Indian MotoGP, Buddh - Full Qualifying Results

Full Qualifying results and grid line-up for the Saturday Sprint and main Sunday race at the Indian MotoGP at the Buddh International Circuit, round 13 of 20 in the 2023 world championship.
Marco Bezzecchi, MotoGP, Indian MotoGP, 22 September
Marco Bezzecchi, MotoGP, Indian MotoGP, 22 September
Indian MotoGP, Buddh International Circuit - Full Qualifying Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)1'43.947s6/8346k
2Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.043s7/8344k
3Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+0.256s6/7346k
4Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.268s6/8344k
5Joan MirSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.507s6/7344k
6Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.522s6/7344k
7Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.568s8/8344k
8Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.777s8/8346k
9Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.794s3/7344k
10Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.803s6/8341k
11Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.247s2/7340k
12Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)No Time0/00k
 Qualifying 1:     
13Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)1'44.529s7/8340k
14Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)1'44.651s6/7344k
15Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)1'44.735s6/8344k
16Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)1'45.03s6/7343k
17Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)1'45.037s3/7341k
18Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*1'45.066s6/7343k
19Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)1'45.375s3/7346k
20Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)1'45.452s3/7343k
21Stefan BradlGERLCR Honda (RC213V)1'45.517s6/8343k
22Michele PirroITADucati Lenovo (GP23)1'46.147s6/8341k

* Rookie

Official Buddh International Circuit MotoGP records
Best lap: Luca Marini 1m 44.782s (2023)

Marco Bezzecchi claims pole position for the inaugural Indian MotoGP at the Buddh International Circuit.

The VR46 rider will be joined on the all-Ducati front row by Jorge Martin and world champion Francesco Bagnaia, who had several big braking moments with his rear wheel high in the air.

But there was a surprise on row two with Joan Mir the top non-Desmosedici, in fifth and just ahead of Repsol Honda team-mate Marc Marquez. Both Mir and Marquez were chasing Bagnaia for their best laps.

Aleix Espargaro was left furious with his Aprilia team when he was stuck waiting at the end of pit lane after being released from the pits despite the start of the session being delayed. The Spaniard made his feelings clear after being pushed back to the garage by some Moto3 mechanics.

Alex Marquez joined Raul Fernandez in progressing through Qualifying 1 but was unable to take part in Qualifying 2 after a highside sent him to the medical centre for checks on his hand and ribs. Marquez is now going to hospital for further checks.

2023 Indian MotoGP, Buddh International Circuit - Qualifying (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeam
1Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)
2Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)
3Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)
4Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)
5Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)
6Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)
7Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
8Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*
9Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)
10Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)
11Stefan BradlGERLCR Honda (RC213V)
12Michele PirroITADucati Lenovo (GP23)

*Rookie.

Raul Fernandez and Alex Marquez lead Qualifying 1 and progress to Qualifying 2, but it remains to be seen if Marquez will be fit to ride after being helped away from a late highside and taken to the medical centre.

Following Friday's feedback from riders and official tyre suppliers in the hot and humid conditions, race distances have been adjusted with one lap taken off the MotoGP Sprint, Moto2 and Moto3 races, while Sunday's MotoGP Grand Prix will be shortened by three laps:

MotoGP Sprint: 11 laps
Moto3: 16 laps
Moto2: 18 laps
MotoGP: 21 laps

Bagnaia holds a 36-point title lead over Pramac’s Jorge Martin as MotoGP heads into the unknown with its Indian debut at the Buddh International Circuit.

Michelin is offering a wider choice of tyres for this weekend, four fronts and three rears, as MotoGP faces its first new event without any prior testing in over a decade.

The 13-turn ex-F1 track features several sizeable straights, the longest at just over 1km, plus banked corners at 8 & 9 plus what proved to be a tricky Turn 1 in Friday practice.

Missing this weekend are Ducati’s Enea Bastianini - who fractured his hand and ankle during a multi-rider pile-up in Catalunya, moments before team-mate Bagnaia was run over following a highside - and LCR Honda’s Alex Rins, who is still recovering from leg fractures at Mugello in May.

HRC test rider Stefan Bradl will replace Rins with Ducati test rider Michele Pirro in place of Bastianini.
 

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