Francesco Bagnaia, Australian MotoGP 20 September

2023 Australian MotoGP: Saturday GP Race - LIVE UPDATES

Gale-force winds forecast for Sunday means the main Australian MotoGP race has been moved forward to Saturday afternoon, swapping places with the Sprint, which now takes over the GP slot on Sunday (weather permitting).

Francesco Bagnaia takes an 18-point lead over Jorge Martin into today's race after the Pramac Ducati rider’s costly fall from the lead at Mandalika last Sunday.

However, Martin will start from pole position after setting a new Phillip Island lap record, with KTM's Brad Binder and reigning champion Bagnaia completing the front row.

Aleix Espargaro, Johann Zarco and Fabio di Giannantonio will form row two with Binder's team-mate and home hero Jack Miller starting between Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales in eighth.

Last year's Phillip Island winner Alex Rins withdrew on Saturday morning due to pain from his Mugello leg fractures.

Marc Marquez took his only podium of the season in Australia last year.

RobertJones_1

21 Oct 2023

00:14

Last year's winner Alex Rins has withdrawn from the remainder of the Australian MotoGP weekend after suffering intense pain from his healing leg fractures.

The LCR Honda rider will undergo scans to understand the exact source of the pain.

Rins was 12th and top Honda on Friday.

00:12

The air temperature is currently 18 degrees compared to 21 degrees on Friday morning.

However, the big difference is in track temp which is 19 degrees vs. 31 degrees yesterday morning.

00:11

The green lights are on and the 30-minute final practice session gets underway.

00:06

As forecast, after perfect conditions on Friday, the Saturday weather is cooler and overcast. But remains dry.

00:05

The revised Saturday schedule for the MotoGP class is as follows:

10:10-10:40 MotoGP Free Practice 2
10:50-11:05 MotoGP Qualifying 1
11:15-11:30 MotoGP Qualifying 2

15:10 MotoGP Race (27 laps)

00:03

Good morning from what will be a packed Saturday of MotoGP action, extreme winds forecast for Sunday mean this afternoon's Sprint will be replaced by the full grand prix.