Marquez wins German GP sprint as Ducati dominates Aprilia
Marc Marquez took another step closer to returning to the top of the MotoGP standings with a supremely controlled sprint victory at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.
Marc Marquez led from his brother Alex at the start, and while he never bolted clear, he looked comfortable in the lead throughout.
It marks Marc's third sprint victory of the season and brings him eight points closer to Jorge Martin's championship lead, down from 40 to 32.
Second place is easily Alex Marquez's best result since he returned from injury.
VR46 Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio slipped behind Ai Ogura at the start but quickly reclaimed a third position, which he remained in until the chequered flag.
Ogura finished fourth ahead of Trackhouse Aprilia team-mate Raul Fernandez and points leader Martin.
Marquez's factory Ducati team-mate Pecco Bagnaia moved from 11th on the grid to finish seventh ahead of KTM's Pedro Acosta.
Fabio Quartararo made his sixth place in qualifying look more like an overachievement as his Yamaha slipped back to take the finish points-paying position in ninth - the first time Yamaha has scored points in a sprint race since Le Mans.
Franco Morbidelli crashed out of a potential points finish when he slid off the road at the first turn at half distance.
Sprint race result
1 M Marquez (Ducati)
2 A Marquez (Gresini)
3 Di Giannantonio (VR46)
4 Ogura (Trackhouse)
5 Fernandez (Trackhouse)
6 Martin (Aprilia)
7 Bagnaia (Ducati)
8 Acosta (KTM)
9 Quartararo (Yamaha)
10 Moreira (LCR)
11 Marini (Honda)
12 Binder (KTM)
13 Miller (Pramac)
14 Bastianini (Tech3)
15 Mir (Honda)
16 Rins (Yamaha)
17 Razgatlioglu (Pramac)
18 Crutchlow (LCR)
19 Vinales (Tech3)
DNF: Morbidelli (VR46)
