Jack Miller led a Ducati 1-2 in the opening practice session for the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring as Pol Espargaro crashed twice for Honda.
Ducati’s led the timesheets across pretty much the entirety of the 45-minute test, Johann Zarco posting several rapid efforts in the early stages to the lead the early goings on a 1:21.655s before Miller soon after managed to fire in a 1:21.479s.
The Aussie’s gambit would not be beaten across the rest of the session as the field focussed on performing long-run simulations, though team-mate Francesco Bagnaia was able to slingshot his Desmosedici into second overall in the closing moments.
Fabio Quartararo would end FP1 third quickest after prioritising his race run, his best effort posted on the 11th lap on medium compound tyres during this.
Zarco ended up slipping to fourth ahead of LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami, while Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro took sixth in the session.
Luca Marini improved late on to put his VR46-run Ducati seventh ahead of RNF Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso – the Italian surviving a fast crash at Turn 1 to significantly improve his best time towards the latter stages.
The three-time premier class vice champion wasn’t alone in falling victim to Turn 1, with Suzuki’s Alex Rins losing the front of his GSX-RR on entry to the bend shortly after Dovizioso while Honda’s Pol ended up going down twice.
He lost the front in a similar manner to Dovizioso and Rins on the first occasion, before suffering a nasty high-side after losing the rear on entry later on – though fortunately he escaped unharmed from both spills.
Jorge Martin was ninth on his Pramac Ducati, while Alex Marquez completed the top ten on the sister LCR RC213-V.
Pol would take 12th just behind Maverick Vinales despite his tricky session, the Spaniard just clear of 2020 MotoGP world champion Joan Mir.
KTM’s once again graced the lower portion of the timing charts with Brad Binder the highest-classified RC16 in 15th overall just ahead of Gresini’s Enea Bastianini, while Miguel Oliveira was 18th ahead of Rins.
Mugello pole-man Fabio Di Gianantonio was best rookie in 17th on the second Gresini Desmosedici, his closest rival being Marco Bezzecchi’s VR46 machine.
Home hero Stefan Bradl – who continues to deputise from the recovering Marc Marquez at Honda – ended the test 22nd fastest.
