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MotoGP Barcelona 2023 schedule and preview – All dates and times for Catalan GP

The full MotoGP Barcelona 2023 schedule and preview
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After a weekend that was dominated by Francesco Bagnaia, who won both the sprint and the Grand Prix, MotoGP visits the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for its eleventh stop on the Formula 1 calendar.

MotoGP Barcelona 2023 schedule

The weekend starts with a free practice session on Friday morning. Then, another practice session follows, during which the top fastest ten riders will earn automatic promotion to Q2. On Saturday morning, an additional practice session will take place. It will be immediately followed by Q1, which will see two more riders promoted to Q2, which will start soon thereafter.

On Saturday afternoon, the riders will compete for supremacy in a twelve-lap sprint race, a new addition for this season. Sunday is the day of the main Grand Prix at Barcelona, which will be decided over twenty-four laps.

Here is a timetable of the event, with all times on British Summer Time (GMT +1)

Session
Date
Times

Free Practice 1

Friday, September 1st

9:45 AM - 10:30 AM

Practice

Friday, September 1st

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Free Practice 2

Saturday, September 2nd

9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

Qualifying 1

Saturday, September 2nd

9:50 AM - 10:05 AM

Qualifying 2

Saturday, September 2nd

10:15 AM - 10:30 AM

Sprint

Saturday, September 2nd

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Race

Sunday, September 3rd

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

MotoGP Barcelona 2023 weather

Good weather is expected for Friday, but showers are predicted for both Saturday and Sunday. Whether either the races is affected is still in doubt, but it is a real possibility that the riders will have to contend with it.

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Photo by PA Images / Icon Sport

MotoGP Barcelona 2023 preview

Francesco Bagnaia has been on fantastic form this season and holds a 62-point advantage heading into the eleventh round, as the championships enters its second half. With five victories in Grand Prix races and four in the sprints, he has been a dominant figure.

Second place in the standings belongs to Jorge Martin of Pramac, who has been embroiled in a season-long fight for second against Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney VR46. Currently, six points split them. Close to them we can also find Brad Binder, who had a great weekend at the Red Bull Ring last time out. He is the only non-Ducati rider in the top six, currently, with Aleix Espargaro seventh.

Yamaha have had a horrible season, highlighted by Fabio Quartararo being down in eleventh. Things are even worse at Honda. Its top rider in the standings, fourteenth-placed Alex Rins will miss his sixth consecutive race and Iker Lecuona will replace him again. Marc Marquez scored his first Grand Prix points and is currently nineteenth, whilst his teammate, Joan Mir is 26th.

Last year, the race was won by Fabio Quartararo, who dominated the event. Second-place went to Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco made it two Pramac Ducatis on the podium. Aleix Espargaro was second heading to the finish, but amazingly he slowed down at the start of the final lap, thinking the race was over.

Catalan GP History

The Catalan race on the Motorcycle World Championship calendar has been a constant fixture in the MotoGP calendar since 1996. It is the second of three races on Spanish soil this season, as Jerez hosted the championship in April and Valencia will be the season finale in November. Of course, this is the venue of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix as well.

Valentino Rossi has the most victories in the circuit, with seven in the top class, and he is followed by Jorge Lorenzo, who has won five times in his home race. Among active riders, Marc Marquez and Fabio Quarararo have two wins each, with Miguel Oliveira also a past winner in the venue.


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