French rider Fabio Quartararo, aboard a Yamaha, secured a commanding victory at the German Grand Prix, the tenth round of the Motorcycle World Championship. The win strengthens his lead in MotoGP ahead of Aleix Espargaró of Aprilia, who settled for fourth place in Sachsenring action.
Quartararo’s triumph marked a pivotal moment for the Nice native, widening his advantage in the standings as Marc Márquez faced an injury setback and subsequent surgery that interrupted a prolonged streak. The Germanround success underscored Quartararo’s sustained excellence and resilience in the championship chase. [Attribution: MotoGP]
The victory signaled the first time a non-Honda rider topped the podium at this counterclockwise track since Valentino Rossi’s triumph in 2009, expanding the gap to 34 points over the podium finisher Espargaró and maintaining a solid 25-point buffer at the top of the standings. The Catalan rider, who began from fourth, spent much of the race in that vicinity, but Australian Jack Miller, riding a Ducati, launched a late surge to dethrone him from the podium. Johann Zarco, also on a Ducati, finished second, delivering a French one-two at the German venue.
From the opening laps, the weekend’s standout performer asserted authority, a figure often nicknamed the ‘Satan’ of the track, as he overtook pole-sitter Francesco Bagnaia, the Italian Ducati rider who had secured pole on Saturday. Early optimism for Bagnaia faded when a Turn 1 crash with 27 laps remaining interrupted the race, temporarily allowing Quartararo to lead unchallenged. The incident also involved Joan Mir, who crashed in the same section, reshaping the race’s dynamics. [Attribution: MotoGP]
As the event unfolded, Aleix Espargaró briefly advanced to third after passing Zarco, only to see that position altered again by Bagnaia’s crash, which briefly opened a path back toward the podium for the Aprilia rider. With Quartararo and Zarco cementing their positions, the Granollers native aimed to defend against the late charge from Miller, who ultimately broke through in the closing stages. With just one lap remaining, Miller’s decisive late move confirmed the shift in the balance of power, allowing the French duo to celebrate a notable performance on home soil. [Attribution: MotoGP]
In a race that saw only sixteen riders finish, Jorge Martín ended sixth on a Ducati, while Raúl Fernández finished twelfth on a KTM. Maverick Viñales (Aprilia), Pol Espargaró (Repsol Honda), Alex Márquez (Honda), and Joan Mir (Suzuki) did not complete the race at Sachsenring, underscoring the circuit’s demanding and unforgiving nature that weekend. [Attribution: MotoGP]