First day of Bharat MotoGP at Buddh Circuit in Noida

The Indian Grand Prix of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship race will be held on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at the Buddh International Circuit in Noida, India. This will be the first time that the MotoGP World Championship has been held in India.

This race is expected to be a thriller, with the world’s best motorcycle racers competing for the top spot. The current championship leader, Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team, will be looking to extend his lead in the standings, while his rivals, Fabio Quartararo of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP and Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, will be looking to close the gap.

The Indian Grand Prix is also a significant event for motorsport fans from India. This race is expected to generate millions of dollars in revenue and help to promote India as a tourist destination.

MotoGP Race Practice Session

During Friday afternoon’s Practice session, the fate of the riders for Q2 hung in the balance. They dedicated most of the session to fine-tuning their race setups before unleashing their full potential in the final moments.

Securing a spot in Q2 hinged on being among the top 10, prompting a frantic scramble in the last fifteen minutes as riders hurriedly swapped to the soft tires. Lap times plummeted, with Martin initially setting a formidable benchmark, outpacing his rivals in the time-attack battle.

Marini leads practice session as Bagnaia struggles for form in Indian MotoGP in Noida

However, as the clock ticked down and yellow flags fluttered, it was Luca Marini who delivered a devastating blow to his competitors. He surged ahead, shattering the weekend’s fastest lap record and leaving Martin’s earlier achievement in the dust.

Marc Marquez of the Repsol Honda Team was also in contention for a top spot. He posted impressive sector times, showcasing his eight-time champion prowess. However, the ultimate challenge proved to be just out of reach for the Repsol Honda rider, settling for a commendable fourth-place finish. On the other hand, Marco Bezzecchi from the Mooney VR46 Racing Team showed promise after leading Friday morning’s Practice 1. Unfortunately, he couldn’t elevate himself beyond fifth place when the soft tires were introduced.

As the final 10 minutes ticked away, the reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia from the Ducati Lenovo Team found himself on the edge. The Championship leader was on the outside looking in for Q2 contention and needed to step up with the pace intensifying. While Bagnaia hadn’t been dominating the day, when the pressure was on, he pushed himself to secure an important seventh place, earning a spot in Q2 just behind Maverick Viñales of Aprilia Racing.

It’s not common for Pecco to shine during Friday practice sessions. However, he displayed confidence as he made his way back to the pit lane, leaving us to wonder – is the champion facing difficulties, or is he strategically holding his cards close to his chest?

Despite enduring two mechanical failures in the morning session, Fabio Quartararo of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ had a significantly improved day on his Yamaha M1. The French rider secured a spot in Q2, sitting comfortably in eighth place, and exudes confidence on the newly leveled playing field.

Johann Zarco, also hailing from France and riding for Prima Pramac Racing, finished just behind in ninth place. Joan Mir of Repsol Honda Team made a crucial return to Q2, clinching a much-needed spot in the top 10.

Make sure you don’t overlook unfolding actions in India. Qualifying and the Tissot Sprint are set for Saturday, preceded by Free Practice 2 kicking off at 10:40 local time (GMT +5:30)!