04:22
And both Bezzecchi and then Martin fell in separate incidents at the same Turn 16.
Francesco Bagnaia, Indonesian MotoGP, 13 October
2023 Indonesian MotoGP: Sprint race - LIVE UPDATES
Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia is just 3 points clear of a charging Jorge Martin heading into Saturday's Sprint race at the Indonesian MotoGP.
Martin has outscored Bagnaia for the past seven races in a row and starts Saturday with an early edge over Bagnaia, who must take part in Qualifying 1 at Mandalika, a track where Miguel Oliveira took a wet victory in the inaugural 2022 event.
The circuit has been resurfaced (again) since last year’s race. There has been no prior MotoGP testing on the latest asphalt, while the extreme temperatures mean Michelin brings special heat-resistant stiffer construction rear tyres (as well as for the hard front).
Having slipped 54 points from Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi’s title hopes took another blow when he fractured his collarbone in a training accident last weekend, the same injury suffered by team-mate Luca Marini when he hit the back of Bezzecchi at the start of the Indian Sprint.
Undergoing surgery on Sunday, Bezzecchi returned on Friday and stunned with the third-fastest lap time.
Also attempting comebacks are LCR Honda’s Alex Rins (broken leg at Mugello), Lenovo Ducati’s Enea Bastianini (hand and ankle injuries at Catalunya) and Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez (fractured ribs in India).
However, Alex Marquez withdrew due to the pain after Friday’s FP1.
Marini and Bastianini both have a long lap penalty waiting to be served, for causing the multi-rider accidents that left them injured.
14 Oct 2023
04:21
Incredible! Both Bezzecchi and Martin have a golden opportunity to take big points off Bagnaia, if they qualify well, but are now running back for their spare bikes!
04:20
Now Jorge Martin is down!
04:19
An early fall for another title contender, Marco Bezzecchi, the already injured VR46 rider suffers his second accident of the weekend. Fortunately, his fractured collarbone appears unharmed as he runs out of the gravel trap.
04:17
All eyes are now on Jorge Martin to see how much he can exploit Bagnaia's Qualifying 1 woes.
04:15
Qualifying 2 begins, with Marini and Bastianini joining the ten fastest riders from Friday afternoon.
04:07
Bagnaia walks straight out of the factory Ducati garage.
04:06
Session over: Luca Marini and Enea Bastianini progress to Qualifying 2.
Zarco suffers a fast fall at the end of the session.
04:05
Bagnaia shakes his head in disbelief as he sees the results on the big screen. He will start just 13th on the grid in the Sprint and Sunday races.
04:04
That could be it! Bagnaia has backed off. Shocked faces in the Ducati pits....
04:04
Enea Bastianini pushes team-mate Bagnaia out of the top 2!
04:02
Bagnaia goes fastest on his next lap, but is pushed to second moments later by Marini.
2mins to go.
04:01
Bagnaia's first flyer is not good enough. He's still third behind Zarco and Morbidelli.
04:01
Jack Appleyard reports from pit lane that the tyre data was wrong, Bagnaia is on new tyres.
04:00
The Ducati team are keeping calm but the tension is palpable. Bagnaia has a real fight on his hands and - surprisingly - the timing data says he has gone out on used tyres!
If that is true it means Bagnaia would still have 2 new soft tyres if he gets through to Qualifying 2... but first, he has to get through.
It could be a tyre data error on the screens.
Meanwhile, title rival Jorge Martin looks on as an interested observer.
03:57
Bastianini is annoyed to catch Bagnaia and Mir after they had backed off.
03:55
5mins gone and it's Johann Zarco and Morbidelli holding the transfer places, Bagnaia and Marini follow.
03:53
Joan Mir and Franco Morbidelli are chasing Bagnaia in the early stages of Qualifying 1.
03:52
Simon Crafar on the importance of Bagnaia getting through Qualifying 1: "If Pecco doesn't pull this off, he's probably going to lose the lead of the world championship [this weekend]."
03:49
With such a narrow (clean) racing line, it'll be more important than ever for title leader Francesco Bagnaia to progress through Qualifying 1.
03:48
Qualifying 1 line-up:
Pol Espargaro
Luca Marini
Johann Zarco
Raul Fernandez
Franco Morbidelli
Francesco Bagnaia
Takaaki Nakagami
Augusto Fernandez
Joan Mir
Enea Bastianini
Alex Rins
03:42
Jorge Martin leads final practice from Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales. Qualifying 1 next!
03:40
The top 10 is covered by just over half-a-second but it's been a slow start to the morning for the Repsol Hondas with Marquez and Mir in 19th and 20th.
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