MotoGP Misano 2023 schedule and preview – All dates and times for San Marino and Rimini Riviera GP

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Just a few days following a weekend that will be remembered for a long time, thanks to a home victory for Aleix Espargaro and a couple of huge crashes on the first lap, MotoGP will be back in action this weekend in Misano.

MotoGP Misano 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 thirteen-lap sprint race, a new addition for this season. Sunday is the day of the main Grand Prix at Misano, which will be decided over 27 laps.

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

MotoGP Misano 2023 weather

Good weather is expected for the whole weekend in the Italian venue, with plenty of sunshine. The temperatures will be almost up to 30 degrees Celsius, which will make tyre management difficult for the riders and teams in a circuit that is anyway very demanding.

MotoGP Misano 2023 preview

Francesco Bagnaia is the championship leader ahead of his and Ducati’s second home race of the season. Despite his great form, he will be heading to Misano with low expectations. On the first lap of last Sunday’s race at Barcelona, Bagnaia’s legs were run over by Brad Binder’s KTM. Despite fears of a much worse injury, he enters the weekend with bruises and will attempt to compete.

Second place in the standings belongs to Jorge Martin of Pramac, who is fifty points behind the reigning champion. His good weekend in Barcelona put him 21 points clear of Marco Bezzecchi as well, so he is well placed, especially if Bagnaia is unable to ride this weekend. Brad Binder and Aleix Espargaro follow the three Ducati riders.

Yamaha have had a horrible season, highlighted by Fabio Quartararo being down in eleventh. Things are even worse at Honda, as is obvious from Marc Marquez being only nineteenth and Joan Mir seven places lower.

Honda’s top rider in the standings, fifteenth-placed Alex Rins will miss his seventh consecutive race and Takumi Takahashi will replace him. The Japanese rider is preparing for his second race in MotoGP, his first coming back in 2015, at Motegi. Enea Bastianini will also miss the next few races, after fracturing bones in his hand and leg as a result of the first-corner crash in Barcelona.

The race will feature three wildcard riders, taking part to test upgrades for their manufacturers. Michele Pirro will be there for Ducati, but in Aruba.it Racing colours, thus testing and not replacing Bastianini. Stefan Bradl will make his fourth start this season for Honda, his second as wildcard. Dani Pedrosa will make his second appearance for KTM in 2023, after finishing seventh in Jerez.

Last year, the race was won by Francesco Bagnaia, who beat Enea Bastianini in a photo finish. Just 34 thousandths of a second split the two Italians, who went on to become teammates this season. The podium was completed by Maverick Vinales and Aprilia, who pipped Luca Marini and Fabio Quartararo.

San Marino and Rimini Riviera GP History

The San Marino and Rimini Riviera Grand Prix first appeared on the championship in 1981, at Imola, before it moved to Misano from 1985 to 1987. Misano had been a fixture of the calendar from 1980 to 1994, but took place as the San Marino Grand Prix for that three-year period. MotoGP left the circuit after safety concerns were raised following a crash that left Wayne Rainey paralyzed.

Both the San Marino Grand Prix and Misano made a return to the calendar in 2007, albeit with the circuit running in the reverse direction. The circuit is known for being located just a few kilometers from Tavullia, where Valentino Rossi grew up and resides. The Italian legend won three times at the venue, joint most with Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Marquez.

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