MotoGP™: Márquez back on top in Germany!

Multiple world champion Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda Team) resumed his winning ways with victory in the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, Round 8 of the 2021 MotoGPTM World Championship. Second and third were Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who made it three different bikemakers on the Sachsenring podium to provide further evidence of the MICHELIN Power Slick range’s versatility. 

Márquez described Sunday’s result as one of the most important moments of his career after picking up his grand prix first win since Valencia, Spain, on November 17, 2019. The eight-time world champion pushed the point home by clocking up his 11th straight win at the German venue, and his eighth on the trot there in motorcycle racing’s premier series.

The Spaniard got away to a superb start from fifth on the grid and took command on the second of the afternoon’s 30 laps with his Honda competing on a combination of hard and medium MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear.

He then made the most of his tires’ consistency and grip to post a series of quick laps which took him two seconds clear of Oliveira – his closest pursuer – by the halfway point.

After carefully managing this safety margin, the Honda rider went on to collect the 57th victory of his MotoGPTM career by a margin of 1.6 seconds.

Barcelona-victor Oliveira came second after an assertive run from sixth on the grid having made the same tire choice as Márquez. He did his utmost to catch the multiple champion and, in doing so, even recorded the fastest race-lap, but he was ultimately forced to settle for runner-up honors.

Having qualified in second spot, Quartararo was third past the checkered flag to make it three different bike manufacturers on the podium.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo team), Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo team), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), pole-winner Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing), Joan Mir (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) rounded out the top 10.

All the different MICHELIN Power Slick specs available in Germany were evaluated during free practice but the majority of the field went for the hard and medium options front and rear for the race as the track temperature soared to 40°C, having reached 50°C earlier in the weekend. The front medium and rear soft compounds were also selected by certain riders.

Quartararo continues to top the provisional championship standings on 131 points, 22 and 31 points clear respectively of Johann Zarco and Jack Miller.

Next round: Motul TT Assen, Netherlands (June 25-27).