MotoGP 2023
Round 13 – Buddh International Circuit
Length: 4960 metres – Width: 12 m
Corners: 13 (8 right, 5 left)
Longest Straight: 1006 metres
Constructed: 2011 – Modified: 2023
The Hermann Tilke designed Buddh International Circuit (Hindi: बुद्ध अन्तरराष्ट्रीय परिपथ) was the first circuit to bring international motorsport to India, bursting onto the scene as the host of the Formula One Indian Grand Prix in 2011.
Sadly, a tax dispute with the Government of Uttar Pradesh meant that Formula One’s stay was all too brief; after two more races, the Grand Prix was suspended for 2014 and ultimately dropped from the calendar altogether. With its global reputation tarnished, the circuit has subsequently seen it’s rather lavish facilities being rather under-utilised in the intervening years, with general testing, track days and national level racing being only occasional visitors.
However, a new era was set to begin when the MotoGP World Championship announced in 2022 that India will be on 2023 calendar. Since then, the circuit has put all their efforts into remodelling the Buddh Internatinal Circuit so it can welcome motorcycle racing, and host its first-ever MotoGP Grand Prix.
Controversy surrounds the venue once again though on the cusp of MotoGP making its debut in India. There have been numerous issues in regards to team personnel, including riders, experiencing delays with their visa approvals, thus while we include a schedule in AEST further down the page, it seems quite possible that Friday’s running order might be massaged somewhat to cater for the late arrival of some competitors. Time will tell…
Piero Taramasso – Michelin
“The discovery of this circuit will be the same for our partners as it will be for us. It’s a very interesting situation because everyone is starting from zero and the strategy adopted at the start of the event will be crucial. For our part, we carried out computer simulations to try to assimilate the thermal stresses and select the best compounds, but it is clear that physical tests will be essential to refine the set-up of the motorcycles. This is the only time this season that we will race without benefiting from any prior data. The analyses that we have made of this circuit show similarities with the Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg (Austria), or Buriram (Thailand). As a result, we expect very demanding conditions for the rear tyres, and particularly on the right side. As the regulations allow, we will bring an additional compound for the front and rear. To meet the expected demands, we have selected symmetrical tyres for the front, and asymmetrical at the rear – which will be reinforced on the right side.”
According to the Brembo technicians who work closely with all 24 premium class riders, the Indian track is one of the most demanding circuits for brakes. On a scale of 1 to 6 we estimate a difficulty index of 6, equal to one of the most challenging tracks in the world championship, such as the Motegi circuit where Moto GP will race on the first Sunday in October.
MotoGP riders are expected to use their brakes for a total of around 41 seconds per lap, the highest figure for the entire season along with Sepang. However, the Malaysian track is half a kilometre longer than the Indian one and therefore the percentage of time the brakes are used is lower in Malaysia than in India.
Of the nine braking points on the circuit, six are classified as very demanding on the brakes, two are of medium difficulty, and the remaining one is light. Turn five puts the most stress on the brake system after a 1006 metre long straight section: the MotoGP bikes are expected to come into it at around 335 km/h (208 mph) and brake for the 6.5 seconds needed to reduce their speed to 71 km/h (44.1 mph) in order to make the turn. And of course with this extreme braking that will also likely contribute to front tyres getting too hot and the pressure levels increasing… That is going to be a fine line to tread…
A whole new venue is a reset of sorts, and after that crash in Barcelona saw reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) riding through some discomfort on home turf at Misano, the title fight is also a little closer as Pecco now sits only 36 points clear of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). It will be an interesting race between Bagnaia and Martin to see who can adapt the quickest, especially as Martin arrives from a near-perfect weekend last time out.
Francesco Bagnaia
“I was lucky enough not to have any problems or any delays with my Visa so that’s a positive start. Our logistics manager did an excellent job so that’s perfect. I’ve had a chance to walk around the track. I think that the layout of the track is interesting. It’s nice and it’s different compared to a lot of other tracks that we go to. I think it could be great. It will be interesting to try it tomorrow considering the run-off area in a couple of parts of the track looks a little bit too short. I walked a lap with the safety commission and they tried to explain everything to me and I think there are reasons to say that it’s okay so let’s see I think it will be really interesting to try it out.”
Jorge Martin
“I did a lot of laps as soon as I arrived. I did some laps on my bicycle. I really like the layout. I think it will be really interesting. I’m excited to try this track. I think like Pecco said it’s a little bit different from what we used to do so yeah I’m looking forward to free practice tomorrow.”
Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) wasn’t at full tilt at Misano either though and he’ll want to seize the opportunity to take a new track by the horns, as will Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who is no stranger to that himself. The South African may see Buddh International Circuit as a big opportunity to hit back after a disappointing Sunday at Misano. It wasn’t overall for KTM though, and they had some goodies at the test as the orange push continues to gain momentum overall.
Marco Bezzecchi
“I like it a lot to be honest. Also, the paddock is very well organised and everything is very beautiful. The track after walking it looks fantastic. It’s a mix of colours that I really like. Of course, the long straight is impressive because I think it’s very very long, maybe more than Texas I don’t know but… it’s very nice. It’s really nice to see you and I can’t wait to try the bike. There’s also a long right-hand corner with banking that looks fantastic so I can’t wait. The week after Misano was tough to be honest, because during the race weekend, I put a lot of stress on my hand. Unfortunately, I have an injury inside my bones which is really slow to recover. It’s that part that’s creating me a lot of pain but anyway in Misano, I could do my best. More than this was difficult for me so because of this I’m very happy. This track looks a little bit less physical so I don’t know I will try for sure to be at the front again.”
Brad Binder
“So far so good. Everything has been quite cool since I arrived here early this morning. Everything is all good. Honestly, the track looks really cool. I think it’s gonna be a very fun layout for us to ride. That one that banks looks sick, so I’m excited to give that a bash it’s always exciting to come somewhere new.”
One thing that may play in Ducati’s favour at a new track is also data. With eight bikes, although not all the latest GP23 models, there’s going to be a huge amount of information at their fingertips.
Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) will want some of that as the Frenchman looks for a lot more form, and it was a tougher weekend at Misano for Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), who then topped the following test at the Italian circuit, and Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) too.
Luca Marini
“On the one hand, the Misano race didn’t go as I expected, perhaps below expectations. On the other hand, the test was very positive. We have made a good step in terms of electronics and settings. I’m curious to discover India, I expect lots of fans. We will all at the start at the same level: we should work on the layout, the lines, understand the climatic conditions as best we can. It won’t be easy and it will be even more crucial to find the right path from Friday.”
Alex Marquez
“The Indian event is a question mark for everybody. We’re getting ready with what we can: by playing videogames, watching F1 races and then once there we’ll try to get to grips with the track as quick as possible. And then Motegi, which can be very favourable with all its heavy braking areas. We’re coming from two positive – albeit not perfect – weekends and we’re eager to show our potential and keep growing.”
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP) also seemed to lose some ground he’d made up. On the other side of the Ducati Lenovo Team box we know we won’t have Enea Bastianini on duty either, with Michele Pirro called up now he’s off wildcard duty. Can the Ducati armada hit the ground running?
Fabio Di Giannantonio
“I always liked new tracks as they’re a blank slate for everybody and it’s where the good work done with the team really comes out, without data or previous references. I expect a track with very little grip but also very fast, so it may adapt well to our characteristics. In Japan first of all I have a surprise in store, and it’s also a track with some heavy braking and I know the Ducati will be competitive there.”
Michele Pirro
“After the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Riviera di Rimini, I am happy to participate in two more MotoGP events, although I feel sorry for Enea. His season is really turning out to be complicated, and I hope he can come back soon. In the San Marino GP, my feeling had been good, and I hope to be able to pick up from there. We are going to India, and we will race on a new track, so it will be a surprise for everyone, and only on Friday will find out the characteristics of this track. In any case, I am calm: I will do my best, and as always, it will be an honour to share the garage with the World Champion.“
Speaking of data, Aprilia certainly have more of that now they’ve got four bikes on the grid. Misano saw a complete switcharound though as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) went from doing the double to struggling to get into the top ten as the last Noale machine home on Sunday, with team-mate Maverick Viñales leading the charge and making the difference as he’d promised on Thursday. In terms of Aleix’s ascent up the Championship that’s not ideal, but the bike had that pace so that’s another big positive.
Aleix Espargaro
“I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to come to such a big country like this. Hopefully, we can bring our sport to many homes and give them some fun. It looks as if the track is going to be fun. I like the layout a lot. I think they’ve done the best I can to prepare the circuit for us. I really can’t wait to try it tomorrow morning. It’s really difficult to understand if it’s going to favour us or not. Obviously, the long straits aren’t really the best for us but there are a lot of fast corners where I think we can take profit. In terms of grip, it’s gonna be really important. We have a couple of engineers that have been working for Ferrari in Formula 1 in the past when they raced here, and they told me that this circuit had grip more than any other track on the calendar. It looks like it isn’t really that damaged so even though it’s been a while since Formula One has been there I think after some laps the grip will be good. It’s gonna be very demanding. Eight races in 10 weeks is crazy and it sounds crazy. It’s gonna be very important to try to be focused but at the same time try to be relaxed and to have some fun. It’s going to be important to have fun with your team if people can bring family and friends because it’s gonna be tough mentally.”
The 2022 machine also had pace in the hands of Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team) and teammate Raul Fernandez, which is more good news. Raul Fernandez took his best result yet in an impressive P8, and Oliveira has been on a solid run since much of the rest of the grid decided to let him race in peace. He was hot on the heels of Viñales on Sunday. If we’re talking about the challenge of a new track too, Oliveira is the most recent winner at a new venue – twice. He did it at Portimao and then again at Mandalika, so we know the Portuguese rider isn’t averse to eating some adaptation for breakfast.
Miguel Oliveira
“The Indian circuit will be a challenge on all levels for us riders, machines and the team. I believe we can do a good job and we are focused on rapid and efficient adaptation. The objective continues to be the search for the best possible performance with our motorcycle. We will be looking for points in both races.”
Raul Fernandez
“First of all, it will be a difficult week for everyone. We don’t have a lot of time to get to know the track and so far, we don’t have a lot of information about it. This also might be a lot of fun, because in the end, we are all equal. My confidence and our level is improving a lot at the moment. Day by day, I feel more comfortable on the bike, I can attack like I want and honestly, I can’t wait to arrive in India!”
For Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who arrives fresh from becoming a father, a new track is probably good news if it can offer that reset. Since impressing a whole lot earlier in the season, it’s been a tougher run for a few races and ‘Thriller’ wants to get back to doing just that.
Fellow RC16 riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez at GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 too, with the latter losing his run of scoring on every Sunday so far last time out. For a rookie though, a new venue could prove a real injection of opportunity, with rivals’ experience now solely that of their machinery and not the track.
Pol Espargaro
“This will be a special weekend for all the MotoGP World Championship. We are visiting a new country and an unknown circuit, so it is always both intriguing and thrilling at the same time. We will need to work well from the beginning to try understanding the track as fast as possible and in the best way, while we will probably face very difficult temperature conditions. One more time, it is going to be also an important physical check for me after a tough weekend in Misano. I feel that I am still in a relearning process about the bike and my body, although I have already improved a lot on both areas. Anyway, let’s go to India, I am really looking forward to this new adventure!”
Augusto Fernandez
“We are going to a new country and a new circuit for everyone, so it is very exciting. It will be interesting to have all MotoGP riders on the same boat, so for once I will be on equal levels with the rest of the class, and it can be positive for myself. Of course we will have to learn the track, but otherwise the weekend will be similar to the usual race weekend, as I will still have to find my marks with the MotoGP bike. Our target is to do a good qualifying on Saturday, so we can start closer to the front. I am excited for this new destination, let’s go!”
At Yamaha, they’ll hope a new track brings new opportunity too. After Team Manager Massimo Meregalli praised their new engine at the Misano Test but Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) said he’d been expecting more all round, the dynamic remains an interesting one. Quartararo will certainly hope that the new layout will cut the deficit to those ahead as everyone races to get to grips with Buddh International Circuit, and teammate Franco Morbidelli will want to cut his own deficit… but he is now the only rider who’s scored every Sunday.
Fabio Quartararo
“We had a short break before we start the Asian GPs. It‘s nice that we get to go to a new place, experience a new culture, meet the Indian fans, and ride at a circuit I don‘t know yet. Looking at the layout, it seems like an interesting track, so we will see what we can do. We tried a lot of things at the Misano Test and there are a few things that we can try here too. We will do our best as always!”
Franco Morbidelli
“Now that it‘s official where I will be riding next year, it has given me the clarity needed to focus on the task ahead. I can now fully concentrate on what‘s happening on track and ride with nothing to lose. At the Misano Test, it was decided that I will stick with the same bike configuration as before, and I‘m interested to find out how that will run at the Buddh circuit. It‘s something new, so that‘s always interesting for riders and teams.”
For many reasons, the spotlight was on Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) at Misano. His Grand Prix race may have seen him come home in seventh, but it was some performance as he played all his cards right and finished some distance closer to the winner than the next Honda did to him. The other reasons? The rumour mill about Marquez’ future rolls on… He only touched down on Indian soil late on Thursday afternoon our (Australian) time.
Marc Marquez
“It’s one of those circuits that on foot it looks really nice but then we’ll see how it feels on a MotoGP bike. If the grip is good then it’ll be even nicer! We will race with the same bike that we raced in Misano. That’s the best feeling I’ve had this season starts true that we’ve tried a new prototype. There was some interesting things, but the performance overall was actually the same. If not a little bit worse so let’s keep riding with what we know. And yeah if I have to try a few things that they bring in the future I will try them, but at the moment I’ve just got to keep focused on what I have. The Misano race was really positive for us which is really strange to say because we were back in seventh position but the pace during the race was really good. It’s true that I want to ride at that pace, but I use a lot of energy in the last laps. I was able to keep the pace but I started to feel really tired and I decided to step back and finish the race not like in Le Mans. I was exhausted but so I kept pushing, but then I crashed. Different mentality for the second part of the season but step-by-step at least during the weekend. Maybe one lap may be too late. Maybe 10 laps we show that our speed is there.”
The next Honda home at Misano was Stefan Bradl on wildcard and testing duty though, so not a true metric, and this time round he’ll be at LCR Honda Castrol replacing Alex Rins. More data, more experience and more work once again goes into that road back to the top for Honda. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) will want to show he’s got the measure of the German too.
For Joan Mir, meanwhile, the mission is the same: rebuild. It’s been a tough season so far with injury and then a run of DNFs, and the Mayorcan could find that a new track proves a good new challenge as everyone takes on the same new turf at the same time.
Joan Mir
“Visiting a new place is always really exciting, you see a lot on social media how many fans there are from India so I think it’s really important and great to go see them. The track itself looks like it will be interesting with a lot of different elements. There are many things to understand when you go to a new circuit so it’s important to do every step well, from walking the track when we arrive to making the most of every session on track.”
After the race this weekend in India it is a quick turnaround with the Motul Grand Prix of Japan the following weekend, October 1. There is then a fortnight before the race in Indonesia followed by the Australian Grand Prix the following weekend, October 22.
MotoGP Championship Points
| Pos | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Bagnaia | 283 |
| 2 | Martin | 247 |
| 3 | Bezzecchi | 218 |
| 4 | Binder | 173 |
| 5 | Espargaro | 160 |
| 6 | Zarco | 147 |
| 7 | Marini | 135 |
| 8 | Viñales | 128 |
| 9 | Marquez | 108 |
| 10 | Miller | 104 |
| 11 | Quartararo | 85 |
| 12 | Morbidelli | 68 |
| 13 | Oliveira | 65 |
| 14 | Fernandez | 58 |
| 15 | Rins | 47 |
| 16 | Di Giannantonio | 43 |
| 17 | Nakagami | 35 |
| 18 | Pedrosa | 32 |
| 19 | Marquez | 31 |
| 20 | Bastianini | 25 |
| 21 | Fernandez | 22 |
| 22 | Savadori | 9 |
| 23 | Folger | 9 |
| 24 | Espargaro | 8 |
| 25 | 25 Pirro | 5 |
| 26 | 26 Mir | 5 |
| 27 | 27 Petrucci | 5 |
| 28 | 28 Bradl | 5 |
| 29 | 29 Lecuona | 0 |
Moto2
The perfect way to hit back after a couple of tougher rounds is to stamp some authority back on the front, and that’s exactly what Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) did in Misano. His lead increased once again, but now it’s a whole new challenge at Buddh International Circuit and it could be a full reset, with many of the key players arriving in some very different quandries.
Before Misano, Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) probably would have voted for that full reset, but the Italian was back in the podium fight on home turf and he’ll want to keep that going and use experience on the bike in his favour.
Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) wants a whole lot more on turf never raced by his rivals though, and Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) needs to bounce back.
Jake Dixon
“We are racing at a new circuit, but that doesn’t have to matter to us. The main thing in these next races will be to push from the beginning to really be able to fight with the top riders. We will have to give our 100 per cent to continue in the fight, although we are far away in the standings.”
Austria winner and Misano podium finisher Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing) wouldn’t be too upset with a continuing of the status quo as his form continues though, and Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools SpeedUp) was back on that form as he returned to the rostrum for the first time since France.
Darryn Binder makes his return from injury at this round.
On a circuit new for everyone it could be an opportunity for some of the fast faces who haven’t quite cracked the rostrum to make it work for them?
Moto2 Championship Points
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
| 1 | ACOSTA Pedro | SPA | 211 |
| 2 | ARBOLINO Tony | ITA | 177 |
| 3 | DIXON Jake | GBR | 146 |
| 4 | CANET Aron | SPA | 116 |
| 5 | LOPEZ Alonso | SPA | 116 |
| 6 | VIETTI Celestino | ITA | 106 |
| 7 | SALAC Filip | CZE | 91 |
| 8 | CHANTRA Somkiat | THA | 89 |
| 9 | ALDEGUER Fermín | SPA | 84 |
| 10 | GONZALEZ Manuel | SPA | 83 |
| 11 | OGURA Ai | JPN | 75 |
| 12 | LOWES Sam | GBR | 74 |
| 13 | GARCIA Sergio | SPA | 63 |
| 14 | ARENAS Albert | SPA | 59 |
| 15 | ROBERTS Joe | USA | 40 |
| 16 | BALTUS Barry | BEL | 39 |
| 17 | ALCOBA Jeremy | SPA | 33 |
| 18 | BENDSNEYDER Bo | NED | 22 |
| 19 | BINDER Darryn | RSA | 13 |
| 20 | FOGGIA Dennis | ITA | 13 |
| 21 | TULOVIC Lukas | GER | 12 |
| 22 | PASINI Mattia | ITA | 11 |
Moto3
There are now five riders within 21 points and six within 29 in the fight for the 2023 Moto3 crown, and Championship leader Daniel Holgado’s (Red Bull KTM Tech3) gap is now just four points ahead of closest challenger Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP).
Next up it’s Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing), then Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo), before David Alonso (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) enters the chat in fifth. He was 46 points off the top before Misano, but after another stunning win it’s now just 21. Ivan Ortola (MTA Angeluss Team) is the rider sixth overall and he can’t be counted out either…
The good news for the newer faces on the grid is that the veterans don’t have any experience in India either. But the bad news is it’s the last venue that’s true of before a long, long run of flyaways that seem almost tailor made for the likes of Sasaki, Masia and Öncü. So India, with another 25 points in play, could truly prove crucial.
Joel Kelso will be extra keen to add to his points tally in his quest to secure a berth in the World Championship for season 2024.
Moto3 Championship Points
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
| 1 | HOLGADO Daniel | SPA | 161 |
| 2 | SASAKI Ayumu | JPN | 157 |
| 3 | MASIA Jaume | SPA | 149 |
| 4 | ÖNCÜ Deniz | TUR | 144 |
| 5 | ALONSO David | COL | 140 |
| 6 | ORTOLÁ Ivan | SPA | 132 |
| 7 | MOREIRA Diogo | BRA | 98 |
| 8 | RUEDA José Antonio | SPA | 88 |
| 9 | NEPA Stefano | ITA | 70 |
| 10 | MUÑOZ David | SPA | 66 |
| 11 | ARTIGAS Xavier | SPA | 60 |
| 12 | TOBA Kaito | JPN | 59 |
| 13 | VEIJER Collin | NED | 58 |
| 14 | YAMANAKA Ryusei | JPN | 54 |
| 15 | SUZUKI Tatsuki | JPN | 50 |
| 16 | ROSSI Riccardo | ITA | 33 |
| 17 | SALVADOR David | SPA | 31 |
| 18 | FENATI Romano | ITA | 29 |
| 19 | OGDEN Scott | GBR | 20 |
| 20 | BERTELLE Matteo | ITA | 20 |
| 21 | KELSO Joel | AUS | 19 |
| 22 | MIGNO Andrea | ITA | 17 |
Indian Grand Prix Schedule
Brought to you in AEST by Kayo Sports
| Friday | ||
| Time | Class | Event |
| 1330 | Moto3 | FP1 |
| 1435 | Moto2 | FP1 |
| 1545 | MotoGP | FP1 |
| 1745 | Moto3 | FP2 |
| 1850 | Moto2 | FP2 |
| 2000 | MotoGP | Practice |
| Saturday | ||
| Time | Class | Event |
| 1340 | Moto3 | FP3 |
| 1425 | Moto2 | FP3 |
| 1510 | MotoGP | FP2 |
| 1550 | MotoGP | Q1 |
| 1615 | MotoGP | Q2 |
| 1750 | Moto3 | Q1 |
| 1815 | Moto3 | Q2 |
| 1845 | Moto2 | Q1 |
| 1910 | Moto2 | Q2 |
| 2000 | MotoGP | Sprint |
| Sunday | ||
| Time | Class | Event |
| 1540 | MotoGP | WUP |
| 1700 | Moto3 | Race |
| 1815 | Moto2 | Race |
| 2000 | MotoGP | Race |
2023 MotoGP Calendar
| Rnd | Date | Location |
| 14 | Sep-24 | India, Buddh (Subject to homologation) |
| 15 | Oct-01 | Japan, Motegi |
| 16 | Oct-15 | Indonesia, Mandalika |
| 17 | Oct-22 | Australia, Phillip Island |
| 18 | Oct-29 | Thailand, Chang |
| 19 | Nov-12 | Malaysia, Sepang |
| 20 | Nov-19 | Qatar, Lusail |
| 21 | Nov-26 | Valenciana, Valencia |
