03:47
Qualifying 2 line-up:
Alex MARQUEZ
Jorge MARTIN
Jack MILLER
Brad BINDER
Maverick VIÑALES
Luca MARINI
Fabio QUARTARARO
Francesco BAGNAIA
Marco BEZZECCHI
Johann ZARCO
Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO
Enea BASTIANINI
Enea Bastianini, Malaysian MotoGP, 10 November
2023 Malaysian MotoGP: Saturday Sprint LIVE UPDATES!
Just 13 points separate reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia from title rival Jorge Martin heading into the final triple header of the MotoGP season, starting at Sepang this weekend.
While Bagnaia holds a narrow points advantage, momentum is back with Martin after taking a perfect double of Sprint and GP victories last time out in Thailand.
However, Martin was also among several riders to receive an official warning for low tyre pressure in the Buriram GP. Another infringement in the remaining rounds will result in the Pramac rider receiving a 3s post-race time penalty.
Aside from the title fight, the big news this weekend is a wild-card entry for reigning World Superbike champion Alvaro Bautista. The Spaniard, making his first MotoGP start since 2018, is riding a factory spec Ducati GP23 in Aruba.It colours.
Bautista is not the only WorldSBK rider on the grid with Alex Rins, who missed Thailand after undergoing further leg surgery, replaced by Iker Lecuona for both Sepang and next weekend’s Qatar round.
Sepang was the venue for the opening pre-season test of the year, in February, when Luca Marini (fastest), Francesco Bagnaia, Maverick Vinales, Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin were all covered by 0.315s at the top of the timesheets.
Weather forecasts currently warn of an increasing risk of rain as the weekend goes on, rising to over 90% by lunchtime on Sunday.
Alex Marquez was fastest in Friday practice, ahead of Martin and the KTMs of Jack Miller and Brad Binder, with Bagnaia in eighth...
11 Nov 2023
03:42
Alvaro Bautista stops on track, perhaps having run out of fuel. He will start just 22nd.
03:42
Meanwhile, Fabio di Giannantonio and Enea Bastianini top Qualifying 1 and progress to Qualifying 2.
Aleix Espargaro joins Morbidelli and Marc Marquez in missing out.
03:41
Marc Marquez is behind Augusto Fernandez, but catches the GASGAS rider and tries to pass - but crashes out.
Morbidelli was behind Marquez at the time and saw it all...
03:39
Morbidelli starts a fast lap, but then slows at turn one, holding Marquez up in the process.
Meanwhile, Aleix Espargaro goes to the top, pushing Morbidelli to 3rd and in danger of missing out on Qualifying 1.
Morbidelli hits the brakes early into the final turn and Marquez passes, but this might not be over... 2mins to go.
03:37
Morbidelli slows to try and shake Marquez off on the out lap, pointing as he does so... Marquez refuses to pass.
03:35
6mins to go. Marc Marquez leaves the pits behind Morbidelli once again.
03:33
Riders pull in for their mid-session tyre change, the order at present: Bastianini, Morbidelli heading for Qualifying 2, then A.Espargaro, P.Espargaro, M.Marquez, di Giannantonio, A.Fernandez, Oliveira, Mir, Bautista, Nakagami, R.Fernandez, Lecuona.
03:32
Enea Bastianini is fastest from Morbidelli after the first flying laps.
A frustrated Pol Espargaro falls at Turn 9 after setting the fastest second sector.
03:31
However, Morbidelli looks to have the last laugh; he is too fast for the #93 to stick closely behind.
03:27
... But Marquez simply slows down later on the out-lap and is back behind Morbidelli!
03:27
Qualifying 1 begins. Marc Marquez pulls out behind Franco Morbidelli, who promptly stops in pitlane and forces Marquez to continue past him!
03:21
Qualifying 1 line-up:
Franco MORBIDELLI
Enea BASTIANINI
Augusto FERNANDEZ
Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO
Marc MARQUEZ
Joan MIR
Pol ESPARGARO
Raul FERNANDEZ
Miguel OLIVEIRA
Aleix ESPARGARO
Takaaki NAKAGAMI
Alvaro BAUTISTA
Iker LECUONA
03:16
Session over. Quartararo fastest from Morbidelli for a surprise Yamaha one-two. Brad Binder is third for KTM.
Qualifying 1, which includes Morbidelli, takes place next...
03:14
It's now a Yamaha one-two, with Franco Morbidelli second to Quartararo.
03:11
Jack Appleyard asks Ducati sporting director Paolo Ciabatti about the rumours Jorge Martin could be moved to the factory team in 2024. Ciabatti did not rule it out, saying 'you cannot ignore his level of performance'.
03:09
Title rivals Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin are currently sixth and tenth respectively.
03:08
Quartararo, who has just three more chances to avoid Yamaha's first winless MotoGP season since 2003, continues to lead the timesheets, 0.3s clear of Alex Marquez with team-mate Franco Morbidelli up to third.
03:02
Bezzecchi slides off after losing the front into the tight Turn 9.
02:59
After a Friday nightmare, with four falls, Espargaro is back on the standard Ohlins front fork after being caught out while trying the new 'longer stroke' version, already favoured by some other riders.
02:58
Jorge Martin and good friend Aleix Espargaro cross paths after Martin runs wide at the final corner.
02:57
Dorna's Jack Appleyard asks VR46's Pablo Nieto about the Luca Marini/Repsol Honda rumours.
Nieto says the purpose of their team is to get the Academy riders into factory MotoGP teams... but they expect Marini to stay at VR46 next season.
02:56
10mins gone and it's Fabio Quartararo, confident after Friday, fastest for Yamaha with a 1m 58.960s. Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco currently complete the top three.
Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi is seen practicing a bike swap...