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How does MotoGP qualifying work?
The grid position for a race is determined in qualifying: But how does the MotoGP qualifying mode actually work?
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To increase your chances of winning a MotoGP race, a starting position at the front of the field is crucial. The starting grid for each race of a MotoGP season is determined in qualifying. But how does the MotoGP qualifying mode actually work?
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Admission to MotoGP qualifying
The riders already have to go full throttle in the MotoGP free practice.
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In order to be allowed to start in a MotoGP race at all, all riders must have set a time in free practice that is as fast or better than 107% of the fastest rider's best time in any practice session.
The results in the free practice sessions are also decisive for qualifying: the ten fastest drivers from the practice sessions start directly in Q2 in Saturday's qualifying session, while all other participants first fight for a place in the race in Q1. For this, the fastest laps from the first two practice sessions are taken into account and added together to form an overall classification.
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02
What are Q1 and Q2 in MotoGP?
MotoGP qualifying determines the grid positions for the races.
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Q1 and Q2 stand for Qualifying 1 and Qualifying 2. Both sessions last 15 minutes each. In Q1, the riders who did not make it into the top 10 in practice determine two riders who will compete for pole position (i.e. the place at the front of the grid) in Q2.
Only the two fastest riders from Q1 are allowed to compete again in Q2, after which the starting positions from 13th onwards are fixed for a MotoGP race.
Accordingly, 12 riders will line up in Q2: The ten fastest riders from the practice sessions and the two fastest from Q1. The second round of MotoGP qualifying also lasts 15 minutes.
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How is the grid position in Q2 determined?
The twelve riders have 15 minutes in Q2 to set the fastest possible lap time. This will ultimately determine their grid position. The fastest driver will start Sunday's race from the front of the field and take the coveted pole position. The slowest rider in Q2 will start from position 12.
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04
What are the MotoGP sprint races in the 2024 season?
From the 2023 season, there will also be sprint races on Saturdays.
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Back in 2022, the FIM, IRTA, MSMA and Dorna Sports agreed on a new format in the form of sprint races, which celebrated its premiere in the 2023 MotoGP season. In contrast to Formula 1, where the sprints - at least in the current season - are only held at six Grand Prix races, there is a sprint race at every championship round in MotoGP.
MotoGP sprint races always take place on Saturdays at 15:00 local time and cover a distance that is approximately 50% of the distance of the race on Sunday.
However, the MotoGP sprints do not replace qualifying, which takes place earlier on the corresponding Saturday of the race weekend and determines the starting grid for the sprint race and the Grand Prix on Sunday.
The same regulations apply in the sprint as for a full-length Grand Prix. However, the distribution of points is different. The winner receives 12 points for the overall standings, while 9th place is awarded one more world championship point.
The points distribution in the MotoGP sprint races is therefore as follows:
- 1st place: 12 points
- 2nd place: 9 points
- 3rd place: 7 points
- 4th place: 6 points
- 5th place: 5 points
- 6th place: 4 points
- 7th place: 3 points
- 8th place: 2 points
- 9th place: 1 point
So if a MotoGP rider wins the sprint race of a Grand Prix and the main race on Sunday, a maximum of 37 points per race weekend will be added to their own account for the riders' standings (up to 25 points in the race and a maximum of 12 points in the sprint).
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How a MotoGP race weekend will work from the 2024 season onwards
After each Grand Prix, the drivers look back on a long weekend.
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The introduction of sprints will fundamentally change the format of the race weekends from the 2023 season:
- FP1 (Free Practice 1): A race weekend in the 2024 MotoGP season will always begin with Free Practice 1 on Friday morning, the length of which has been increased to 45 minutes.
- FP2 (Free Practice 2): Also on Friday, the field of riders line up for the 2nd free practice session, which also lasts 45 minutes. After that, the drivers are off - at least on the track. After both FP sessions, the starting grid for MotoGP qualifying will be determined.
- FP3 (Free Practice 3): Saturday morning begins with the 3rd free practice session, which, however, only lasts 30 minutes.
- Qualifying 1 and 2: Also on Saturday morning, the riders will line up for the two qualifying sessions in which the starting grid will be determined.
- Sprint race: After a lunch break, it is then time for the respective sprint race at 15:00 local time.
- Race: The (main) race is then on the programme on Sunday. In the Grand Prix, important points for the driver and team standings will be at stake.
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