Source: Supplied.

Current MotoGP points leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) has topped the timesheets on day one of the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland in Germany, earning himself the number one position before rain fell in the afternoon.

The Ducati rider was a frontrunner throughout the first session before moving down the order until a final push saw the rider from Forli back on top.

The margin over the second fastest man on track – Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) – was only 0.038s as the two currently at the top of the standings duelled it out, setting the scene for a competitive push for Q2 on Saturday morning.

Third fastest was one of the Sachsenring’s most successful riders, Repsol Honda Team’s Dani Pedrosa, who was a fraction behind before he shot back up the timesheets after a more difficult Dutch GP.

Fourth fastest overall in the dry was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini), with the Granollers native also showing pace to place in the top five in the wet. Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) was fifth quickest on combined times for a solid opening day, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) completing the top six.

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) was seventh but crashed in FP2 in the wet, while Australian Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) earned a solid top 10 time in ninth, just ahead of Scott Redding (Octo Pramac Racing), despite a crash in the opening session for the Brit.

The fastest fifteen overall were completed by home hero Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3), Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Hector Barbera (Reale Avintia Racing) and Sam Lowes (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini).

In the Moto2 category, Tom Lüthi (CarXpert Interwetten) bettered his FP1 time to go fastest overall from home hero Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP). Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira was third quickest with his time set in the morning in FP1.

The top five was rounded out by championship leader Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46), as Remy Gardner (Tech3 Racing) recorded an impressive 11th place time.

Moto3 points leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) bounced back from a more difficult Dutch GP in style on day one at the Sachsenring, topping the timesheets by more than half a second from closest challenger Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers).

The headline of the day was the red flag interruption in FP2 after a crash for title challenger and third fastest on Friday Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3). The Spaniard suffered a highside in the afternoon and was then taken to the Medical Centre at the circuit.

He has been declared unfit for the rest of the event with a fractured right ankle and a second break in the same leg. Philipp Oettl (Südmetall Schedl GP Racing) and Livio Loi (Leopard Racing) concluded the top fives times.