Indian MotoGP, Buddh International Circuit - Saturday Practice Results
| 2023 Indian MotoGP, Buddh International Circuit - Free Practice (3) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | 1'45.398s | 11/13 | 346k |
| 2 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.203s | 11/13 | 341k |
| 3 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.206s | 13/13 | 340k |
| 4 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.261s | 11/11 | 348k |
| 5 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.299s | 12/14 | 346k |
| 6 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.303s | 9/13 | 341k |
| 7 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.325s | 6/13 | 348k |
| 8 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.327s | 14/14 | 344k |
| 9 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.455s | 12/13 | 343k |
| 10 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.462s | 10/12 | 344k |
| 11 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.477s | 8/9 | 341k |
| 12 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +0.494s | 9/10 | 338k |
| 13 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.498s | 12/12 | 343k |
| 14 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.549s | 5/13 | 343k |
| 15 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.895s | 10/12 | 346k |
| 16 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.930s | 11/12 | 340k |
| 17 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +0.943s | 11/12 | 344k |
| 18 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.956s | 5/9 | 341k |
| 19 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.969s | 8/10 | 338k |
| 20 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.108s | 10/12 | 344k |
| 21 | Stefan Bradl | GER | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.530s | 6/13 | 340k |
| 22 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +1.799s | 9/10 | 340k |
*Rookie.
Official Buddh International Circuit MotoGP records
Best lap: Luca Marini 1m 44.782s (2023)
Marco Bezzecchi leads final practice for the inaugural Indian MotoGP at the Buddh International Circuit.
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.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
