Sachsenring expert Marc Marquez was quickest to end the opening day of MotoGP practice at the German Grand Prix.

Marquez led the way with a 1m19.394s - three tenths short of the record lap set in the equivalent session by Fabio Di Giannantonio last year - as Ducatis and Aprilias led the way again.

The anticipation is that the scales could be tipped in Ducati's favour by the track layout here, and Marquez was joined by Di Giannantonio and brother Alex towards the sharp end in a Ducati 1-3-4.

But Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse) was his closest rival, 0.166s off, while Jack Miller delivered a stunning top-five for Yamaha, having masterfully capitalised on a tow from a pair of KTMs.

Fernandez's Aprilia stablemates Ai Ogura, Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin all slotted in from sixth to eighth.

The final places guaranteeing Q2 participation tomorrow went to Pedro Acosta - the sole KTM in the top 10 - and Franco Morbidelli - who is under investigation for baulking Acosta earlier in the session.

Advancing to Q2: M Marquez, Fernandez, Di Giannantonio, A Marquez, Miller, Ogura, Bezzecchi, Martin, Acosta, Morbidelli

Will contest Q1: Bastianini, Binder, Bagnaia, Marini, Quartararo, Mir, Moreira, Vinales, Razgatlioglu, Rins, Crutchlow

Enea Bastianini, Pecco Bagnaia and Joan Mir are among those who will fight through Q1 tomorrow.

Bastianini crashed in the final moments of the session at Turn 8, while Mir had a trip through the gravel moments earlier - with team-mate Luca Marini the fastest of the Hondas instead, but also missing out on direct passage to Q2.

Session results

1 Marc Marquez (Ducati) 1m19.394s
2 Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) +0.166s
3 Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati) +0.280s
4 Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) +0.317s
5 Jack Miller (Pramac Yamaha) +0.447s
6 Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) +0.512s
7 Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) +0.602s
8 Jorge Martin (Aprilia) +0.617s
9 Pedro Acosta (KTM) +0.632s
10 Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati) +0.638s
11 Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM) +0.651s
12 Brad Binder (KTM) +0.674s
13 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) +0.738s
14 Luca Marini (Honda) +0.820s
15 Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) +0.824s
16 Joan Mir (Honda) +0.834s
17 Diogo Moreira (LCR Honda) +0.928s
18 Maverick Viñales (Tech3 KTM) +1.157s
19 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pramac Yamaha) +1.467s
20 Alex Rins (Yamaha) +1.620s
21 Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) +1.727s