Four-time world champion Marc Marquez recorded the fastest times in both of Friday's practice sessions ahead of qualifying for the German MotoGP at Sachsenring.

The Honda rider set a fastest lap time of 1min 21.621sec to finish on top, but failed to better the 1:20.937 lap he set to claim pole on his way to victory at the German GP last year.

The reigning world champion, who is currently fourth in this season's overall standings, is chasing his third consecutive victory on the Sachsenring circuit.

Britain's Bradley Smith of Yahama finished second on the combined sheets, 0.119 sec off Marquez’s pace, with a strong performance in the day's second session having been 13th fastest in the morning.

His team-mate and current world championship leader Valentino Rossi, who is chasing his first win on the track since 2009, lost ground having been second in the morning session to finish seventh fastest.

Spain's Dani Pedrosa, the circuit's record holder, was fifth fastest and put in a lap time 0.268 sec off the pace set by his Honda colleague Martinez.

Combined free practice times:

Moto GP

1. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 1min 21.621sec 2. Bradley Smith (GBR/Yamaha) at 0.119sec, 3. Andrea Iannone (ITA/Ducati) 0.203, 4. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Yamaha) 0.265, 5. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 0.268, 6. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Suzuki)0.474, 7. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 0.538, 8. Scott Redding (GBR/Honda) 0.549, 9. Yonny Hernandez (COL/Ducati) 0.575, 10. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 0.719

Moto2

1. Mika Kallio (FIN/Kalex) 1min 25.069sec, 2. Dominique Aegerter (SUI/Kalex) at 0.028, 3. Jonas Folger (GER/Kalex) 0.035, 4. Sandro Cortese (GER/Kalex) 0.079, 5. Sam Lowes (GBR/Speed Up) 0.081, 6. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN/Kalex) 0.122, 7. Randy Krummenacher (SUI/Kalex) 0.145, 8. Johann Zarco (FRA/Kalex) 0.161, 9. Thomas Luthi (SUI/Kalex) 0.197, 10. Xavier Simeon (BEL/0.267)

Moto3

1. Danny Kent (GBR/Honda) 1min 26.937sec, 2. Niccolo Antonelli (ITA/Honda) at 0.678sec, 3. Alexis Masbou (FRA/Honda) 0.721, 4. Philipp Oettl (GER/KTM) 0.853, 5. Karel Hanika (CZE/KTM) 0.868, 6. Efren Vazquez (ESP/Honda) 1.003, 7. Andrea Locatelli (ITA/Honda) 1.064, 8. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA/Mahindra) 1.069, 9 John McPhee (GBR/Honda) 1.129,  10. Isaac Vinales (ESP/Husqvarna) 1.189
Source: AFP