Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Friday Practice Results

Friday practice results from the Qatar MotoGP at Lusail, round 19 of 20 in the 2023 world championship.
Raul Fernandez, Thailand MotoGP 27 October
Raul Fernandez, Thailand MotoGP 27 October
2023 Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Practice (2) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)1'52.843s17/20341k
2Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)+0.049s13/18340k
3Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.093s15/19344k
4Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.112s19/20350k
5Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.190s18/19346k
6Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.251s26/26346k
7Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.352s20/21347k
8Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+0.359s18/19346k
9Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*+0.446s19/21341k
10Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.480s15/20342k
11Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.494s14/18345k
12Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)+0.718s16/20340k
13Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.721s14/18342k
14Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)+0.853s12/14346k
15Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.861s18/23348k
16Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.935s15/16345k
17Joan MirSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.078s15/16346k
18Enea BastianiniITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+1.094s22/22346k
19Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.162s10/20345k
20Iker LecuonaSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.411s20/22344k
21Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.417s11/20347k
22Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+1.598s18/22341k

*Rookie.

Official Lusail MotoGP records
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia 1m 52.772s (2021)
Fastest race lap: Enea Bastianini 1m 54.338s (2022)

RNF Aprilia's Raul Fernandez surprises by leading Friday practice for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix from Fabio di Giannantonio.

Third place Maverick Vinales would have been top had he not had his lap time cancelled by yellow flags, which also cost the likes of Fabio Quartararo heavily.

Title contender Jorge Martin salvaged seventh place, ahead of championship leader Francesco Bagnaia - but the Pramac rider spent much of the hour distraught due to handling issues.

Just 19th when the time attacks began, Martin's hopes were instantly transformed by fresh rubber but rider and team will have much to think about heading into Saturday.

"For sure, we were in trouble at the beginning," admitted team manager Gino Borsoi. "Not just us but also some other Ducatis... Our pace was a disaster."

Bagnaia, one of the few to stick with used hard tyres on his way to a close third in the opening session, seemed in far less trouble.

After a woeful opening session, in which the four Hondas propped up the timesheet, Marc Marquez was towed into the top ten by Bagnaia this evening.

Martin's team-mate Johann Zarco - second in FP1 - slid off his Pramac machine early in the hour and was left 16th.

Jack Miller put in more laps with the new KTM rear wing, but lowsided from his RC16 in the early stages, then again in the final minute and just missed out on direct Qualifying 2 access.

Alex Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, Enea Bastianini will also join Quartararo in Saturday's Qualifying 1.

2023 Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP23)1'56.393s14/17345k
2Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP23)+0.172s14/15343k
3Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+0.229s17/17347k
4Raul FernandezSPARNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+0.292s16/16341k
5Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.411s14/17343k
6Luca MariniITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+0.426s14/14344k
7Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.427s14/14346k
8Fabio Di GiannantonioITAGresini Ducati (GP22)+0.437s13/16343k
9Pol EspargaroSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)+0.492s16/16343k
10Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.501s16/18344k
11Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.568s17/17343k
12Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Racing (RS-GP23)+0.582s10/13341k
13Jack MillerAUSRed Bull KTM (RC16)+0.667s17/18341k
14Augusto FernandezSPATech3 GASGAS (RC16)*+0.703s12/12341k
15Miguel OliveiraPORRNF Aprilia (RS-GP22)+1.213s14/19342k
16Alex MarquezSPAGresini Ducati (GP22)+1.442s9/13341k
17Enea BastianiniITADucati Lenovo (GP23)+1.589s6/16344k
18Marco BezzecchiITAMooney VR46 Ducati (GP22)+1.678s16/16347k
19Joan MirSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.784s15/15343k
20Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+1.800s17/17339k
21Iker LecuonaSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+1.951s16/18341k
22Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+4.036s4/13338k

*Rookie.

Official Lusail MotoGP records
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia 1m 52.772s (2021)
Fastest race lap: Enea Bastianini 1m 54.338s (2022)

MotoGP title chaser Jorge Martin and team-mate Johann Zarco produce a perfect one-two for Pramac Ducati in opening practice for the 2023 Qatar MotoGP at the new-look Lusail.

Martin and title leader Francesco Bagnaia, 14 points clear of the Spaniard, were near the front throughout the 45-minute session on the resurfaced, but low-grip, asphalt.

Martin delivered the session-best of 1m 56.393s as the final five minutes began, with Zarco slotting into second place in the last minute.

With the Pramacs joined most of the top ten on new rubber at the end, Bagnaia, who has a slim chance to clinch the title on Sunday, rose from seventh to third on used hard tyres to finish ahead of RNF's Raul Fernandez and Yamaha's Franco Morbidelli.

Fabio di Giannantonio, fighting for his MotoGP future, had been over one second ahead of the field as the final ten minutes began but was eventually pushed down to eighth.

Jack Miller, who had some new aero to try on his factory KTM, was 13th with Bagnaia's team-mate and Sepang winner Enea Bastianini just 17th. 

A nightmare session for Honda saw the four RC213V riders in the last four places.

Following some close passes in the closing stages, Pol Espargaro and Marco Bezzecchi carved each other up on the slowdown lap after the session, before Bezzecchi repeatedly bumped Espargaro's rear wheel as the GASGAS rider waited for a practice start.

After an accident littered Sepang weekend, Aleix Espargaro had been the first MotoGP faller of the Lusail round, sliding off after 7mins in the low grip conditions, followed swiftly by Alex Marquez.

The practice start period after the session saw many riders battle for grip on the dusty track.

This evening's session, which will decide the top ten places for direct Qualifying 2 access, takes place after sunset.

Francesco Bagnaia has a chance to win the 2023 MotoGP title on Sunday in Qatar, but admits it’s almost impossible… unless Jorge Martin makes a mistake.

Bagnaia is just 14 points ahead of Martin and would need to push that advantage up to 37 this weekend to avoid a final round world championship showdown at Valencia.

However, both have now used up their Official Warning for low tyre pressure and - like Luca Marini, Maverick Vinales, Franco Morbidelli, Raul Fernandez, Iker Lecuona, Pol Espargaro, Marco Bezzecchi, Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro – will receive a post-race time penalty for any further infringements.

Facilities and infrastructure at the Lusail circuit have been radically revamped ahead of this year’s event, including a full resurfacing. With no prior track data for the new asphalt, Michelin is offering an extra front (4) and rear (3) tyre compound this weekend.

While Bagnaia and Martin can drop no lower than second in the standings, Marco Bezzecchi is on target to confirm third over KTM’s Brad Binder.

Pramac Ducati will be crowned teams’ world champions, an exceptional effort for a non-factory squad, if their current 100-point advantage over Ducati Lenovo stands at 66 or more on Sunday.

Alex Rins is again replaced by Iker Lecuona at LCR Honda.

Read More

Subscribe to our MotoGP Newsletter

Get the latest MotoGP news, exclusives, interviews and promotions from the paddock direct to your inbox