Source: Supplied.

Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has taken his eighth consecutive pole position at the Sachsenring, but it was anything but easy for the number 93.

The Honda rider duelled Q1 graduate Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing) for the honour under the Saturday afternoon rain, but it will be Petrucci who will split the Repsol Hondas as Dani Pedrosa completed the front row after a weekend of impressive pace.

In a late rush for pole as the sun began to peek out, Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) was a key protagonist in the session and will start fourth, ahead of home hero and rookie Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3).

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) completes the second row, putting in a solid performance as he gets to grips with the Desmosedici in the rain.

Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the second man to move through from Q1, and the Spaniard took the Austrian factory’s best ever qualifying result in seventh to continue the incredible form into Q2.

Older brother Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) complete the third row.

Championship leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) was another of those to have a slightly more difficult session to take tenth, but starts ahead of key rival in the points standings Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), who was eleventh fastest in the wet.

Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) completes the top twelve on the grid from Q2, while Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) just missed the cut in Q1 and will start P13, with Loris Baz (Reale Avintia Racing) and Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the top fifteen.

One big name further down the grid for the German GP is Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) after a more difficult weekend for the French rookie superstar, with Zarco readying himself to line up in P19.

In Moto2, Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) just pushed teammate Alex Marquez off the top spot on his final run in qualifying, after the session took some heavy rain before conditions began to improve.

Just behind the EG 0,0 Marc VDS duo’s continued domination of 2017 was a sandrissimo performance from home hero Sandro Cortese (Dynavolt Intact GP) as the German looked set for pole before the final laps, with the 2012 Moto3 world champion nevertheless completing the front row.

The top five was rounded out by Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Hector Garzo (Tech 3 Racing), as Australian Remy Gardener (Tech 3 Racing) recorded the 14th fastest time.

Aron Canet (Estrella Galicia 0,0) took to the top of Moto3 qualifying despite a light rain shower towards the end of the session, pushing hard in the final minutes when it looked like improving lap times would prove impossible.

Joining him on the front row are championship leader Joan Mir (Leopard Racing) and Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) after another solid session for the 2015 Moto3 Junior World Champion.

Marcos Ramirez again showed some impressive pace to take P4 for Platinum Bay Real Estate, just pushed off the front row by Canet’s final effort. Tony Arbolino (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was another to impress in P5, with the rookie just edging veteran compatriot Romano Fenati (Marinelli Rivacold Snipers).