Marc Marquez "thought the target was done… then I saw the screen” in German MotoGP qualifying

Marc Marquez claimed his seventh pole position of the 2025 MotoGP season - but first in wet conditions - during a dramatic qualifying session at Sachsenring.

The championship leader, chasing a ninth career win at the anti-clockwise German circuit, set an early benchmark in Q2 that put him 1.5s clear of the field.

However, the factory Ducati rider had a scare at Turn 11 – the infamous ‘waterfall’ corner where he made headlines in 2023 by flipping the middle finger at his Repsol Honda.

This time, Marquez tapped his bike in a “calm down” gesture, thinking the job was done.

“I was getting warmer and warmer! Then I had the moment on Turn 11, then when I crossed the finish line on that 28.0, I said, ‘OK now, breathe. Calm down. The target is done, the front row’. Or I thought it was done,” Marquez said afterwards.

“But then I saw on the screen that some red helmets... I saw on the pit wall also that the lap time of the 2nd every time was closer and closer. And then I pushed a bit, but because I felt like I was able to do it.”

Marquez ultimately held off LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco by just 0.151s.

Zarco, winner of this year’s wet French GP, made the most of Saturday’s slippery conditions after sitting 12th during Friday’s dry sessions.

The Frenchman was fastest in Q1 and carried that form into Q2, where he stuck with the medium rear tyre despite track conditions worsening, while his key rivals ran the soft.

“Pretty happy to get the front row,” Zarco smiled. “It's a huge thing for us. Seeing the rain this morning I was thinking, ‘OK, it's a new game. I have my chance.’ In Q1 there was not too much water and the medium rear tyre worked better than in Q2.

“During Q2 when I saw more rain, I was a bit worried because I wanted to go with the medium rear, and once I was on the track, I didn't feel like stopping to change to the soft, readapt.

“So I tried to get temperature on the medium rear tyre, which was not easy, but at the end I did an extra push and I got second place. It’s cool.

“I expected the pole position but Marc also got another fast lap. It's pretty good because yesterday I was not in the top 10, so new game today and I could take the chance.”

Marco Bezzecchi completed the front row in third, marking his first front-row start with Aprilia.

The Silverstone winner, who took back-to-back podiums last time at Assen, kept his momentum going in Germany.

“It was a tough one. Compared to this morning in FP2, the track was much, much worse. So I entered the session with the medium rear but it wasn't the right choice, so I stopped immediately and said, ‘OK, we put a soft and I try to make my best.’

“Then fortunately I met some fast riders, like Johann. I took my rhythm and then when I saw that I was quite close to him, I said ‘OK, I'm going fast’. I did my best. Thanks to the team. Let's try this afternoon to do another good job.”

Marc Marquez’s brother and nearest title rival Alex Marquez qualified in sixth place, while Ducati Lenovo team-mate Francesco Bagnaia struggled to eleventh.

The German MotoGP Sprint race starts at 3pm.