Australian MotoGP, Phillip Island - Saturday Practice Results

Saturday practice results from the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island, round 16 of 20 in the 2023 world championship.
Jorge
Jorge
2023 Australian MotoGP, Phillip Island - Free Practice (3) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP23)1'29.299s13/16348k
2Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.113s4/15345k
3Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.300s4/14342k
4Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+0.386s6/15346k
5Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.446s14/14345k
6Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.511s5/15343k
7Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.527s12/15341k
8Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+0.650s13/13340k
9Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)+0.687s6/14342k
10Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)+0.735s14/15344k
11Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.793s14/15342k
12Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*+0.860s7/13341k
13Joan MirSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.951s12/15342k
14Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.969s16/16344k
15Enea BastianiniITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+1.004s6/15344k
16Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.011s15/16350k
17Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)+1.042s12/12345k
18Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.066s13/14343k
19Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.195s7/16343k
20Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+1.484s5/14338k
21Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.752s3/10344k

*Rookie.

Official Phillip Island MotoGP records
Best lap: Jorge Martin 1m 27.767s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Marc Marquez 1m 28.108s (2013)

Title contender Jorge Martin returns to the top during final practice for the 2023 Australian MotoGP at an overcast but dry Phillip Island.

Marc Marquez, Aleix Espargaro and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia completed the top four.

Qualifying 1, featuring - for the second weekend in a row - title leader Bagnaia will now get underway.

Last year's winner Alex Rins has withdrawn from the remainder of the Australian MotoGP weekend after suffering intense pain from his healing leg fractures.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

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 Grand Prix slot on Sunday (weather permitting).

Before this afternoon's race, reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia will need to try and negotiate his way through Qualifying 1 after being left just eleventh fastest in Friday practice.

Bagnaia takes an 18-point lead over Jorge Martin into this weekend, after the Pramac Ducati rider’s costly fall from the lead at Mandalika.

Marco Bezzecchi's Indonesian heroics, a week after breaking his (right) collarbone, means the VR46 rider has closed to 45 points from Martin. Team-mate Luca Marini, who took a debut pole position at Mandalika, also expects the condition of his broken (left) collarbone to be slightly improved.

After backing out of a planned comeback in Indonesia due to pain from his recently fractured ribs, Alex Marquez will try again at Phillip Island - meaning all 22 riders could line up for the Saturday Sprint for the first time since the Portimao season opener.

Nonetheless, last year's Phillip Island winner Alex Rins is still recovering from leg fractures and Enea Bastianini from hand and ankle injuries.

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

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