The charge of the bulls: Fastest time for Miguel Oliveira to kick off the 2021 LIQUI MOLY Motorcycle Grand Prix of Germany

• KTM rider Miguel Oliveira goes quickest on Friday
• Marc Marquez twelfth after setting fastest time of the morning
• Marcel Schrötter crashes and finishes eighth in Moto2 class

Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) left the MotoGP elite trailing in his wake in Friday’s practice ahead of the LIQUI MOLY Motorcycle Grand Prix of Germany at the Sachsenring. The 26-year-old set the early pace in temperatures of up to 32 degrees, clocking a fastest lap of 1:20.690 minutes. Second-fastest was Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), ahead of his Spanish team-mate Maverick Vinales.

The “King of the Ring”, Marc Marquez, enjoyed a fine return to the Sachsenring. The 28-year-old impressed in the morning’s first free practice, setting the fastest time of the session. However, it did not all go to plan in the second session for the Spanish Repsol Honda rider. Marquez was 0.601 seconds off Oliveira’s fastest time, putting him twelfth in the standings at the end of the day. Old master Valentino Rossi crashed in the second free practice session and ended up in 21st place, 1.278 seconds off the pace.

Moto2: Marcel Schrötter opens his campaign with a crash and 16th place

Remy Gardner, the Australian championship leader, had his nose in front after the opening day in the Moto2 class. The 23-year-old from the Red Bull KTM Ajo team set the best time of the day in the middle class, with a lap of 1:24.197 minutes. He was followed by his Spanish team-mate Raul Fernandez and Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2).

Germany’s representative Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was unable to set any top times in the opening practice session at the Sachsenring. The 28-year-old ended practice in 16th place, just 0.736 seconds behind Gardner. Schrötter crashed once in the session, but was unhurt. The man from Landsberg improved in the afternoon and was eighth on aggregate.

Scotland’s John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) set the fastest time in Moto3 in Friday’s practice. The 26-year-old clocked a time of 1:26.739 minutes in cooler conditions in the morning. Second place at the end of the day went to Japanese rider Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse), followed by world championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The Spaniard set the fastest time of the afternoon.