MotoGP riders reflect on Sprint and Qualifying at Portimao – Moto2 – Moto3 – MotoE

2024 MotoGP World Championship
Round Two – Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Grande Prémio Tissot de Portugal – Portimao
Saturday

Maverick Vinales – P1

“I am truly happy about this first win with Aprilia and the great job the team is doing this weekend. I feel good on the bike. We are really in tune and I had a lot of fun in this Sprint Race. This is a very special moment for me. I closed a circle. I knew that sooner or later I would be back to winning – I had absolutely no doubt.”

Marc Marquez – P2

“The day didn’t start the best way with a mistake in Q2. Then we had a great start and it was a good race. To be back overtaking and having the speed is surely a good feeling. I battled with the best and despite a few mistakes I can say it was a ‘different movie’ compared to the past. Let’s keep working and think about the warm up because there’s still a very important race to tackle.”

Francesco Bagnaia – P4

“I was managing the situation well, just as I did in Qatar, both feeling-wise and with regards to the margin on my opponents. Unfortunately, I didn’t take into account the drop of fuel level so when I hit the brakes, the rear unloaded a bit more, up to the point that I had no other choice than trying to avoid a crash. I had to run wider and lost ground. From then on, I only thought about keeping my position and make it to the finish line. Tomorrow’s race will be different, with a tyre that I like a lot more, so I don’t believe a similar situation will present itself. Unfortunately, these things happen, but what I know is that we made a big step forward today in terms of feeling and that translated into a good level of performance also in the Sprint Race.”

Jack Miller – P5

“Happy-ish. We left a bit on the table and I struggled at the beginning to get the feeling into the tyre and with the conditions. I made a small mistake with a mis-shift which cost me the tow with the front group but then I maintained the pace. 5th was our maximum today so we’ll have a look in the areas we can improve. I felt really good at the end of the Sprint so fingers crossed we can carry that into tomorrow.”

Enea Bastianini – P6

“I made a bit of a silly mistake as I activated the holeshot device before deactivating it again as I thought I hadn’t switched it on before. It’s really a shame because I think I could have done better today. I stressed the front tyre a lot in the early laps while trying to overtake and recover positions so let’s say I didn’t play my cards right and showed my full potential. Things will be different tomorrow and I’ll try to make the most of pole position.”

Pedro Acosta – P7

“Super-nice day and we improved a lot from Friday with how I feel on the bike and the steps we made with my riding. It was quite tricky to start from zero here on the MotoGP bike so we have to feel happy. We are competitive again and we are working hard to have the bike we want. From the Sprint; we need to take more experience from the start and the first laps. We are on the way, and we will keep working.”

Aleix Espargaro – P8

“First of all, I am extremely happy about Maverick’s first win with Aprilia. This is a bit of a complicated circuit for me – a stop and go track with strong acceleration points – so I have trouble finding the right feeling. The bike is competitive. Today I’ll need to work on being ready for the race.”

Fabio Quartararo – P9

“Basically, I expected today’s Sprint to play out like this. We were on the medium rear because we had a quite bad feeling with the soft. The drop of the soft rear tyre is quite big, so I preferred to race with the medium rear today and suffer a bit in the opening laps – because warming up that tyre is quite difficult – before stepping up the pace. It was quite a good Sprint for me. I think it’s been a while since I finished within 8s from the front in a Sprint, especially while on a different tyre. It was great to see the difference with the other bikes: this is good information for us. We are gaining experience, and we already know our tyre choice for tomorrow: hard front, medium rear. I feel quite good. Hopefully we can make a great Race tomorrow. I think our pace is not too bad with the medium. You can’t feel a big improvement in just two GPs, but if we compare our way of working to the first test in Malaysia, we are improving. But there is still a lot of work to do to be back where we want to be.”

Raul Fernandez – P10

“I feel really good. I have the feeling we did a big step compared to yesterday where I couldn’t ride like I wanted. But today, my team did a really good job and I feel happy to see that I can be there again. Anyway, I think we have to understand why everyone in Aprilia is in different situations. Maverick is super-fast and we have to understand why he is some steps in front at this track and we have to take the Sprint as information for tomorrow because I think we can have a good race tomorrow. I think the pace with the medium tire will be better and there are good chances to have a decent race.”

Marco Bezzecchi – P11

“A strange day: I’m happy with what we did in qualifying, the gap to the top guys compared to Qatar is smaller. In the race, however, I made a mistake at the start, I struggled with the clutch, the bike wheelied a lot and I lost in acceleration. Unfortunately, it’s really difficult to recover in the Sprint, also considering that, despite the step forward, I still don’t have the confidence I had last year in riding. For tomorrow, with the rear M, I think it will be better, we’re not in a bad situation in terms of pace.

Miguel Oliveira – P12

“Qualifying was tough. We had good speed, but not enough to go through to the Q2. Then, from 5th to 15th there was three tenths of a second, everyone is just very close to each other and I couldn’t find the grip, especially in Qualifying, to go faster. For the Sprint, we made a couple of changes to the bike which seemed to work but we are still far off to be competitive and challenge for more. At the start it’s always a big challenge not to go backwards and to find the space to gain some positions. Tomorrow will, for sure, be an exercise of managing the tires, managing how much we can attack and I’d be happy if I could compete for a place in the top 10 at the end of the race.”

Alex Marquez – P13

“It wasn’t our best Saturday. We made it through Q2 with ease but then everything went the wrong way. A human mistake did not allow us to get a good start and it was all uphill since then. I didn’t start well and the Sprint Race is hard without a good start. We’ll try to turn the tide tomorrow: the full race can help us and the goal is to score as many points as we can.”

Joan Mir – P14

“Our race was quite good in the end after we took a pretty big risk with the setup. It’s still a new bike and we are learning things every exit. In the morning, we weren’t able to make the step forward that we needed to so we suffered in Qualifying. In the race my pace was close to that of the top ten but starting so far back limits you. We have to be happy with the step we made in the race because we were able to improve our race pace by a second.”

Augusto Fernandez – P15

“Difficult Sprint but it was the first time I could improve my lap-times towards the end of the race and when the tire drop came. It’s closer to the front guys and that gives me some confidence. Tomorrow with the medium rear and less grip might be better for me – like it was last year – so we’ll try to grab some points tomorrow.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P17

“We are unsurprised with the result, as we’ve suffered this weekend. Overall, the four Honda riders are working hard, providing information and ideas, because, on this track, it looks like the gap compared to the rivals is bigger than we expected”.

Luca Marini – P18

“I went into the Sprint today with a different setting that we wanted to try across the 12 laps of the short race to understand the behaviour of the bike. I think this helped us to find something in the exit of the corners but we sacrificed a little bit in other areas. For us the Sprint is a good opportunity to try things. Now it’s time to analyse the data and also check what Joan and his team did to improve overall. We still have Warm Up tomorrow to try a few things and keep on improving.”

Alex Rins – P22

“Honestly, I don’t know why I crashed. I didn’t get any warning signs throughout this weekend in that corner, and we checked the data, and I didn’t do anything strange. So, for sure, we will analyse this further, because we don’t understand what happened exactly. But, anyway, we did a great start. For sure, it was a big shame that our Sprint ended after the second lap, but we are working. I’m doing great, so let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”

Brad Binder – DNF

“A bit of a shocker today. The crash in Q2 didn’t help and then the second bike and the configuration didn’t give me the feeling I needed. Anyway, the Sprint was going pretty well and I felt like I had the pace to pick the guys off and keep going forward but I ended-up carrying just a bit too much angle and brake into Turn 13 when I hit a bump. Not the day I was expecting but I know we’ll be in the game tomorrow.”

Johann Zarco – DNF

“It’s a shame that we couldn’t finish the race. I felt quite good on the bike, and I overtook some riders immediately after the start of the Sprint. This is part of racing, I lost the front, crashed, and had to enter the pits. We’ll analyse all the data to take a step ahead of tomorrow’s race”.

Fabio Di Giannantonio – DNF

“A real shame about the crash, we really struggled today. I was expecting a step forward from yesterday, but instead I’m losing a lot in exit, especially at turn fifth and in the last sector. We need to understand why and keep working on this. On the positive side, I had an excellent start, perhaps one of my best in MotoGP. I was recovering, but I made a mistake at turn 11, I didn’t put the gear properly and I crashed. I’m very sorry for the Team, I hope to have a better race tomorrow.”

Portimao MotoGP Sprint Race Results

MotoGP Sprint Race Report

At lights out, it was a brilliant start to the race from Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who grabbed the holeshot and started storming away on the first lap.

Polesitter Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) got swallowed by the front group as the Italian was demoted to P5 following an issue with his ride height device, meanwhile, Marc Marquez was one of those who found a way through on the number 23 – jumping into third place after passing Viñales too.

Bagnaia was on a march though. He hit the front of the race early, trying to build a comfortable gap and quickly. On the chase, Marc Marquez soon found his way through to pass Viñales, and he held that for a handful of laps. But he wasn’t making headway, then running wide at the tricky Turn 5 as the task grew in size again.

Bagnaia seemed in the clear, over a second up the road from Viñales, with Martin and Marc Marquez not far off the Aprilia either. But then the #1 machine was suddenly sailing off at Turn 1, keeping it together but watching the front group flash past as he rejoined just ahead of Miller.

And so Viñales led the Sprint, with some closer and closer company. But with just over two to go, Martin was wide and that was some breathing space for the Aprilia. His, meanwhile, was being filled by a looming #93.

By the last lap, Viñales seemed to have it under control, and Martin vs. Marquez was going to decide second and third places on the podium, barring any serious late drama. And there was none—but there was a spectacular, on-the-edge, old-school lunge from a master of the craft.

Down into Turn 5, there wasn’t really an open door, and he wasn’t really in perfect striking distance, but Marc Marquez went for it… and he made it stick. Hard, but just clean enough to be worth a handshake in parc ferme, the eight-time World Champion took his best Sprint result, holding Martin off to the line in a drag race too.

After rejoining ahead of Miller, Bagnaia managed to hold the KTM off to the flag, but it was close – and Bastianini was even closer as the trio took P4, P5 and P6.

Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) wasn’t far off that battle by the flag either. He took P7 and his best Sprint result yet, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) able to recover some positions from a tough qualifying. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took the final point in the Sprint.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was one crasher, out early but walked away unhurt.

MotoGP Championship Standings

MotoGP Event Top Speeds

MotoGP Qualifying

Enea Bastianini took pole position on Saturday morning, Beast mode most definitely engaged. It was close at the top, however, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) getting to within less than a tenth of Bastia after a late charge. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) completes the front row only a further 0.024 behind, setting the stage for some serious fireworks on the Algarve.

The first drama in Q2 came almost immediately as Marc Marquez slid out, losing the rear round Turn 15 and sliding across the gravel at speed. The race was on to get back to the box and get back out. Then Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) went down, rider also ok, making it two big hitters looking for a quick reset.

The first pacesetter was reigning Champion Bagnaia, who held the top by less than a tenth ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and FP2 pacesetter Viñales.

From there, Martin was the first mover as he took over on top, but Bastianini had a near instant riposte to cut another tenth off, making it #23-#89-#1 on the provisional front row. Then the red sectors started coming in from Bagnaia again, but the final part of the lap put paid to that. One final lap was going to challenge Bastianini, and despite Marc Marquez being back out, it wasn’t his—it was Viñales’.

The Aprilia was up and had already proven plenty with that new FP2 lap record, but it wasn’t quite enough to take pole over the line, coming up short by just 0.082. So it was Bastianini back on top, ahead of Viñales and Martin relegated to P3 on the outside of the front row.

Bagnaia heading the second row, with Miller starting from P5 as his speed continues to impress in Portugal and Marco Bezzecchi rounded out that second row.

The apprentice edges out the master on Row 3. Acosta is P7 at the head of it, just hundredths ahead of Marc Marquez who didn’t quite find the fireworks on his second run. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the third row.

MotoGP Combined Qualifying Results

Moto2

Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) stole a maiden pole position in the final 20 seconds of qualifying at the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal, beating new Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) to the honour. Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) lines up on the outside of the front row.

After struggling to set a fast lap in Practice, 13 riders took to action in Q1, with Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia), Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI), Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), and Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) all making their way into Q2. As Q2 got underway, the pace was heating up as Aldeguer dipped into the 1:41 bracket and track temperature rose to 36C.

In the closing stages, nobody could catch Aldeguer until the last minute of the session when Canet and Gonzalez snatched pole position from the Spaniard. In a final lap attempt, Aldeguer gave it everything – but this time it was second at the line, giving Gonzalez a career first pole position and an all-time lap record in the delight to the Gresini squad.

Behind the trio on the front row of the grid will be Qatar GP winner Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up), who pushed to the limit at the final corner. Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) springboarded from 11th to fifth in the final five minutes, and capping off a great Saturday for the QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2 team was Albert Arenas, who lines up for the Portuguese GP sixth. On the third row will be both MT Helmets – MSI riders of Ogura and teammate Sergio Garcia, with Chantra joining them in P9.

Senna Agius will start from 13th on the grid.

Senna Agius – P13

“I’m quite happy because we’ve taken a good step in the right direction. My first Q2 finish is very important and gives me a boost of confidence for the race tomorrow. I think we did a good job this weekend in preparing for the race. I didn’t extract the maximum in my last lap and made a few mistakes, but in the end, it was so close that these mistakes cost me some valuable grid positions. But I’m happy with how everything went, even if it could have been a lot better. Anyway, I’ll keep calm for tomorrow and try to get a good start, learn from the riders in front of me and put a good race together, which we know we can do. A big thank you to the team for their work this weekend.”

Moto2 Combined Qualifying Results

Moto2 Championship Standings

Moto3

Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stormed to pole after a near-perfect lap in the closing stages of the qualifying. BOE Motorsports’ Joel Kelso was just 0.059 behind after a brave lap, ending a brilliant Saturday for the Australian. David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) joins them on the front row, unable to take a maiden pole position. Tactics were everything in the second qualifying session of the season after multiple riders missed out in Q1.

It was tight at the top in Q1, but after a stunning lap from Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI), it placed him top in the opening qualifying session alongside Nicola Carraro (LEVELUP – MTA), Filippo Farioli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), and Vicente Perez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) who would all aim to make their mark in Q2. However, once Q2 started the riders did not wait to put in a fast lap with Alonso, Rueda, and Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Daniel Holgado who were battling for the top spot.

On the final run, BOE Motorsports sent both riders out early to do their final run, resulting in Kelso storming his way to a provisional pole and a new lap record. This provisional pole was short-lived as Perez came through on the final lap of qualifying, bagging a maiden pole position. Behind a tight front row will be Qatar GP podium finisher Holgado, who will line up alongside Riccardo Rossi (CIP Green Power) on the second row of the grid. Alongside them will be Dutchman Colin Veijer, who was the sole Liquid Moly Husqvarna Intact GP bike in Q2.

On the third row of the grid was Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) who will start Sunday’s race from seventh – hoping to make his way through the field. Farioli managed to fight from Q1 to eighth on the grid, ahead of MLav Racing’s Scott Ogden and Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA), who rounds out a very competitive top 10. However, some big names missed out on the chance to fight for pole position including podium contender Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Moto3™ veteran Tatsuki Suzuki (Liquid Moly Husqvarna Intact GP).

Rookie Jacob Roulstone continued to learn about the Moto3 category, and the learning process has been going well so far. The Aussie youngster will start from the fifth row on Sunday as he looks to make another top-ten result.

Jacob Roulstone – P14

“I am happy with our P8 in the combined practices and once again, we made it straight to Q2, which was the main goal. Then in qualifying, we improved a lot compared to our first Q2 in Doha. We still have a few things to improve, but overall I am pleased with our grid position. Can’t wait to race tomorrow!”

Moto3 Combined Qualifying Results

Moto3 Championship Standings

MotoE Race One

Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing) finished 2023 on the top step and that’s exactly how he’s started the 2024 FIM Enel MotoE World Championship: with victory. The Italian held off a hard-charging Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE) and Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) on a close final lap as the top three escaped at the front following some drama for key names in the first showdown of the season.

Garzo took the holeshot after a storming start from Row 2, with Spinelli and Casadei on his tail as polesitter Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) dropped a few positions initially. Over the line for the first time Garzo had held onto it too, denying a Spinelli attack and the Italian also ceding to Casadei and Granado. Next time round Granado then grabbed a 2-for-1 into Turn 1 to take the lead, but not long after the first big drama hit as he slid out. Not long after that there was even more, with Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) crashing out.

A close top four of Casadei, Spinelli, Garzo and Zaccone were then in the lead, with Openbank Aspar Team’s Jordi Torres in touch too. But another huge twist was yet to come. On the penultimate lap down into Turn 5, Zaccone was just that bit too close to Torres and tagged the back of the number 81, sending both sliding out across the run off. The Italian was later also given a Long Lap penalty for the incident.

And then there were three. Onto the final lap, it was close. Spinelli attacked and took the lead at Turn 1, keeping it tidy. Another big opportunity for Garzo and Casadei to try and hit back, Turn 5, was off the table too as yellow flags remained out following the Zaccone-Torres crash. As the final sector dawned, Garzo was tagged on to the Tech3 rider in the lead, but there was no way through. Spinelli kept it perfect to the line for the first win of 2024, with Garzo and Casadei completing the podium.

Fourth goes to the returning Lukas Tulovic (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE), with Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) completing the top five. Massimo Roccoli (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) beat Andrea Mantovani (Klint Forward Factory Team) to sixth. Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) was just ahead of a solid debut for Chaz Davies (Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team), with his fellow rookie and teammate Armando Pontone completing the top ten in touch too.

MotoE Race One

MotoE Race Two

MotoE Championship Standings

Portimao MotoGP Schedule

2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar (Updated)

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