Riders reflect on Portimao MotoGP | Miller explains crash

2021 Grande Prémio 888 de Portugal

Fabio Quartararo – P1

“It‘s good to be back in this mindset, I feel like I‘m full of confidence. Because I brought the confidence of winning the Doha GP with me, I felt the same here. We now know what we need to do to be competitive. As long as I have a good feeling with the front, I‘m going fast. In today‘s race, I just focused on my riding – but what a pace! I didn‘t expect it! I was about half a second off my qualifying lap, so that was amazing. I also felt the pressure from Rins coming up behind me. I wanted to make a gap, but then he made a mistake. I was riding well and easy, and I was still able to make a gap to Bagnaia, so I was so happy. We did an amazing job! Yesterday we were first in all the sessions, and today we won. So, thanks to the team. These are important points, and now we go to one of my favourite tracks, Jerez. I can‘t wait to ride there. This is a great way to start the celebrations for my birthday in two days.”

Francesco Bagnaia – P2

“I’m delighted with the result in today’s race! As I was starting eleventh, my goal was to finish in the top five, but instead, I managed to get on the podium! Moreover, this was a track where I struggled a lot last season, but this year, my feeling with the bike was incredible and allowed me to make this great comeback. In the last laps, I was suffering a lot, but in the end, I was able to defend second place from Mir’s attacks, and now we are also second in the Championship. I want to thank my team for the great work we have done together this weekend! Now we’ll go to Jerez, another track that I really like.”

Joan Mir – P3

“I expected that I could have good race pace, because in Warm-Up this morning I felt very strong, but I didn’t expect to have trouble in the middle of the race. I’m not sure why, but I started to struggle with the front of the bike, which is something we have to check and learn from. But overall I’m happy because we put together a strong weekend and I managed a podium at a track which isn’t the best for me. I’m looking forward to Jerez and hopefully getting another good result there, although it will be a very competitive race for sure.”

Franco Morbidelli – P4

“I’m very happy to be fourth today and it’s been a great weekend for us. The race was really good and I was able to fight my way through at the beginning. Then my rhythm and pace was good enough to stay there and battle for a podium place. I was a little surprised about that and I’m proud that we were able to do so. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough potential to attack fully, but I’m really pleased with this result anyway. It’s a good injection of energy after the two races in Qatar, the feeling with the bike is back and now we just need to enjoy this moment. Let’s see what happens in Jerez!”

Brad Binder – P5

“Happy to get our first top five of the season. I really wanted to be on the podium today and thought we had the potential to be there with about five laps to go. I pushed as hard as I could but I couldn’t put the key clean laps together at the end as much as I wanted. Overall, I gave my absolute best today and didn’t leave anything on the table. A massive thanks to the team because we did a great job getting the bike ready for the race and we’ll go again in Jerez.”

Aleix Espargaro – P6

“After the warm-up session where I had started on a used tyre and felt very good, I may have expected something more from this race. But we mustn’t forget the path that has brought us this far, battling in the leading group three races in a row, with speed and without mistakes. To be even more incisive, I was lacking a bit of grip at the rear, with the asphalt 20 degrees hotter than this morning, maybe choosing the hard tyre wouldn’t have been such a gamble. Without ever testing it thoroughly during the weekend, we didn’t feel confident enough and, all things considered, we continue demonstrating our value anyway. I am having more fun than ever in the saddle. I’m stoked and I can’t wait to get back on the track to see what satisfaction we’ll be able to take home next.”

Marc Marquez – P7

“There were a lot of emotions this weekend and when I arrived in the box I just exploded, not for the pain but there was something inside that needed to come out. I felt so much support from everyone and especially my family and friends. To feel like a MotoGP rider again was the most important thing and it was a great feeling. I didn’t enjoy today’s race, I suffered a lot, but it was the most important step in my recovery so far. We were able to finish the race, that was our main goal – the position didn’t matter but to finish 13 seconds behind first was an impossible dream. I think I felt best when I was riding alone in the middle of the race, the start of the race was a bit of a shock after so long! The last laps were just about finishing. Now we look to Jerez.”

Álex Márquez – P8

“P8 is good. Good points for the championship, but also for the team as they did an amazing job during the Qatar tests and the Qatar races, but we were not able to finish those races. Finishing the race today was the main target. We know we can still improve, but in general I think we can be happy and proud of what we did today. Hopefully, this is the beginning of something good and we can now keep getting better and better. I want to thank my team for all the work during the Portuguese GP. We’ll now focus on Jerez after some time to recharge batteries.”

Enea Bastianini – P9

“I’ve had the opportunity to study the other riders, I was late, but I’ve made it. On the last lap I have been the fastest of the grid. I have been able to race the bike in the right way avoiding movement and achieved the best result of the season so far; I am very satisfied with the work we have done. I’m headed to Jerez convinced of our potential and knowing that we can be in the first positions.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P10

“Well, it was a really hard race, starting from last position, considering also that this weekend we couldn’t do many laps because of my physical condition. I was happy to have tried to race. It was really difficult to overtake many riders, but right from the start I tried to be strong. At the end, I enjoyed the race, I did not expect P10. I was thinking that even just one point would be good, but in the end, we finished 10th which is really good. Now, I need to rest to be ready for Jerez. That’s the most important thing for me. I want to thank Clinica Mobile, they did a really fantastic job these past few days and of course, I’d like to thank my team, for their support, the good vibes in the garage I think also contributed to making this possible.”

Maverick Vinales – P11

“I don‘t know what the issue is yet, but for sure there was something wrong. Our lap times were very slow. I couldn‘t do anything, starting from the first lap. It‘s a shame, because it was not the result I was expecting. It‘s pretty strange that we went from winning in Qatar and starting this weekend in first position to not being able to be inside the top 10 in the race. But you always have ups and downs, that‘s life. We now have time to analyse the situation. For sure, we need to change something to make our results more consistent. But after this we are going to Jerez, which is a good track for us, so I‘m just going to focus on that and forget this race.”

Luca Marini – P12

“I’m not happy with today’s race and the pace: I was half a second slower than what we have shown in the free practices and we need to analyse the data to understand the race. A positive pace since Friday but something happened today . Overall, I am happy, a growing weekend where we have worked well with the whole Team. I am angry about the race, we need to fix these things because in Qatar too we have struggled more in the long run than in the practices”.

Danilo Petrucci – P13

“I was fighting and made some passes but at the end, I couldn’t pass Luca Marini. We are still not in our best form, we need to improve our setup. I am gaining a lot of experience though. At least, we got some points and this is important for the mood. I would like to thank all my team because they are doing a great job. For me it’s still a new experience but I know we have the potential to be closer to the front. We have some ideas for Jerez and I’m looking forward to race there.”

Lorenzo Savadori – P14

“My first points in the MotoGP World Championship are certainly an important detail, but the experience I continue to build race after race is worth more than anything else. Our goal is still to reduce the gap behind the leaders, as well as behind my teammate, and the results will come as a result. I lost a lot of ground in the early stages of the race today. My difficulties braking and cornering are accentuated with a full tank, whereas I was then able to maintain a pace similar to the group ahead of me.”

Iker Lecuona – P15

“There’s not too much to say about this race. I struggled all the weekend but tried my best. Finally, we got one point, but still this doesn’t really help. I’m trying to reset my mind now, go home, relax and try to change my approach for the next round in Jerez de la Frontera.”

Miguel Oliveira – P16

“Finally it was a very disappointing day for us. My start was not so good and I struggled in the beginning to stop the bike. I could feel the front tire moving a lot on the braking points and it made it even harder for me to overtake. Eventually I lost the front into Turn 14 but I picked-up to try and finish the race out of respect for the team and everyone watching and the Portuguese fans. It was not the show I wanted to put on. We have to put this behind us and focus on the future.”

Jack Miller – DNF

“That wasn’t how I thought my Portuguese Grand Prix was going to end, down in the gravel after only six laps. But I only have myself to blame, the crash was completely my fault. Fabio (Quartararo) had gone by me and we all knew the pace he had all weekend, so I had to knuckle down and go with him if I wanted a big haul of points. And then just like that, it was over. Such a silly mistake, and one that has cost me a lot. 

“There’s a simple explanation – I used a little too much pressure on the brake and tucked the front. I’d made a small mistake earlier and Aleix (Espargaro) had got by, and it was a bit hectic at the start with (Joan) Mir and Marc (Marquez), so there was a bit going on. That’s three races now where things haven’t gone my way, so we’re in the trenches now and I’m trying to dig myself out of it. We have the speed, the bike is fast, and I have to put it all together. Like I said, a simple explanation. I’ve been in worse positions before and dug my way out of them, so that’s what I’ll do again. Yes, I’ve made it hard for myself but the tables will turn if I keep doing things the right way. 

“The big story of the weekend was of course Marc being back after he’d been away for so long, and it was no surprise he was fast, I expected it even from Friday when he was first back on the bike. It actually made me smile when I saw him so happy in the garage on Friday about to ride in first practice on the TV, because you know how much this sport means to him, what it means to all of us. We’re all the same in that this is the thing we love and what we want to do. When you can’t do it for nine months like him then it’s not an easy thing, especially with all the rehab and recovery he’s had to do. To see him back out there doing what he loves and what he’s fantastic at makes us all happy that he’s there. It will elevate all of our levels too because he’s the standard we all have to try to match. We all know how extremely talented this guy is and the things he does on a motorcycle. 

“I was never going to be 100 per cent for Portugal – racing 12 days after an operation for arm pump isn’t ideal, let’s say – and this circuit is a pretty tricky one with all the ups and downs. But I was as prepared as I could be after the surgery. The recovery was really quick – operation was Tuesday after the second Qatar race, straight out of hospital on Wednesday morning, cycled on a static bike inside that day, cycled outside the next day. The surgery was something I had to do because as soon as we start to ride in testing after a winter with nothing, the arm muscles grow quickly. During testing my arms were loose in the suits, but by the Qatar race I had to ask the team to stretch the suit out. All weekend the arm was fine and I was thinking about getting the stitches taken out this week – but when I slid out of the race, the stitches decided they were coming out anyway. So I guess it’s no motocross for me this week before Jerez, it’s back on the bicycle again.”

Valentino Rossi – DNF

“Today things were better because we improved some settings on the bike and we used the hard rear tyre, which gave me a better feeling. My pace was a lot better than yesterday, but unfortunately when you start from behind it is always difficult. I lost a bit of time on the first corner but after that I was thinking that I could make it into the top-ten. Unfortunately I lost the front in Turn 11, it’s quite a demanding corner on the front tyre, and my race was over. It’s a shame because we could have taken some good points today, but we know that we have made improvements.”

Alex Rins – DNF

“Of course I’m a bit disappointed. I was behind Fabio and I was pushing and going to the limit, but it felt like a good limit and I didn’t feel like I was over the limit at any point. I was managing it all well; the tyres, the breathing, the pace, everything. We checked the data after the crash and I had done everything the same, so it was strange to crash. But anyway, I had a good feeling all weekend and although it’s a shame that I couldn’t finish with a trophy, at least I know I have very good pace and the bike works well. My team and I know that if we can keep the same way of working into Jerez, we can have a very nice result.”

Johann Zarco – DNF

“It’s a shame, but this is also a part of the game, I was doing well all weekend and I had gotten off to a great start in the race. Unfortunately, I made a mistake towards the very end of the race which caused me to lose the grip on the front. I am very disappointed but like I said earlier, these are things that can happen in this sport. We will re-start with even more energy at Jerez.”

Pol Espargaro – DNF

“Unfortunately today we had a technical problem, sometimes it can happen like this. Our race today was very short because of this, this can happen in racing when you are on the limit everywhere. We try and learn from our mistakes and our problems and come back stronger. Now we turn out attention to Jerez, a circuit where we as a team will have a lot of data thanks to the work that Stefan has been doing. All we can do is keep working and try to find some luck, the issue we had today won’t be an issue in the future. We keep getting stronger and growing as a team and improving. Let’s have a smooth weekend next time out.”

Team Managers

Massimo Meregalli – Yamaha Team Director

“When we came here, we weren‘t roaring with confidence. Last year left some doubts in our minds, but after Fabio‘s fantastic win today – which he achieved by pure speed and race craft – we have been put at ease. The confidence that Fabio had in his YZR-M1 allowed him to keep his head cool. He had a strong ride from sixth to first place. Once at the front, he also didn‘t let pressure from behind get to him, because he knew he had the pace today. It was a great victory for him personally, and also for the team and the Yamaha engineers in Japan – it shows how far we have come since November last year. However, it‘s been a day of two extremes for the team. Maverick wasn‘t able to find the confidence he was looking for in the opening stages. But he did do good damage limitation. He kept pushing, and because of the many crashes, the five points he collected today are all the more valuable. We will closely check what prevented Maverick from getting the feeling he needed to be more competitive in this race, so he can come back stronger in Jerez.”

Shinichi Sahara – Suzuki Team Director

“It was a difficult race with very fast pace at the front. Joan did a great job to get the podium, and even though he struggled a little bit he kept fighting and got a very nice 3rd place. So I’m very happy for Joan, then on the other hand it was a shame for Alex that he crashed out, but he also showed a great performance and we know we can see both riders on the podium soon.”

Ken Kawauchi – Suzuki Technical Manager

“I’m happy because we’ve managed to come back to the podium and that is a great thing, but it was a mixed day for us. Alex worked very hard and was very strong, we were confident that he could finish on the podium, so it was a real pity that he crashed. Joan got a podium despite a very difficult race and it was fantastic to achieve this in the first European round. We’re hoping to fight for the top places again in Jerez.”

Razlan Razali – Petronas SRT Team Principal

“It was a real rollercoaster weekend for the team and another difficult one for us. We can be happy with a good fourth position in MotoGP for Franco. We all needed the good result and it will give him renewed confidence to come back even stronger in the next round in Jerez. Valentino showed signs of improvements and recovered well, unfortunately he crashed but there are some positives we can take from the race today.”

Mike Leitner – Red Bull KTM Race Manager

“After last year’s win here we expected to have a good race and Brad produced a great race. He managed the tires well and ended-up close to the podium positions. Miguel didn’t have the best start and was caught in traffic. In those first laps you can win and lose positions because everybody is fighting very hard and it is easy to go wide or make a mistake. When he was just starting to push then he lost the front. It was a big shame. With Tech3 we’re happy that both riders could score points because this is a difficult track and the competition is high. After Qatar we can see that we’ve made a step and we will try to make better set-up for our bikes in Jerez.”

Hervé Poncharal – Tech3 KTM Team Manager

“You always have to find the bright side of the whole weekend and the positive side is, we got our two guys, Danilo and Iker in the points, which are the first points of the season. I know, we are quite far down, but still, there is a beginning. If we want to be completely objective, we are far. Qualifying was difficult, the start of the race was difficult as well.”

“Danilo had, I think a good tyre choice with the hard front and rear. He was the only one and we were expecting him to be maybe in a better shape the last 10 laps than the others. We could see him catching the guys in front of him, but not enough. He ended up 0.176 behind Marini. I’d still like to thank him for pushing as much as he can at the moment. It is still a learning process. We need to understand more and more how we can help him to be feeling more comfortable and to be giving him better sensations to push more. As I said, the first points, which is already an important step.”

“Iker, I would say, the only positive is that we got one point, but honestly, I don’t know what to say at the moment. I’m lost for words and I think he is lost for everything. When I remember Iker at the very beginning last year, he was full of energy, sometimes doing mistakes, but pushing. This year for some reason there is nothing that works, there is no sparkle. So, yes, we got a point, but very, very far down.”

“We need to talk, we need to debrief. We saw KTM is competitive. Brad Binder ended up fifth, I think 1.8 seconds to P2, which is another strong performance after Qatar. So clearly, the bike is there. We don’t want to talk too much about technical things. We need to give our riders a better feeling, we need to make them a bit hungrier and let’s hope that will happen in Jerez, which is the fourth round of the Championship. It is already the fourth round and everybody needs to wake up and push.”

Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager

“Coming back to Portimao for the second time meant that we were able to benefit from the data we got from the race here in November and offer the riders an optimal range of tyre options. The incredible circuit layout, with its numerous elevation changes and hard acceleration and braking zones means that the tyres are continually under a lot of stress during the 25 laps of racing, but with six different manufacturers in the top seven places, and looking at the lap times and the condition of the tyres after the race, we are very happy with the results.”

MotoGP Results / Standings

2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar