Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Full Qualifying Results
Update: Aleix Espargaro will drop six places on the grid, to 16th, for Sunday's grand prix (and has been given a 10,000 Euros fine) as punishment for slapping Franco Morbidelli in Saturday practice.
Iker Lecuona will drop three places on the Sunday grid for riding slowly on the racing line in qualifying and obstructing Enea Bastianini.
| Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Full Qualifying Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | 1'51.762s | 5/6 | 347k |
| 2 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.067s | 5/7 | 343k |
| 3 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.136s | 2/3 | 342k |
| 4 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.274s | 5/7 | 343k |
| 5 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.296s | 6/7 | 345k |
| 6 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.339s | 5/6 | 341k |
| 7 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.341s | 5/7 | 341k |
| 8 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.413s | 5/6 | 341k |
| 9 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.586s | 5/6 | 338k |
| 10 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.704s | 6/6 | 341k |
| 11 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.967s | 5/6 | 343k |
| 12 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +1.022s | 5/6 | 343k |
| Qualifying 1: | ||||||
| 13 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | 1'52.504s | 6/7 | 345k |
| 14 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1'52.524s | 5/7 | 343k |
| 15 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | 1'52.828s | 7/7 | 345k |
| 16 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | 1'52.889s | 5/7 | 345k |
| 17 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | 1'53.099s | 5/7 | 346k |
| 18 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1'53.143s | 5/6 | 338k |
| 19 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | 1'53.362s | 7/7 | 344k |
| 20 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | 1'53.57s | 5/6 | 345k |
| 21 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1'53.838s | 2/7 | 343k |
| 22 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | 1'54.36s | 6/6 | 341k |
* Rookie
Official Lusail MotoGP records
Best lap: Francesco Bagnaia 1m 52.772s (2021)
Fastest race lap: Enea Bastianini 1m 54.338s (2022)
Rumoured Repsol Honda signing Luca Marini takes pole position for the 2023 Qatar MotoGP with a new lap record on the resurfaced Lusail circuit.
Fabio di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez completed an all-GP22 front row with reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia, title rival Jorge Martin and Pramac team-mate Johann Zarco forming an all-GP23 row two.
Unemployed-for-2024 di Giannantonio used a tow behind team-mate Alex Marquez to set the first ever sub 1m 59s two-wheel lap of the Lusail circuit. Alex Marquez then made it a dream Gresini one-two while chasing Zarco on his penultimate lap.
But the pole contest wasn't over with a delighted Marini, tucked up behind Maverick Vinales, delivering a 1m 51.762s to edge 0.067s under di Giannantonio.
As on Friday, Marc Marquez targeted Bagnaia for a tow on both of his qualifying runs. The Italian pulled the Repsol Honda rider as high as third before being pushed down to seventh on the grid, as the top non-Ducati rider.
Martin had a near miss while following Aleix Espargaro at the start of the session. The factory Aprilia rider - still waiting to hear the verdict of the FIM Stewards for the earlier slap on Franco Morbidelli - went on to take tenth.
Johann Zarco and Alex Marquez advanced through Qualifying 1 to join the ten quickest riders from Friday evening in the Qualifying 2 pole position shootout.
| 2023 Qatar MotoGP, Lusail - Qualifying (1) Results | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) |
| 2 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) |
| 3 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) |
| 4 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 5 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) |
| 6 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 7 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) |
| 8 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 9 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) |
| 10 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 11 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 12 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
*Rookie.
Francesco Bagnaia has a chance to win the 2023 MotoGP title on Sunday in Qatar, but admits it’s almost impossible… unless Jorge Martin makes a mistake.
Bagnaia is just 14 points ahead of Martin and would need to push that advantage up to 37 this weekend to avoid a final round world championship showdown at Valencia.
However, both have now used up their Official Warning for low tyre pressure and - like Luca Marini, Maverick Vinales, Franco Morbidelli, Raul Fernandez, Iker Lecuona, Pol Espargaro, Marco Bezzecchi, Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro – will receive a post-race time penalty for any further infringements.
Facilities and infrastructure at the Lusail circuit have been radically revamped ahead of this year’s event, including a full resurfacing. With no prior track data for the new asphalt, Michelin is offering an extra front (4) and rear (3) tyre compound this weekend.
While Bagnaia and Martin can drop no lower than second in the standings, Marco Bezzecchi is on target to confirm third over KTM’s Brad Binder.
Pramac Ducati will be crowned teams’ world champions, an exceptional effort for a non-factory squad, if their current 100-point advantage over Ducati Lenovo stands at 66 or more on Sunday.
Alex Rins is again replaced by Iker Lecuona at LCR Honda.
