Japanese MotoGP, Motegi - Saturday Practice Results
| 2023 Japanese MotoGP, Motegi -Saturday practice Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | 1'44.622s | 11/14 | 316k |
| 2 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.367s | 10/14 | 316k |
| 3 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.385s | 10/12 | 315k |
| 4 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.399s | 10/10 | 308k |
| 5 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.436s | 6/10 | 312k |
| 6 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.467s | 5/10 | 315k |
| 7 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.526s | 8/15 | 312k |
| 8 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.538s | 9/13 | 311k |
| 9 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.563s | 10/10 | 309k |
| 10 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.564s | 8/13 | 313k |
| 11 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.580s | 5/13 | 311k |
| 12 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.623s | 11/13 | 313k |
| 13 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +0.696s | 8/11 | 307k |
| 14 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.713s | 3/8 | 310k |
| 15 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.721s | 9/11 | 313k |
| 16 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +0.915s | 6/10 | 311k |
| 17 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.240s | 4/11 | 314k |
| 18 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.387s | 5/13 | 309k |
| 19 | Stefan Bradl | GER | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.665s | 6/12 | 311k |
| 20 | Cal Crutchlow | GBR | Yamalube RS4GP (YZR-M1) | +1.868s | 6/12 | 311k |
| 21 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +1.995s | 9/10 | 309k |
*Rookie.
Official Motegi MotoGP records
Best lap: Brad Binder 1m 43.489s (2023)
Fastest race lap: Brad Binder 1m 43.489s (2022)
Marco Bezzecchi hits the top for the first time this weekend by leading final practice for the 2023 Japanese MotoGP at Motegi.
Next up is Qualifying 1, feauring the likes of Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo.
Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia leads the standings by just 13 points over Jorge Martin after a costly fall in last Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix, where a dominant victory for Marco Bezzecchi moved the VR46 rider to within 44 points of the top.
But the inaugural Buddh event also took its toll on the full-time riders, with two more - Alex Marquez (ribs) and Luca Marini (collarbone) - suffering fractures that will see them join Enea Bastianini in missing this weekend’s Motegi round.
Alex Rins, sidelined since Mugello in May due to leg fractures, attempted a return in Friday practice before being declared unfit due to the pain in his right leg.
HRC test rider Stefan Bradl will take over from Rins, with Ducati test rider Michele Pirro continuing in place of Bastianini at Ducati.
Also on track is Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow, making his first official wild-card appearance since retiring at the end of 2020. The 37-year-old Englishman made ten starts as a replacement rider for Yamaha during 2021 and 2022, with a best race finish of 12th at Sepang last year.
Joan Mir will have one 2024 Honda prototype this weekend, as debuted at the Misano test, while factory KTM riders Brad Binder - fastest on Friday - and Jack Miller have the factory's new carbon fibre chassis available.
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.
