The Q2 shootout began on a soaking-wet track surface, but the heavy clouds that preceded it quickly broke up – allowing the times to tumble as the session progressed.

Danilo Petrucci was the early pacesetter, having progressed from Q1 with extra laps under his belt and being boosted by re-signing for Pramac Ducati for 2018.

Marquez topped him with two minutes to go, by just 0.019s. Dani Pedrosa (Honda) was best of the rest at this stage, but half a second shy.

Marquez extended his P1 advantage on his final lap, a 1m27.302s putting him 0.16s faster than Petrucci.

Pedrosa stayed third, 0.647s off the pace, ahead of Cal Crutchlow’s LCR Honda, home hero Jonas Folger (Tech 3 Yamaha) and Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo.

On the third row, Pol Espargaro grabbed seventh for KTM, ahead of brother Aleix on his Aprilia. Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi’s last lap was only good enough for ninth, 1.2s off the pace.

Points leader Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati) will start 10th, one place ahead of Maverick Vinales, who suffered another poor qualifying session on his Yamaha.

Marquez and Vinales had an on-track spat midway through the session, where Vinales dived under him through one corner, and Marquez made hefty contact into the side of his rival at the next bend.

The two then had a heated discussion after the session as they prepared for practice starts, with Vinales appearing to be the more angry of the two about it.

Petrucci tops Q1

Petrucci managed to produce a 1m27.688s to top Q1 just before the rain poured heavily, ahead of a last-gasp flyer from Pol Espargaro, just 0.007s slower.

Jack Miller will start 13th, having been in the Marc VDS Honda pits when Espargaro toppled him, ahead of Loris Baz (Ducati), KTM’s Bradley Smith, Andrea Iannone (whose Suzuki ended its session in the Turn 1 gravel) and KTM tester Mika Kallio.

Assen poleman Zarco was nowhere near progressing from Q1, and will start down in 19th on his Tech 3 Yamaha.

Q2 results

Q1 results