Jorge Martin held the lead from the start to win the sprint race at India’s debut MotoGP on Saturday and close the gap on championship leader Francesco Bagnaia.
Ducati-Pramac rider Martin started second on the grid and jumped into the lead, while a crash on the first corner saw Marco Bezzecchi slip back from pole position.
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World champion Bagnaia came second and Marc Marquez completed the podium at the Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi.
Bezzecchi’s Ducati-VR46 got hit from the rear by teammate Luca Marini, who crashed out along with Stefan Bradl and Pol Espargaro.
Marini fractured his left collarbone and will miss Sunday’s main race. The sprint belonged to Martin, who won the previous MotoGP at Misano, with the Spaniard remaining in control as others slipped away.
“The moments before the race were difficult because of a lot of time in the box and it was difficult to concentrate,” Martin said about a rain delay.
“But finally everything went well. I did a great start and that was my plan. I got half a second in the first lap and then I tried to push more to increase the gap.”
The race was trimmed by a lap after riders complained about the heat in Friday’s practice sessions, but he said the conditions for the sprint had been good.
“With low temperature it was nice to ride,” he added.
“I am the best so far in my career but hope to keep improving.” Bagnaia, sitting on the next chair, quickly responded: “Hope not.” Bezzecchi, who scorched the track in the second qualifying session, climbed back up several places over the course of the sprint to finish fifth in a race watched by hundreds in the stands.
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Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi claimed pole position at India’s MotoGP on a hot and humid afternoon at the Buddh International Circuit on Saturday.
The Ducati-VR46 rider clocked a top time of 1 minute, 43.947 seconds in the second qualifying, with Jorge Martin and world champion Francesco Bagnaia completing the front row at positions two and three.
Jack Miller was 16th fastest.
But Alex Marquez was all but ruled out of Sunday’s race when the Spaniard — ninth in the standings — crashed on his Ducati-Gresini and fractured his ribs in the first qualifying session.
Bezzecchi scorched the track in extreme heat, which has forced organisers to chop Sunday’s race by three laps to 21.
“Was tough but this morning I felt better on the bike,” Bezzecchi said. “Very happy for this pole position. Important to start the sprint and tomorrow’s race at pole.”
Bezzecchi remains a contender for the 2023 title, 65 points behind championship leader Bagnaia.
Martin, who won the last race at Misano and is in second place in the table, 36 points behind Bagnaia, was 0.043sec behind Bezzecchi’s time on his Pramac-Ducati.
He said, “Back-to-back first rows, happy to be doing that. Happy to be here.”
The sprint race on Saturday has also been reduced to 11 laps instead of the usual 12 after riders complained of the heat, which is likely to increase on Sunday.
Bagnaia, on a factory Ducati, attempted to speed up in the final laps but was satisfied with a front-row position as he seeks to extend his championship lead.
Luca Marini finished fourth in the qualifying after he topped the second practice on Friday.
Honda riders Joan Mir and fellow Spaniard Marc Marquez complete the second row in fifth and sixth spots.