The MotoGP season begins on Saturday in Portimao, with a new program, the sprint race. The drivers will start the main race the next day.
Will the suspense be as total as in the previous season? As a reminder, Francesco Bagnaia was crowned at the last Grand Prix in Valencia (Spain) just ahead of the Frenchman Fabio Quartararo, however long leader in the world championship. The 2023 campaign, which begins on Saturday March 25, in Portimao (Portugal), promises to be just as enticing with a fierce battle that will be contested throughout the 21 Grands Prix on the program, a record, and with two new circuits. The season will also be punctuated by a few other novelties that Franceinfo: sport details for you before the big start on Sunday.
Sprint racing could change everything
This is THE great novelty of this 2023 exercise: the sprint race. MotoGP organizes a new meeting which should offer a little more spectacle every Saturday afternoon. This race will take place on half of the main course (scheduled for Sunday) and the starting grid will be established, as for the Grand Prix (and unlike the F1 sprint races), according to the results obtained during the qualifications, which will take place on Saturday morning.
With 252 points put into play over the whole season, the sprint race will pay off big and will be essential in awarding the title at the end of the season. Because the latter has a high scale. Indeed, the winner will be rewarded with 12 points in the general classification, or half of the points awarded during the main race on Sunday (25). The first experiment, Saturday on the Algarve circuit, will say more about this new formula which, for the moment, is not unanimous among the pilots.
18 countries and 21 GPs on the program, a record
A great first in the history of MotoGP, the season will be spread over 21 rounds which will be contested in 18 different countries. This record programming is due to the arrival of two new circuits in the middle: the GP of Sokol in Kazahkstan, and that of Buddh in India, which will take place respectively during the 9th and 14th rounds.
Apart from a few changes in the calendar, the circuits of the other GPs remain unchanged. Traditionally the first crossing point, the Grand Prix of Lusail (Qatar) will be contested during the 20th round, just before the race in Valence which will put an end to this long and rich season.
Suzuki withdraws, Ducati will have eight motorcycles
The composition of the 2023 field will experience some changes. Already, the Suzuki team, titled in 2020, has withdrawn, now bringing the number of teams to line up on the starting grid to eleven. The Ducati team took advantage of the withdrawal of the Japanese to add two additional motorcycles in addition to its six cars already present. For its part, Honda keeps its total of six motorcycles while Yamaha (team of Fabio Quartararo), as well as KTM promote only two pilots each. Finally, the Aprilia team will field four riders. In total, there will be 22 drivers to compete each weekend.
Will Francesco Bagnaia and his Ducati manage to keep their crown? Nothing is certain since a horde of pilots can do their best to dislodge the Italian from his throne. Indeed, several of them are advancing with the status of favourites: starting with the French Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha), who has revenge to take, and Johann Zarco who excelled during winter testing. As for Marc Marquez (Honda), the eight-time world champion should once again play the leading roles. Two prodigies, a legend and a pack of wolves ready to draw at the slightest mistake: everything is in place to witness a great season of MotoGP.
