Qualifying results and grid line-up for the Saturday Sprint and main Sunday race at the Valencia MotoGP at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, the 20th and final round of the 2023 world championship.
Title leader Francesco Bagnaia soaks up the pressure and navigates confidently through Qualifying 1 with a new lap record.
Bagnaia and Alex Marquez will now join the ten fastest riders on Friday, including Bagnaia’s title rival Jorge Martin, in the Qualifying 2 pole position shootout…
TIMES TO FOLLOW
| 2023 Valencia MotoGP, Ricardo Tormo – Qualifying (1) Results | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) |
| 2 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) |
| 3 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* |
| 4 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) |
| 5 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 6 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) |
| 7 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) |
| 8 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 10 | Alex Rins | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 11 | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) |
*Rookie.
Joan Mir, who underwent checks in hospital after a Friday morning fall, has withdrawn from the remainder of the weekend.
Francesco Bagnaia takes a 21-point lead into the Valencia title decider after a runner-up finish to Fabio di Giannantonio in Qatar was combined with tenth place after tyre woes for Jorge Martin.Reigning champion Bagnaia thus has two chances to secure another title this weekend, starting with the Saturday Sprint, where he will be crowned if he can extend his lead to 25 points.But with Martin winning 6 of the last 7 Sprints (and 2nd to Alex Marquez in the other) that looks like a tall order and the world championship is unlikely to be decided until the final lap of the season on Sunday.…Or perhaps even several hours afterwards, depending on the effect of any post-race penalties for low tyre pressure.Bagnaia and Martin are among 15 full-time riders to have now received an Official Warning for low tyre pressure. A further breach would result in a 3-second time penalty, or 6-seconds for Aleix Espargaro, who has offended twice.The only riders yet to use their low-pressure warning ‘joker’ are Fabio Quartararo, Takaaki Nakagami, Brad Binder, Joan Mir and Fabio di Giannantonio, plus the returning Alex Rins and absent (through injury) Miguel Oliveira.The Valencia circuit, which will host a post-season test next Tuesday, has been resurfaced ahead of the 2023 event.Among the riders saying farewell to their current teams this weekend are Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Franco Morbidelli (Monster Yamaha), Johann Zarco (Pramac Ducati), Fabio di Giannantonio (Gresini Ducati) and Pol Espargaro (GASGAS Tech3). Luca Marini is also expected to leave VR46 to replace Marquez but no announcement has yet been made.
Reigning Moto2 champion Pedro Acosta will make his MotoGP debut, with GASGAS Tech3, at next week’s Valencia test.
Keyword: 2023 Valencia MotoGP, Ricardo Tormo - Qualifying Results