Indian MotoGP, Buddh - Full Qualifying Results
| Indian MotoGP, Buddh International Circuit - Full Qualifying Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | 1'43.947s | 6/8 | 346k |
| 2 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.043s | 7/8 | 344k |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.256s | 6/7 | 346k |
| 4 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.268s | 6/8 | 344k |
| 5 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.507s | 6/7 | 344k |
| 6 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.522s | 6/7 | 344k |
| 7 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.568s | 8/8 | 344k |
| 8 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.777s | 8/8 | 346k |
| 9 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.794s | 3/7 | 344k |
| 10 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.803s | 6/8 | 341k |
| 11 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.247s | 2/7 | 340k |
| 12 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | No Time | 0/0 | 0k |
| Qualifying 1: | ||||||
| 13 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | 1'44.529s | 7/8 | 340k |
| 14 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1'44.651s | 6/7 | 344k |
| 15 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1'44.735s | 6/8 | 344k |
| 16 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1'45.03s | 6/7 | 343k |
| 17 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1'45.037s | 3/7 | 341k |
| 18 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | 1'45.066s | 6/7 | 343k |
| 19 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | 1'45.375s | 3/7 | 346k |
| 20 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | 1'45.452s | 3/7 | 343k |
| 21 | Stefan Bradl | GER | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1'45.517s | 6/8 | 343k |
| 22 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | 1'46.147s | 6/8 | 341k |
* 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 | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) |
| 2 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) |
| 3 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) |
| 4 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 5 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 6 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 7 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 8 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* |
| 9 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) |
| 10 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) |
| 11 | Stefan Bradl | GER | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 12 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati 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.
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.
