Jorge Martin tops a hot and dry FP1 at Mandalika

MotoGP 2023

Round 15 – Indonesian Grand Prix

MotoGP FP1

The weather was fine when MotoGP riders headed out of pit-lane at Mandalika and the temperature of the new track surface was already 55-degrees Celsius. World Superbike riders had praised the new surface but this was the first time for MotoGP riders and Michelin to sample the new blacktop.

The medical reviews of the walking wounded were done and dusted, the last of which was for Marco Bezzecchi who had only arrived at Mandalika on Friday morning, he was also cleared and the whole contingent of MotoGP riders hit the circuit in FP1.

The fastest previous lap of the circuit had been set during qualifying last year by Fabio Quartararo at 1m31.07. The race lap record also belongs to Fabio Quartararo, but due to the race being wet that benchmark is a relatively slow 1m38.749.

Miguel Oliveira was the first one to go down, 15-minutes into the 45-minute session the RNF Aprilia rider slipped off at turn 11.

Marc Marquez saved a rear end slide at high speed that saw him have to get out of the throttle, stand the bike up and run off but he remained upright. Alex Marquez and Fabio Quartararo had similar moments as they started to push on a little further as the track got some rubber down.

Alex Marquez had another moment with five-minutes remaining but this one he failed to save and the Spaniard needed a little help to pick up the bike due to his three fractured ribs.

It was a great start to the weekend for Aprilia, the Noale factory FP1 1-2 on the time-sheets with Maverick Vinales leading the way until the dying seconds of the session, when Jorge Martin eclipsed both of them to top the charts with a 1m31.811.

It might have been a late decision for Marco Bezzecchi to compete, only five days after getting a plate and screws in his collarbone, but Bezz went through the second split the fastest of anyone before going down and tumbling through the gravel trap at turn 11. He walked away seemingly unhurt, fifth quickest for Bezzecchi a promising start to the weekend.

Championship leader Pecco Bagnaia sixth quickest ahead of KTM duo Jack Miller and Brad Binder.

MotoGP FP1 Resuts

MotoGP Championship Points

Moto2 FP1

Moto3 Championship leader Jauma Masia had crashed twice in Moto3 FP1 and Moto2 points leader Pedro Acosta had a high speed front end lose less than ten-minutes into his FP1 session. The 19-year-old Spaniard was lucky to walk away from that tumble, however his Red Bull KTM branded machine was very much worse for wear. The rules do not permit spare bikes for either the Moto2 or Moto3 categories so that was Acosta’s morning done only minutes after it had begun. Alonso Lopez was another faller early in the session.

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Organisers red flagged the session with just under 25-minutes left in the session due to a power failure across pit-lane. Riders were sent back out on track around ten minutes later.

21-year-old Spaniard Manuul Gonzalez topped the session by just under four-tenths from Aron Canet and Jake Dixon after going well under the lap record.

Moto2 FP1 Times

Moto2 Championship Points

Moto3 FP1

Championship leader Jaume Masia had a small crash early in the opening 35-minute first practice session, then went down again with ten-minutes remaining. A far from auspicious start for the Spaniard.

It was a great start for Joel Kelso with a number of fast laps recorded, the young Aussie ending the first session fourth quickest.

Nobody could touch Brazilian Diogo Moreira though with the teenager almost half-a-second quicker than the rest of the field.

Moto3 FP1 Times

Moto3 Championship Points

Indonesian Grand Prix Schedule
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2023 MotoGP Calendar