Marco Bezzecchi takes the first ever MotoGP Pole Position at the Buddh International Circuit, and his third of the season, with the top ten riders being within one second of each other. He is joined by Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia on the front row for both the Sprint and Main Races.
The main shock in the paddock was to see both factory KTM riders, Jack Miller and Brad Binder, having to go through the first round of qualifying. However, neither of these two riders were able to progress through.
Track conditions continued to improve during qualifying one with the best lap time constantly swapping between riders as they passed the finish line. After the second set of fast laps, Binder was at the top of the timesheets, followed by Raul Fernandez.
Binder was replaced by Alex Marquez in the promotion places just before the Spaniard crashed at turn six. A. Marquez went to the medical centre and was sent to hospital for further checks. He has been declared unfit due to fractured ribs.
Fernandez and A. Marquez were the riders who made it through to Q2.
As soon as qualifying two started, all the fit riders headed out to get a feel of the track once more. The first set of runs were completed quickly, and Martin sat firmly at the top of the pile. The time he set was not faster than R. Fernandez’s time in Q1.
The Martinator sits at the top early on! 👊#IndianGP 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/UdvipNv8Nq
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 23, 2023
Five minutes into the session, Marc Marquez crashed at turn three and was down in the middle of the track. Bagnaia had to take avoiding action to ensure that he did not hit the Spaniard or his Repsol Honda.
Bezzecchi continued to lap at a rapid pace, but he was once again displaced by Martin at the head of the field.
Marquez made it back to the pits and was able to head back out for the final four minutes of the session with the rest of the riders. Joan Mir set a quick lap time on his Repsol Honda, placing him in fourth place before other riders knocked him down the order.
Bezzecchi set his fastest time, a 1:43.947, which gave him the all-time track record at the circuit.
Bagnaia had a few wobbles on his final lap, but still improved, allowing him to join Bezzechi and Martin on the all Ducati front row.
BOTH of these HUGE moments were on @PeccoBagnaia‘s fastest lap! 🤯
And he still managed to plant it on the front row! 🔥#IndianGP 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/MHw1luudH3
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) September 23, 2023
Luca Marini heads up the second row and is joined by the two Repsol Honda riders, Mir and M. Marquez.
Johann Zarco leads the third row and is joined by fellow countryman Fabio Quartararo and Spaniard Maverick Vinales. Vinales’ teammate Aleix Espargaro rounded out the top ten.
Feature Image Credit: @VR46RacingTeam on X (formerly Twitter) (https://twitter.com/VR46RacingTeam/status/1705232774561780087/photo/1)
| INDIAN MOTOGP, BUDDH INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT – FULL QUALIFYING RESULTS | ||||
| POS | RIDER | NAT | TEAM | TIME/DIFF |
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | 1:43.947s |
| 2 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.043s |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.256s |
| 4 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.268s |
| 5 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.507s |
| 6 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.522s |
| 7 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.568s |
| 8 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.777s |
| 9 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.794s |
| 10 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.803s |
| 11 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.247s |
| 12 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | No Time |
| 13 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | 1:44.529s |
| 14 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1:44.651s |
| 15 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1:44.735s |
| 16 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1:45.030s |
| 17 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1:45.037s |
| 18 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | 1:45.066s |
| 19 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | 1:45.375s |
| 20 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | 1:45.452s |
| 21 | Stefan Bradl | GER | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1:45.517s |
| 22 | Michele Pirro | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | 1:46.147s |