06:19
Misano winner Jorge Martin looked to be following title leader Francesco Bagnaia when he suddenly sat up and began frantically thumping his chest, suggesting an insect was biting him inside his leathers.
Maverick Vinales, MotoGP, Indian MotoGP, 22 September
2023 Indian MotoGP: Saturday sprint race LIVE UPDATES!
After Friday's practice was led by Luca Marini, Saturday sees final practice, qualifying and the debut MotoGP (Sprint) race at India's Buddh International Circuit.
Francesco Bagnaia takes a 36-point title lead over Pramac’s Jorge Martin into round 13 of 20.
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.
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
23 Sep 2023
06:16
Final practice begins and Johann Zarco, 9th yesterday, is an early faller.
06:09
The first MotoGP action of the day will be final practice, running from 10:40 to 11:10am.
