Fabio Quartararo led first practice for the German GP at the Sachsenring, the Petronas SRT rider leading Honda’s Marc Marquez by just 0.074.
Quartararo, who arrives in Germany off the back of two successive podium finishes, posted his session topping times in the closing seconds, deposing Marquez who had led for most of the 45-minute test.
Despite running off into the gravel at the second-to-last corner while trying to carry too much speed, the Frenchman continued his storming form in his rookie year to top yet another practice session.
Marquez, who decided not to change tyres for a final flyer like Quartararo, will be encouraged whith his time less than a thenth slower. He set both his laps in the early minutes, posting two efforts that were enough for the second quickest time.
Valentino Rossi also changed tyres in the closing stages and banged in the third quickest time, albeit 0.574 off the pace of Quartararo and just 0.003 ahead of Suzuki’s Alex Rins.
Dutch TT winner Maverick Vinales set the fifth quickest time, three-tenths off team-mate Rossi’s gambit, while Andrea Dovizioso was fastest Ducati in sixth position.
Jack Miller was seventh on his Pramac-run GP19 Ducati with Andrea Iannone slotting in just behind in eighth, the Italian looking again promising in practice on his Aprilia RS-GP machine.
Cal Crutchlow managed to round out the top ten just behind LCR Honda team-mate Takaaki Nakagami despite suffering from a fractured tibia caused by a cycling incident. His participation in the German weekend was cast in doubt as a result of the injury, and he will decide ahead of FP2 whether to pull out from the rest of the weekend’s action or carry on.
Francesco Bagnaia was the only rider to crash out during the session, the Pramac racer tucking the front of his Ducati into the medium-speed left sweeper of Turn 8, ending up in the gravel trap.
The crash was relatively harmless and the Italian was taken back to the pits by scooter, eventually setting the 18th fastest time just behind Stefan Bradl, who makes his debut in Repsol Honda colours this weekend as replacement to the injured Jorge Lorenzo.
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