Hector Barbera sneaked ahead of Marc Marquez at the death of a wet second practice for the German Grand Prix to lead the session.
A sudden downpour at the end of the Moto3 session just beforehand saturated the 2.28-mile Sachsenring circuit. However, just as MotoGP’s second practice began the sun had returned and was beginning to dry out the track.
Dani Pedrosa proved he can ride in any condition providing the track temperature is high, the Honda rider the early pacesetter in the session on a 1m29.572s.
Team-mate Marquez took over at the top of the standings just a few minutes later with a 1m29.472s. The rain returned soon after Marquez’s lap, soaking the circuit once again.
The shower was mercifully brief, and lap times began to tumble as the circuit continued to dry out, with Jack Miller, this morning’s pacesetter Andrea Dovizioso and Aleix Espargaro the first to improve.
Pramac’s Danilo Petrucci set the best lap of the session with nine minutes to go, though his 1m29.209s came under immediate threat, with Espargaro and Dovizioso dropping into the 1m28s bracket.
Marquez assumed control with just under six minutes left on the clock, first posting a 1m28.451s, before bettering it with a 1m28.353s and a 1m28.118s.
The seven-times German Grand Prix winner looked safe in top spot, but was denied by just 0.063 second by Avintia’s Barbera with a 1m28.115s. Pedrosa completed the top three ahead of Petrucci and Espargaro.
Cal Crutchlow leaped up to sixth at the chequered flag, but still faces a potential Q1 appearance should the rain arrive for third practice on Saturday.
The LCR rider headed Dovizioso, Jonas Folger and Sam Lowes, who proved to be something of wet weather specialist when he sailed through to Q2 at the Dutch TT in similar conditions.
Jorge Lorenzo completed the top 10, but like Crutchlow, Folger and Lowes ahead, could well be in Q1 on Saturday after ending this morning’s dry running 12th.
Alvaro Bautista brushed off his Turn 11 crash from this morning to end the second session 11th, with Pol Espargaro, Loris Baz, Mika Kallio and Valentino Rossi rounding out the top 15.
Rossi’s team-mate Maverick Vinales had been quick in the wet conditions in the early stages of the session, but fell to 20th by the end ahead of Scott Redding, Alex Rins, Tito Rabat and Andrea Iannone, who suffered a small mechanical issue in the final few minutes.
Johann Zarco added his name to the list of crashers when he went was flicked from his Tech3 Yamaha at Turn 4. The Frenchman walked unscathed and soon rejoined the session to go 18th quickest. 
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