MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Highlights: Marco Bezzecchi wins inaugural race, Jorge Martin dramatically takes second

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur presented the Yamaha team principal with the trophy for the winning constructor and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Anurag Thakur hands the winner's trophy to Marco Bezzecchi. The three riders are handed the champagne bottles which they promptly proceed to spray on each other. What a race this has been, Bezzechi may have made it a no contest for first spot but Martin and Quartararo lit it up towards the end. That's it for the first-ever Indian Grand Prix in the MotoGP. Thanks for being with us!

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Martin joins Quartararo and Bezzecchi at last. He is joking around with Quartararo as they look at the footage of their fantastic battle in the last lap.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Jorge Martin needing some more attention. The medics are tending to him. Bezzecchi and Quartaro are fine though.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Bezzecchi, Martin, Quartararo, Binder, Mir, Zarco, Morbidelli, Vinales, Marquez and R. Fernandez in that order.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: It seems like Bezzechi and Martin were racing in 2 different countries really. Bezzechi is standing on his bike and thanking the crowd. He looks like he could go another 20 laps.

He was almost face down on his bike as he rides back to his pit and once he is there he almost falls off it. He then seems to be just ripping his jacket off and wants water and all that is cold being poured down his crash helmet. He is almost like a boxer who has been knocked out.

And more dramatically, Martin somehow holds on to his second spot, Quartararo hits his tank in frustration as the two charge down the final straight. What scenes in the final lap between the two of them.

Martin loses the second spot momentarily to Quartararo but he takes it back within milliseconds, then loses it again, then goes in front again. Martin has probably aged 10 years in this race.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Bezzechi is cruising, hs lead now going past the 6.5 second mark. Martin is anything but cruising but he has managed to somewhat undo the damage done by his zipper, building a 1.4 second lead over Quartararo.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Because of what is essentially a wardrobe malfunction. His zipper came undone on his jacket as he straightened up from a turn and he had to take one hand off to put that up. Third-placed Quartararo dashes forward because of that and that is right behind him. This could be an interesting decision for the officials, opening your zipper of the jacket is really toeing the line.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Oh Peco Bagnaia what have you done! The world champion has just crashed out on his own accord and that is the end of the race for him.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Bagnaia has been nipping at Martin's tail for a better part of this race, a fantastic move down the inside on turn nine and he takes it. Meanwhile, Bezzechi's lead has gone past 5 seconds. The first place may have been locked out already.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: We have out first retirement of the race. Augusto Fernandes has come back in, not clear what is wrong with the bike but the race is done for him.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: We are now into the eighth lap at the BIC and Bezzechi is now over 3 seconds ahead of Jorge Martin. He is under significant pressure from Bagnaia.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Marquez crashed at turn one in lap 6. He picks himself up and rejoins the race.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Bezzechi is in the lead, Bagnania second and Martin remains second. Bezzechi slowly starting to pull away and for now, Martin looks like he is in a bit of a spot.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Martin loses the lead as he ruins wide at turn three in one of the most challenging conditions all year. Bagnania and Bezzechi race ahead of yesterday's sprint race winner.

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: Those who are at the BIC for the first time this race weekend would be left with their ears ringing at the moment but this is only the practice lap. It is coming to an end now…

The dignitaries have all lined up on the grid and the national anthem is being played. Moments away now…

MotoGP India Grand Prix 2023 Live updates: It isn't just MotoGP happening today, remember. The Moto2 race got over with Pedro Acosta taking the top spot on the podium. Tony Arbolina finished second while Joe Roberts is third.

Francesco Bagnaia, the defending champion, leads the show with 292 points, followed by Jorge Martin at second with 259 points and Marco Bezzecchi at the third spot with 223 points. The Italian has won five GP races this year - Portuguese GP, Spanish GP, Italian GP, Dutch TT and Australian GP.

We saw 2011 ODI World Cup winner Suresh Raina during the early part of the event a few days back and today, present at the Buddh International Circuit, for the big finale is veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan and two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh.

"I am thankful to the Grand Prix of India for bringing MotoGP™ to India and would like to congratulate the and MotoGP for pulling this off. I would also like to thank the honourable Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath for bringing it to India. Since MotoGP™ is in India, we would like to request the parents to allow their kids to start riding on the track. My dream would be to start an academy one day. I want to see an Indian star in MotoGP™ and this is the ambition I would want for India as well."

The Italian, of Ducati Lenovo Team, qualified 3rd, bagging his 11th top-three finish in a qualifying in 2023. Bagnaia, who finished second in the Sprint, is now looking for a sixth GP race win this season.

The Spaniard bagged his best qualifying finish of a sixth spot since finishing second at the Italian GP earlier this year. He finished third in the Sprint, his second podium finish since Portguese GP this season. If he wins today, it will be his first ever GP race victory since Emilia-Romagna 2021, 700 days ago.