MotoGP Germany: Miller heads Ducati lock out for FP1

Ducati Lenovo was firmly in control at the Sachsenring as Jack Miller led the way for MotoGP FP1 from teammate Pecco Bagnaia.

The Australian’s 1’21.479 best, set on his 11th of 22 laps around the German layout, held off the Italian by a mere 0.015s with Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo completing the top three a further 0.063s back from the number 63 after his own 25 revolutions.

Free practice action for the German GP fired up with local rider Stefan Bradl back in for ‘King of the Ring’ Marc Marquez at Repsol Honda for the foreseeable future. Championship leader Fabio Quartararo headed the initial times with a 1’23.654 from Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro before Suzuki Ecstar’s Joan Mir and Monster Energy teammate Franky Morbidelli bettered.

Prima Pramac’s Johann Zarco led the way after three laps around the short 3.7km layout. Mir continuing to bicker with the factory Yamaha’s in the top four until Ducati’s Pecco Bagnaia arrived to second. A pair of Aprilias and Jorge Martin, fresh from surgery, joined the fight next time around with Mir and Morbidelli continuing to improve.

Mooney VR46’s Luca Marini and LCR’s Takaaki Nakagami were the next to shine, in sixth and seventh respectively as the opening ten minutes counted down. Espargaro took charge with a 1’21.699 effort from Zarco, Bagnaia and KTM’s Brad Binder before the French and Japanese men bettered with the top three split by a mere 0.01s.

Quartararo circulated just 0.012s adrift of the top three after eight laps of action. Bagnaia, Maverick Viñales, Mir, Jack Miller, Marini and Morbidelli rounding out the top ten and covered by less then three-tenths.

A reinvigorated Miller took charge with half an hour to go, 1’21.479 the target to beat with Quartararo