Zarco stops Quartararo’s MotoGP pole run despite crashing

Pramac Ducati rider Johann Zarco crashed but took pole position for MotoGP’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, snapping two rivals’ streaks in the process.

Championship leader Fabio Quartararo came to the Sachsenring on the heels of a five-race pole streak, while Marc Marquez arrived having been never beaten to pole at the German track in his time in the premier class.

But instead it was Zarco adding a first pole with the Pramac Ducati squad to his four poles with Tech3 Yamaha and one with Avintia Ducati.

Quartararo had his first lap in Q1 deleted for a track limits infringement, but immediately followed that up with a table-topping second attempt.

He then went quicker after heading out with a fresh rear tyre, and improved by two tenths, yet moments later Zarco’s 1m20.236s put him ahead by one hundredth of a second.

Zarco was slightly faster in the first sector on his next attempt, but then fell at speed at Turn 4, his Ducati slamming into the air fence.

Dramatic few minutes for @JohannZarco! 😲

The Frenchman goes top, before crashing moments later! 💢#GermanGP 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/cbHM5vMkmp

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) June 19, 2021

However, the resulting yellow flags meant a fair few riders had to back out, and Zarco’s pole was confirmed a couple of minutes later.

Aleix Espargaro completed the front row for Aprilia, his first top-three qualifying with the Noale manufacturer.

Ducati works rider Jack Miller looked capable of challenging for pole or at least the front row late on, but had a major moment on his final lap and settled for fourth, leading Marquez and Miguel Oliveira – KTM’s Catalan GP winner having incensed Miller’s team-mate Francesco Bagnaia late in Q2.

Jorge Martin was seventh for Pramac Ducati, ahead of Pol Espargaro, who had progressed from Q1, and Takaaki Nakagami, who crashed late on at Turn 1.

Bagnaia, Alex Rins – also advancing from Q1 – and Alex Marquez completed the Q2 order.

Some major scalps were claimed in the first segment of qualifying, which had been delayed by nine minutes due to power outages in several pit garages, potentially brought on by the scorching heat at the Sachsenring.

Oliveira’s team-mate Brad Binder came closest to mixing with Rins and Pol Espargaro – who had spent most of the session in the transfer spots – but ultimately came up 0.036s short.

The South African will lead two Ducati rookies – Luca Marini and Enea Bastianini – on row five.

Valentino Rossi followed Maverick Vinales on his fastest lap but could only manage 16th, and will be joined on the sixth row by reigning champion Joan Mir (Suzuki) and Petronas Yamaha team-mate Franco Morbidelli.

Morbidelli was challenging for a Q2 spot when he fell at the final corner. This consigned him to by far his worst qualifying of the season in 18th place, but it also had serious ramifications for Vinales, who came up on yellow flags caused by Morbidelli at the end of his final attempt.

It meant Vinales rolled out and was classified 11th in the session, which equates to 21st on the grid – equalling his career-worst qualifying at Valencia last year.

Vinales will be next to two Tech3 KTMs on the seventh row, with Danilo Petrucci seeing off a crashing Iker Lecuona by 0.017s.

That might put paid to @lorysava32's chances! ❌

The Italian is back on his feet but stranded outside the top two! 💢#GermanGP 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/1nnbYe5PEs

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) June 19, 2021

Also falling in Q1 was Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori, taking a high-speed tumble in the penultimate corner.

Qualifying Results