Elbows Down

So it’s finally race week- you’ve been seeing the riders and teams make their way to the track on social media, setting up the paddock and getting the bikes ready for track action, but as a spectator, what track action can we actually watch?

With several practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and of course a new format for 2023, it can be quite overwhelming to know when to tune in and know what sessions are must-watches- let’s break down each day of the 3-day weekend

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Friday

Whilst most teams arrive on Thursday to set up and do press duties, Friday is the first day bikes are on track, and the first televised sessions happen. On this day, the schedule is the same across all 3 classes – Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP – with 2 practice sessions each.

Across these sessions, riders have 2 aims- to get a feel for the track and specific conditions of the weekend, and more importantly, to try and set the fastest lap. Each lap that a rider completes during a session is timed. At the end of both practice sessions, the fastest lap time from each rider is recorded and ranked. These rankings decide the groups for Saturday’s qualifying sessions (we’ll get into this in a minute).

This differs slightly for Moto3 and Moto2, where they have one last practice session on Saturday morning to decide their Qaulifying rankings.

Whilst it is not necessary to watch practice sessions, they can be a great way to see which riders are strongest on that track. The commentary can also be interesting- as there is less drama, commentators tend to give insights and predictions for the weekend ahead, a great way to understand the sport and its recent history if you’re new. 

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Saturday

Saturday is mainly understood to be the day of Qualifying- where the final grid positions for the race will be determind, however, new for 2023, Day 2 now hosts the the thrilling Sprint. The introduction of the Sprint now means that Saturday sees a practice session, qualifying sessions, and a race – quite the packed day.

Saturday looks a bit different for all classes.

Moto3

Moto3 riders are granted a 3rd, 30-minute practice to try and “top the timesheets”. These 3 practice sessions are then collated, and the fastest 14 riders then fight for grid positions Pole (P1) through P16 in Qualifying 2 later in the afternoon. The 15th fastest rider, and all those slower, battle for positions in the bottom half of the grid in Quailifying 1. All is not lost though- as the 4 fastest riders in Q1, are promoted into Q2, for a second chance to gain the higher grid positions. By the end of Q2, all positions on the grid will hva been set for Sundays race.

Moto2

Moto2 is much the same as Moto3, also with a 3rd, 30-minute practice session on Saturday morning. Again, the fastest 14 go through to Qualifying 2, and the rest into Qualifying 1. The fastest 4 in Q1 get the opportunity to move into Q2.

MotoGP

MotoGP riders face the busiest Saturday of all the classes. The day kicks off with a half-hour of free practice (note the “free”), which, unlike Moto3 and 2, holds no bearing on Qualifying groups. Q1 and Q2 for MotoGP are decided using only timings from Friday’s practice sessions. The fastest 10 gain a spot in Q2, and the slower times scrap it out in Q1, as only 2 riders are promoted to the faster group.
The Saturday track action then ramps up again for the Sprint, held at 3 pm LT. A new format for 2023, the sprint is a half-distance race, where riders can earn half-points towards the championship. Designed to invigorate the weekend, racing is aggressive, reckless, fast, and is yet to disappoint.

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Sunday

Race Day! The final day of the weekend sees all 3 classes race for championship points and a podium finish. Moto3 is first, at 12 pm midday, and has the shortest number of laps. Moto2 follows at 1:15 pm, for a slightly longer distance, and MotoGP wraps up the day at 2 pm for the longest race of the weekend.

Of course, if you are in attendance at a race, there is never a moment of down-time, with lots of other track action and events happening between these sessions.

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So, if you are dipping your toe into the MotoGP pool, the Sprint and main race for the premier class are essential for understanding the passion felt for motorbike racing. If you are sold on MotoGP, then definitely catch the Sunday Moto2 and 3 races if you can, they are thrilling, surprising, and a crystal ball into the next generation of MotoGP riders. For the more dedicated fan, then the qualifying sessions tend to be tense, and give a great insight into the weekend ahead. Of course, there is nothing stopping you wiping out the whole weekend, and lounging on the sofa from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon if you don’t want to miss a second!