Jorge Martin led the delayed morning warm-up for the Indian Grand Prix, bolstering his hopes of extending his MotoGP victory run to four in a row. The Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, GASGAS Tech3 tookie Augusto Fernandez, Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir and Gresini Ducati’s Fabio di Giannantonio completed the top six.
Marc Marquez, who matched his season-best result with third on Saturday, was eleventh this morning with Bagnaia just 13th. Miguel Oliveira was the only faller this morning.
Here are key points
- Jorge Martin’s Performance: Jorge Martin leads the morning warm-up, continuing his strong performance, and has a chance of extending his MotoGP victory streak to four in a row. He is 33 points behind the reigning champion, Francesco Bagnaia.
- Warm-up Standings: The top racers after Martin in the warm-up session were Marco Bezzecchi, Fabio Quartararo, Augusto Fernandez, Joan Mir, and Fabio di Giannantonio. Notably, Marc Marquez and Bagnaia had positions lower down the order, at eleventh and thirteenth respectively.
- Track Issues: The ten-minute warm-up session was delayed by about 30 minutes due to unspecified ‘track conditions’. Subsequently, marshals were observed cleaning up some fluid, possibly oil, from the Turn 1 braking zone. This was puzzling to the riders, given that no action had occurred on the track since the end of the previous day’s Sprint race.
- Injuries: Both Alex Marquez and Luca Marini will not participate in the Grand Prix because of injuries sustained the previous day. Marquez fractured three ribs in qualifying, while Marini fractured his left collarbone after a collision with team-mate Marco Bezzecchi.
- Race Adjustments: The race distances were adjusted due to feedback about the hot and humid conditions. The MotoGP Sprint, Moto2, and Moto3 races were shortened by one lap, while the MotoGP Grand Prix will be reduced by three laps.
- Tyre Choices: Michelin is offering a broader range of tyre choices for this weekend’s race.
- Track Description: The article gives a brief description of the track, highlighting its history as a former F1 circuit. The track has several significant straights and banked corners. Turn 1 was specifically mentioned as challenging during Friday practice.
- Absent Riders: Enea Bastianini and Alex Rins are missing this weekend’s race due to injuries. Bastianini fractured his hand and ankle in Catalunya, while Rins is recovering from leg fractures sustained in Mugello in May. Stefan Bradl and Michele Pirro are replacing the absent riders.
Indian MotoGP 2023
| POS | RIDER | COU | TEAM | TIME/DIFF | LAP | MAX |
| 1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | 1’45.402s | 4/6 | 350k |
| 2 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.139s | 6/6 | 348k |
| 3 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.311s | 4/6 | 340k |
| 4 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +0.398s | 6/6 | 341k |
| 5 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.428s | 5/6 | 343k |
| 6 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.462s | 6/6 | 340k |
| 7 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.500s | 6/6 | 346k |
| 8 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.577s | 4/6 | 343k |
| 9 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.612s | 6/6 | 348k |
| 10 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.662s | 4/6 | 338k |
| 11 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.679s | 4/6 | 343k |
| 12 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.680s | 4/6 | 341k |
| 13 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.740s | 4/6 | 353k |
| 14 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.805s | 4/6 | 344k |
| 15 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +0.837s | 5/6 | 344k |
| 16 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.064s | 6/6 | 344k |
| 17 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.214s | 6/6 | 340k |
| 18 | Stefan Bradl | GER | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.227s | 4/6 | 343k |
| 19 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +1.639s | 4/6 | 346k |
| 20 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +3.333s | 2/2 | 344k |
Following Friday’s feedback from riders and official tyre suppliers in the hot and humid conditions, race distances were 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
Conclusion
The MotoGP race for the Indian Grand Prix is filled with intrigue and anticipation. Jorge Martin has the opportunity to continue his impressive streak while reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia has to make up for being behind in the warm-up. The track conditions have presented challenges, leading to delays and unexpected cleanups.
Injuries have also played a significant role, with key players like Alex Marquez and Luca Marini missing the race. Adjustments have been made to race lengths due to climatic conditions, and tyre choices by Michelin have added an additional layer of strategy. As the MotoGP community prepares for the race, several dynamic factors, including racer form, track peculiarities, and recent changes, promise to make this Grand Prix a captivating event.
