RACE REPORT | MotoGP India 2023

Marco Bezzecchi produced a flawless performance to win the inaugural MotoGP Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit. In a thrilling race, championship contenders Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin fought a fierce battle for second place before Bagnaia crashed unluckily. Martin secured second place, while Fabio Quartararo took third.

Bezzecchi's dominance was evident as he took the lead during a storming opening lap and maintained his dominance throughout the race. After a crash for championship leader Francesco Bagnaia late in the race, the title race was wide open. Bezzecchi, who started from pole position, initially lost the lead to both Jorge Martin and Bagnai at the start. Although Martin fended off Bagnaia's initial attack, he sped away in the next corner and dropped back to third. Bezzecchi then chased down Bagnaia and decisively took the race lead at the end of the first lap.

From that point on, Bezzecchi maintained a relentless pace, consistently posting 1:45 laps, which proved insurmountable for his rivals. Meanwhile, title contenders Bagnaia and Martin engaged in a fierce battle for second position, exchanging aggressive manoeuvres. However, Martin had problems with his front tyre and eventually succumbed to Bagnaia. Tragedy struck the championship leader when he lost control of the car on lap 14 and crashed. This development put Fabio Quartararo on the podium in third place and even allowed him to fight for second place when Martin had problems with what looked like a burst zipper on his racing leathers.
 

Martin managed to regain the lead, but the race took another dramatic turn on the final lap when he missed a braking point at Turn 4, ran wide and slid behind Quartararo. The two drivers fought a fierce battle, repeatedly swapping positions with daring manoeuvres. In the end, Martin managed to cross the line just ahead of Quartararo, securing a decisive 20 points. Brad Binder gradually found his rhythm throughout the race and eventually took fourth place, overtaking Joan Miró in the closing stages. Although Mir lost out on a higher position, he had a promising day and the Repsol Honda team's prospects could have been even better had Marc Marquez not been forced to retire after a front-end crash on lap six, eventually finishing ninth.

Bagnaia's DNF is the latest chapter in a remarkable twist of the 2023 championship tale. Formerly running away at the top, a string of mistakes and misfortune means Bagnaia's advantage over Martin is now down to only 13 points, Bezzecchi trailing by 44. With seven rounds yet to come, the championship is far from decided.