2023 Japanese MotoGP: Saturday Qualifying & Sprint - LIVE UPDATES

Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia leads the standings by just 13 points over Jorge Martin heading into the Motegi Sprint race after a costly fall in last Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix, where a dominant victory for Marco Bezzecchi moved the VR46 rider to within 44 points of the top.

The inaugural Buddh event also took its toll on the full-time riders, with two more - Alex Marquez (ribs) and Luca Marini (collarbone) - suffering fractures that will see them join Enea Bastianini in missing this weekend’s Japanese round.

Alex Rins, sidelined since Mugello in May due to leg fractures, attempted a return in Friday practice before being declared unfit due to the pain in his right leg.

HRC test rider Stefan Bradl will take over from Rins on Saturday, with Ducati test rider Michele Pirro continuing in place of Bastianini at Ducati.

Also on track is Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, making his first official wild-card appearance since retiring at the end of 2020. The 37-year-old Englishman made ten starts as a replacement rider for Yamaha during 2021 and 2022, with a best race finish of 12th at Sepang last year.

Joan Mir will have one 2024 Honda prototype this weekend, as debuted at the Misano test, while factory KTM riders Brad Binder - fastest on Friday - and Jack Miller have the factory's new carbon fibre chassis available.