306d64c50bdb2bd\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li>\u2018If I lose, it\u2019s OK\u2019 &#8211; Marc Marquez \u201cnot the fastest\u201d in Germany MotoGP practice<\/li>\n<li>2026 German MotoGP: Which riders have made it into Q2 after Practice?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>*<em>Franco Morbidelli missing from table as accurate tyre data not available<\/em><\/p>\n<p>His pace was the most significant standout over Marquez\u2019s, with the Italian averaging 1m21.222s over a 10-lap run of representative laps, over which he put 13 laps in total on the tyre. He put in a 1m21.2s lap on his final tour on that tyre, with Marquez\u2019s best end-of-run effort only a shade slower at 1m21.37s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarc is always a step ahead here,\u201d Di Giannantonio said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to be as close as possible to him to try to fight in a good shape for everything. But I\u2019m just trying to do my best\u2026the thing is not fighting Marc. The thing is improving myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Marquez clearly sees Di Giannantonio as his biggest threat right now, as evidenced by his cheeky remark when the Italian\u2019s comments were put to him: \u201cYeah, he doesn\u2019t like the pressure. It\u2019s easier [to pass it on]. But in the end, he\u2019s fighting for the championship. He\u2019s in the championship, so he needs to take the maximum points if he wants to fight with Aprilia in the next races.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Di Giannantonio remains Ducati\u2019s top rider in the standings ahead of this weekend\u2019s racing and is just 16 points from championship leader Jorge Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Gresini\u2019s Alex Marquez also looks strong on used tyres, though he admits he is \u201cmissing a few things; still with the front I\u2019m not super happy, I\u2019m missing some turning\u201d. Sachsenring is proving easier on him physically following his return to action after his horrific Barcelona crash in May.<\/p>\n<p>The most disappointing of the Ducati riders was Pecco Bagnaia, who missed out on a direct Q2 place, as he struggled with a lack of rear grip. The Italian noted that he felt like he was \u201cdoing flat track\u201d, but can\u2019t understand why because his stablemates are not experiencing the same thing.<\/p>\n<p>Bagnaia had a similar issue at Balaton Park, but was able to use Marc Marquez\u2019s data to figure out a set-up that worked for him. So, providing he gets through Q1, and can find something on the set-up side, Bagnaia could still be in the hunt for a podium, just as he was in Hungary.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2><strong>Marco Bezzecchi facing a damage limitation weekend<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>After a triple-header of utter nightmare for Marco Bezzecchi, the German Grand Prix provides an opportunity for the former championship leader to correct course and head into the summer break with something positive to grasp onto.<\/p>\n<p>He hasn\u2019t scored on a Sunday since his Italian Grand Prix victory at the end of May. As such, he is now seven points from the championship lead, which is currently held by Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Bezzecchi also comes to Germany battered and bruised after his huge crash out of the Dutch Grand Prix. As such, he is below his physical best. And that showed on Friday, as he battled to seventh to secure a Q2 spot but was \u201cin trouble with my body\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>His race pace on the medium rear tyre actually works out the quickest of the top 10 on the timesheets. However, it was done on a new medium rear over a much shorter distance than his immediate rivals. So, the true picture of where Bezzecchi slots into the pecking order remains uncertain at this point.<\/p>\n<p>That said, he has absolutely no plans to be conservative as the weekend goes on.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWell, all three things are important,\u201d he said of the race weekend. \u201cThe qualifying, for sure, is the first very important thing, because at the end you make one qualifying for two races, so it will be important.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then just try to take at home the maximum that I can. We know we will have to suffer, but at the end it&#8217;s like this. I will not focus only on the GP or on the sprint. I will focus every time I go on the bike, and we&#8217;ll see what we can bring at home.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Jorge Martin, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the moment, despite his physical limitations, he looks to be in better shape than team-mate Jorge Martin. The championship leader was much slower than him on race pace, though did his work on a used medium rear, so that gap is likely much closer than it appears right now.<\/p>\n<p>But Martin, who was eighth, 0.015s behind Bezzecchi at the end of Practice, admitted he was having a lot of movement on the RS-GP in cornering. So, for the moment, he has \u201cno strong point\u201d.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In his defence, this is the first time he has ridden at the Sachsenring on the Aprilia. And it\u2019s not a venue Aprilia has generally excelled at in the past. So, he is operating from a position of weakness coming into the weekend. Still, with the pressure of the championship lead on his shoulders, this could be a telling weekend in his 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Aprilia, for the most part, doesn\u2019t look like the manufacturer that cleaned up at Assen. Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse was fast on soft rubber. The Trackhouse team has traditionally had a good turn of speed in qualifying trim and the sprints at Sachsenring, so Fernandez will certainly be a big threat on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Assen winner Ai Ogura had a quieter Friday than he did in recent rounds. That\u2019s not necessarily a sign that he won\u2019t take a step forward, but balance issues on his bike are something he says must be resolved first.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Don&#8217;t miss the latest MotoGP talking points<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"body\">\n<p>It used to be something of a joke during a MotoGP season that Marc Marquez would have the Sachsenring circled on his personal calendar as a venue he was guaranteed to win at. The left-handed nature of the quirky circuit in Germany\u2019s Saxony region has seen the Spaniard romp his way to victory almost every year he\u2019s actually started a MotoGP race at the track.<\/p>\n<p>In total, he has nine German Grand Prix victories in MotoGP. At the peak of his powers, it was just another stop on a seemingly unrelenting march to more title success. In the wake of his serious arm injury, he still managed to win around it in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>He didn\u2019t compete in 2022 due to more surgery, and he pulled out of the 2023 edition after a weekend littered with five crashes that ultimately set the clock on his decision to leave Honda at the end of the season. The 2024 season marked his first real defeat at the Sachsenring, though he still finished second.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331459_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, Ducati Corse, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Normal service resumed last year on the factory Ducati on his way to title number seven.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>After his perfect weekend at Balaton Park, another anticlockwise track, just weeks after surgery to correct an ongoing nerve issue in the right shoulder he badly injured last October, it\u2019s been hard to look beyond Marquez to repeat this in Germany. Even below full fitness, he\u2019s proven he can still be unbeatable at left-handed tracks.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s German Grand Prix also comes at a significant moment in the 2026 title battle. After a weekend of survival at Assen, Marquez is just 40 points from the championship lead. After Mugello, he was 102 points behind. A perfect weekend at the Sachsenring, depending on what happens to his rivals, could see him head to the summer break just three points adrift of the standings lead.<\/p>\n<p>While it\u2019s not make-or-break for his title hopes, it\u2019s certainly an important moment. And it\u2019s one that got off to a strong start, at least as far as time attack is concerned. He ended Practice on Friday afternoon 0.166s clear of the field with a 1m19.394s.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"placeholder embed x\">\n<div>Loading this video will expose you to potential cookies and tracking by the provider<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A small crash in FP1 put a blot on his copybook. He bounced over a bump he didn\u2019t know was there. It caught out several riders in all classes, but Marquez didn\u2019t make that mistake again. Even with that fall, he was still second-quickest on his factory Ducati on used rubber in the morning session.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table dir=\"ltr\" class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"5\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0 2026 German MotoGP: Outright best laps per manufacturer<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bike<\/td>\n<td>Rider<\/td>\n<td>Time<\/td>\n<td>Position<\/td>\n<td>Difference<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>Marc Marquez<\/td>\n<td>1m19.394s<\/td>\n<td>1st<\/td>\n<td>&#8211;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>Raul Fernandez<\/td>\n<td>1m19.560s<\/td>\n<td>2nd<\/td>\n<td>0.166s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Yamaha<\/td>\n<td>Jack Miller<\/td>\n<td>1m19.841s<\/td>\n<td>5th<\/td>\n<td>0.447s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>KTM<\/td>\n<td>Pedro Acosta<\/td>\n<td>1m20.026s<\/td>\n<td>9th<\/td>\n<td>0.632s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Honda<\/td>\n<td>Luca Marini<\/td>\n<td>1m20.214s<\/td>\n<td>14th<\/td>\n<td>0.820s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe tried to ride in our way. The good thing is when I pushed, the lap time arrived,\u201d he said. \u201cBut still I need to improve a few things if I want to have a constant pace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There may be a lot at stake for Marquez this weekend. But he\u2019s been absorbing the pressure in his feet-on-the-ground style that has been even more evident this year amid his current shoulder injury struggles.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, he noted that victory in Germany would be dismissed by the media as an expected result, but defeat would be \u201ca disaster\u201d. He doubled down on that after Friday\u2019s running. At present, he doesn\u2019t see himself as the favourite to fight for the win. And that\u2019s an acceptable position for him to be in as, he believes, a loss this weekend is likely to mean a podium of some description anyway.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLooks like in Sachsenring, if I win, it\u2019s the normal thing,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I lose, which means second position or third, which for me would be OK, means that it\u2019s news. So, let\u2019s see. But at the moment I\u2019m not the fastest out there on race pace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The narrative being pushed by some commentators right now is that one of Marquez\u2019s rivals beating him this weekend will be a huge boost for them. But that line of thought fundamentally ignores the fact that Marquez still isn\u2019t at 100%, despite his recent success at Balaton Park and at Brno.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>If anything, Marquez&#8217;s suggestion that a podium will do should somewhat concern his rivals. It shows he\u2019s thinking longer-term: to win a war, sometimes you must lose a battle. And if he does win, then his rivals will have to face up to the fact that they couldn\u2019t lay a glove on him while he\u2019s potentially vulnerable.<\/p>\n<p>With the summer break following after this weekend, Marquez has much longer to work on his rehabilitation and try to find his new 100% fitness level. So, in a lot of ways, the German Grand Prix will be very much like the Dutch round, in that Marquez is here to survive. It\u2019s just that survival will be the possibility of him scoring a much better result.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331584_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marc Marquez, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Marquez&#8217;s biggest threats come from within right now<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Looking at the race pace analysis from Practice, Marquez isn\u2019t lying when he says he\u2019s not the best. Though there is the caveat that, because of his physical condition, in recent rounds he\u2019s been much more reserved on Friday\u2019s to keep his energy levels intact, he\u2019s currently slower than a handful of riders.<\/p>\n<p>Arguably, Marquez\u2019s biggest threats come from within the Ducati stable. It was a strong Friday for the Bologna manufacturer, with Fabio Di Giannantonio &#8211; the lap record holder at Sachsenring &#8211; third at the end of Practice.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"table-overflow\">\n<table dir=\"ltr\" class=\"crash-report\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td colspan=\"6\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a02026 German MotoGP: Top 10 Practice pace analysis<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Rider<\/td>\n<td>Bike<\/td>\n<td>Pace<\/td>\n<td>Tyre<\/td>\n<td>Stint length<\/td>\n<td>Laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marc Marquez<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.364s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>9 laps<\/td>\n<td>16 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Raul Fernandez<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.365s<\/td>\n<td>Soft<\/td>\n<td>7 laps<\/td>\n<td>9 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Fabio Di Giannantonio<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.222s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>10 laps<\/td>\n<td>13 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alex Marquez<\/td>\n<td>Ducati GP26<\/td>\n<td>1m21.314s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>13 laps<\/td>\n<td>17 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jack Miller<\/td>\n<td>Yamaha<\/td>\n<td>1m21.765s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>3 laps<\/td>\n<td>10 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ai Ogura<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.756s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>9 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Marco Bezzecchi<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.104s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>6 laps<\/td>\n<td>9 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Jorge Martin<\/td>\n<td>Aprilia<\/td>\n<td>1m21.778s<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<td>3 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Pedro Acosta<\/td>\n<td>KTM<\/td>\n<td>1m21.422s<\/td>\n<td>Soft<\/td>\n<td>6 laps<\/td>\n<td>11 laps on tyre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"ins-related_content dsp-related_content_in_article\">\n<h2>Read Also<\/h2>\n<div class=\"related-content-in-body js-view-dom-id-dd6f852210f580aadbbf66aa254bcb6a7a647704593b18c9f306d64c50bdb2bd\">\n<div class=\"item-list\">\n<ul>\n<li>\u2018If I lose, it\u2019s OK\u2019 &#8211; Marc Marquez \u201cnot the fastest\u201d in Germany MotoGP practice<\/li>\n<li>2026 German MotoGP: Which riders have made it into Q2 after Practice?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>*<em>Franco Morbidelli missing from table as accurate tyre data not available<\/em><\/p>\n<p>His pace was the most significant standout over Marquez\u2019s, with the Italian averaging 1m21.222s over a 10-lap run of representative laps, over which he put 13 laps in total on the tyre. He put in a 1m21.2s lap on his final tour on that tyre, with Marquez\u2019s best end-of-run effort only a shade slower at 1m21.37s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarc is always a step ahead here,\u201d Di Giannantonio said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to be as close as possible to him to try to fight in a good shape for everything. But I\u2019m just trying to do my best\u2026the thing is not fighting Marc. The thing is improving myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Marquez clearly sees Di Giannantonio as his biggest threat right now, as evidenced by his cheeky remark when the Italian\u2019s comments were put to him: \u201cYeah, he doesn\u2019t like the pressure. It\u2019s easier [to pass it on]. But in the end, he\u2019s fighting for the championship. He\u2019s in the championship, so he needs to take the maximum points if he wants to fight with Aprilia in the next races.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Di Giannantonio remains Ducati\u2019s top rider in the standings ahead of this weekend\u2019s racing and is just 16 points from championship leader Jorge Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Gresini\u2019s Alex Marquez also looks strong on used tyres, though he admits he is \u201cmissing a few things; still with the front I\u2019m not super happy, I\u2019m missing some turning\u201d. Sachsenring is proving easier on him physically following his return to action after his horrific Barcelona crash in May.<\/p>\n<p>The most disappointing of the Ducati riders was Pecco Bagnaia, who missed out on a direct Q2 place, as he struggled with a lack of rear grip. The Italian noted that he felt like he was \u201cdoing flat track\u201d, but can\u2019t understand why because his stablemates are not experiencing the same thing.<\/p>\n<p>Bagnaia had a similar issue at Balaton Park, but was able to use Marc Marquez\u2019s data to figure out a set-up that worked for him. So, providing he gets through Q1, and can find something on the set-up side, Bagnaia could still be in the hunt for a podium, just as he was in Hungary.<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331452_hires.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Marco Bezzecchi, Aprilia Racing, 2026 German MotoGP<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2><strong>Marco Bezzecchi facing a damage limitation weekend<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>After a triple-header of utter nightmare for Marco Bezzecchi, the German Grand Prix provides an opportunity for the former championship leader to correct course and head into the summer break with something positive to grasp onto.<\/p>\n<p>He hasn\u2019t scored on a Sunday since his Italian Grand Prix victory at the end of May. As such, he is now seven points from the championship lead, which is currently held by Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin.<\/p>\n<p>Bezzecchi also comes to Germany battered and bruised after his huge crash out of the Dutch Grand Prix. As such, he is below his physical best. And that showed on Friday, as he battled to seventh to secure a Q2 spot but was \u201cin trouble with my body\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>His race pace on the medium rear tyre actually works out the quickest of the top 10 on the timesheets. However, it was done on a new medium rear over a much shorter distance than his immediate rivals. So, the true picture of where Bezzecchi slots into the pecking order remains uncertain at this point.<\/p>\n<p>That said, he has absolutely no plans to be conservative as the weekend goes on.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWell, all three things are important,\u201d he said of the race weekend. \u201cThe qualifying, for sure, is the first very important thing, because at the end you make one qualifying for two races, so it will be important.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd then just try to take at home the maximum that I can. We know we will have to suffer, but at the end it&#8217;s like this. I will not focus only on the GP or on the sprint. I will focus every time I go on the bike, and we&#8217;ll see what we can bring at home.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure> <source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1920&amp;format=webp 1920w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1800&amp;format=webp 1800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1600&amp;format=webp 1600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1500&amp;format=webp 1500w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=1200&amp;format=webp 1200w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=900&amp;format=webp 900w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=800&amp;format=webp 800w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=600&amp;format=webp 600w,https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1331628_hires_1600x900.jpg?width=400&amp;format=webp 400w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 710px, (min-width:768px) 62vw, 97vw\" type=\"image\/webp\" \/><figcaption>\n<div>Jorge Martin, 2026 Sachsenring MotoGP.<\/div>\n<div class=\"source\"> \u00a9\u00a0Gold and Goose<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the moment, despite his physical limitations, he looks to be in better shape than team-mate Jorge Martin. The championship leader was much slower than him on race pace, though did his work on a used medium rear, so that gap is likely much closer than it appears right now.<\/p>\n<p>But Martin, who was eighth, 0.015s behind Bezzecchi at the end of Practice, admitted he was having a lot of movement on the RS-GP in cornering. So, for the moment, he has \u201cno strong point\u201d.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-block\">\n<div class=\"mpu-title\"><span>Article continues below<\/span><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>In his defence, this is the first time he has ridden at the Sachsenring on the Aprilia. And it\u2019s not a venue Aprilia has generally excelled at in the past. So, he is operating from a position of weakness coming into the weekend. Still, with the pressure of the championship lead on his shoulders, this could be a telling weekend in his 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Aprilia, for the most part, doesn\u2019t look like the manufacturer that cleaned up at Assen. Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse was fast on soft rubber. The Trackhouse team has traditionally had a good turn of speed in qualifying trim and the sprints at Sachsenring, so Fernandez will certainly be a big threat on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Assen winner Ai Ogura had a quieter Friday than he did in recent rounds. That\u2019s not necessarily a sign that he won\u2019t take a step forward, but balance issues on his bike are something he says must be resolved first.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<div class=\"block block-campaign-monitor\">\n<h2>Don&#8217;t miss the latest MotoGP talking points<\/h2>\n<div class=\"extra-info js-form-wrapper form-wrapper\" data-drupal-selector=\"edit-legal\" id=\"edit-legal--2\">\n<p>Privacy Policy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;http:\/\/crash.net\/motogp\/feature\/1100642\/1\/marc-marquez-says-losing-german-motogp-no-big-deal-he-right&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.crash.net\/sites\/default\/files\/2026-07\/gng_1332285_hires.jpg?width=1600&amp;aspect_ratio=16:9&#8243;] Marc Marquez says losing the German MotoGP is no big deal &#8211; is he right? Marc Marquez ended Friday at the German Grand Prix fastest of all, doing nothing to squish suggestions that he is the overwhelming favourite to win this weekend. But he doesn\u2019t believe he\u2019s got the pace yet, nor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[47,226],"class_list":["post-2037355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crash-net","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2037355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037355\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2037355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2037355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2037355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}