Aleix Espargaro heads Viñales as Bezzecchi makes a stunning return to competition – with Bagnaia out of Q2 and Martin in the top five
Friday, 13 October 2023
The opening day of the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia has perfectly set the stage for what is set to be a barnstorming weekend of action in Mandalika. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) took top honours in Friday afternoon’s Practice as he turned his session around with a 1:30.474 after hitting the deck earlier on, and it’s his teammate Maverick Viñales in second as he also spent a lot of Friday towards the top end of the timing screens.
The headlines kept coming from there on out as a battered and bruised Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) took third despite an FP1 crash AND coming back from recent collarbone surgery, with reigning Champion and Championship leader Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) more on the back foot after a late mistake sees him heading for Q1.
From the gravel trap to the top of the pile
With Friday afternoon’s Practice session deciding who goes through to Q2, the riders spent the majority of the session working on their race packages before putting in those late time attacks. With six minutes remaining, all riders were in the pits ready to fight for the all-important top 10, and the battle was about to commence with only a few bankers already set.
Bezzecchi already had his flyer in and was top of the pile after a heroic effort saw him move the goalposts at the 10-minute mark. But Aleix Espargaro had fire in his belly after crashing out of what was set to be a very hot lap earlier on, in the final five minutes he changed the benchmark time once more to smash the lap record and stamp some authority on Friday’s running.
With the Aprilia on rails around Mandalika, Espargaro was then joined by teammate Viñales as the factory Aprilia duo took the top two spots to demote Bezzecchi to P3.
Another hurdle for the World Champion…
Bagnaia was very much in the danger zone after leaving it to his very last lap of the session to put in a hot lap. With the chequered flag already out Bagnaia was sat outside of the top 10 but was motoring on, on course for a personal best. It looked as if the Champ’s lap was looking pretty safe until a big moment in the latter part of the lap saw his flyer scrapped, heading off at Turn 15 after a moment – and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) then also crashing out almost in tandem.
Now with just a 3-point advantage over his title rival Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Bagnaia will be forced to go through Q1 with Martin comfortably sat in the top five just behind Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who took fourth.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was next up in 6th. The Spaniard has been all over recent headlines after his switch to Gresini Racing MotoGP™ for 2024 was announced, but is proving there are still very much six Grands Prix remaining this year for him to keep pushing.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), the rider Marc Marquez will be replacing, finished just behind the eight-time champ in P8, with Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) taking the final two Q2 spots in 9th and 10th.
The Q1 battle
There’s plenty of competition Bagnaia will have to contend with, as Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) will all be eyeing up the top two spots.
Equally with the Aprilia looking like a fine package in Indonesia, the CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team riders Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira cannot be discounted either. Make sure you don’t miss a single detail as the action unfolds in Indonesia with Qualifying and Tissot Sprint coming up on Saturday!
SHOWTIME
The stage is set for Qualifying and then the Tissot Sprint. Make sure you tune in!
MotoGP™ FP2: 10:10 (UK TIME 03:10)
MotoGP™ Q1: 10:50 (UK TIME 03:50)
MotoGP™ Q2: 11:15 (UK TIME 04:15)
Tissot Sprint: 15:00 (UK TIME 08:00)
Alex Marquez ruled out of the Indonesian GP
The Gresini rider made his injury comeback during FP1, but can’t fight through the pain any longer.
Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez has unfortunately withdrawn from the 2023 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. The Spanish rider had been absent from the track since picking up a rib injury following a heavy crash at the Indian GP, but made his return on Friday morning during FP1. However, it was far from smooth sailing as the #73 went down at Turn 1 and was unable to pick up his own bike.
Later in the day, his team took to social media to announce his withdrawal from the action at Mandalika, and we will hopefully see him make his return in one week’s time in Australia.
Acosta goes from crash and last to new lap record
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) proved what he’s made of on Day 1 at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. The Championship leader topped the timesheets with a new lap record 1:34.456 saw him snatch the top spot as the day came to a close. Before Acosta pulled the pin it was Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) who was leading the way. The Spaniard heads the chasing pack after falling 0.180s short of his compatriot’s time, with Sam Lowes (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team) also enjoying life in Mandalika to end Day 1 in P3.
Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Team) was another who took well to the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. The Spaniard just missed out on the top three by 0.091s as he took fourth place ahead of Ai Ogura (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) who rounded out the top five.
Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) had a positive start to his weekend as he bagged P6, ahead of Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp). Aldeguer also made an incredible front-end save and was just 0.024s back from the Brit in P7. Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo) takes eighth ahead of second in the Champioship, Tony Arbolino (Elf MarcVDS Racing Team). The Italian has some work to do as he finished the day 0.597s away from Acosta in P9. Sergio Garcia (Pons Wegow Los40) rounded out the top ten.
Moto2™ will be back in action on Saturday for Practice 3 at 9:25 and qualifying at 13:45 local (GMT +8). UK TIME 02:25
Moto3™: Öncü grabs upper hand on Day 1
Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) found an extra gear on the opening day of the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia as he went top with a 1:39.855 new lap record. Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) was looking very strong as well as he took P2 and was the only other rider in the 1:39 club, just +0.232s shy of the top time. Leopard Racing’s Jaume Masia rounded out the top three, but after an slightly more adventurous morning than the Championship leader would have liked with two crashes in P1.
Matteo Bertelle (Rivacold Snipers Team) had another strong showing as he found himself in P4 on day 1, ahead of Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna IntactGP) who rounded out the top five, the Japanese rider now second in the Championship.
Former leader and still very much key contender Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was +0.415s off the pace, but ends Day 1 in P6 with his compatriot David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) bagging P7. Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was just 0.020s further back in P8, and Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team) lost out to the SIC58 machine by only 0.005. Kaito Toba (SIC58 Squadra Corse) rounded out the top ten.
Moto3™ action continues on Saturday, make sure not to miss any of the action with Practice 3 at 08:40 and qualifying at 12:50 local time (GMT +8)! UK TIME 01:40
Credit MotoGP Press Release
