MotoGP: Marquez wins eight in a row as Folger takes home podium

Marc Marquez has put his 2017 MotoGP title defence back onto track after a stunning victory at the Sachsenring for the eighth year in a row – but almost had his limelight stolen by a stunning second place from Monster Yamaha rookie Jonas Folger.

Marquez and Folger were the early breakaway along with the second Repsol Honda bike of Dani Pedrosa – but the hard charging pair soon ditched the Spaniard as they fought for the lead, with only a series of small mistakes denying Folger the chance to fight for the win in the final laps.

Pedrosa finished a lonely third ahead of a cracking battle for fourth shared between Valentino Rossi, Maverick Viñales, Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci, Alvaro Bautista and Aleix Espargaró, with Viñales eventually taking fourth from Rossi and Bautista.

Cal Crutchlow was the best of the Brits in tenth, ahead of Bradley Smith in 14^th, Scott Redding 20^th and Sam Lowes a faller.