Eight-time German Grand Prix champion Marc Marquez said Friday he felt lucky to have escaped injury after a terrifying crash that split a rival’s bike in half in the rain-hit second practice session.
Italian Marco Bezzecchi posted the fastest time as rain swept across the course throughout the two practice sessions, resulting in delays and numerous incidents.
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After the crash Marquez dropped to 14th, condemning him to race the first qualifying session on Saturday, while Friday’s top 10 go straight to Q2 where grid positioning for the top four rows is determined.
The Spaniard had finished second in the morning practice behind France’s Johann Zarco, but fell midway through the afternoon session, his bike hitting that of the Frenchman, splitting it in two.
Both riders miraculously escaped unhurt, with Zarco, who comes into Sunday’s race on the back of two successive podiums, placing 10th.
Marquez said Zarco should have done more to avoid the crash.
“I’m a guy that if I make a mistake, I say ‘this was my mistake’,” said the Spaniard.
“If one of us could have avoided this situation, it’s Johann, not me,” Marquez told reporters, explaining “he should have looked behind.”
“We were both very lucky to get out of it without any problems.”
Zarco hit back, insisting he was “very careful” during the incident. “It was the kind of accident that happens in racing,” he said. “I like Marc and he’s a champion here, but he is losing a bit of control when he speaks, which is a little bit sad.
“He should think twice before he speaks and says that it is my fault.
“I’m a nice guy and he cannot put the fault on me because I’m a nice guy.”
Bezzecchi’s time of one minute 20.271 seconds was the fastest lap of the day. Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia finished the second practice in fourth, having come in eighth in the morning session.
Australia’s Jack Miller was fifth, while France’s Fabio Quartararo, the 2022 German GP winner, finished sixth fastest.
“It’s nice. I didn’t have the best feeling, but the most important thing was to qualify in the top 10,” said Zarco.
Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami also fell heavily in the second session which led to a suspension of the race, but the Honda rider was uninjured.
The conditions are expected to be better for Sunday’s race, with sunny weather and 25 degrees forecast.
Marquez has done brilliantly at Sachsenring, winning all eight of his previous German GPs there.
“We’ll see tomorrow,” said Marquez.
“We need to work to change something – and to try to improve. Maybe we need to make a radical decision and change something.”
