Sunday MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 recaps from Portimao

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

It was a stunning launch from Martin to take the holeshot, with Bastianini slotting in behind as Bagnaia shot up a place.

Viñales initially dropped to fourth then fought back, around the outside of the reigning Champion. Bastianini was then slightly wide and Viñales headed through, with the two Ducatis then shuffling. Marc Marquez tried his luck with a move through too, but it settled down slightly after the adrenaline spike with Martin leading Viñales, Bastianini, Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.

Martin looked to be trying to break, but Viñales responded to stay in touch, and likewise, Bastianini. What was a seven-tenth gap became five and then three as the Aprilia dug in. Bastianini was holding station in third ahead of Bagnaia and Marc Marquez, with an RC-16 war raging on their tails.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) led team-mate Jack Miller led Acosta, but the gloves were off and the South African made his move as Miller was then sent a little wide at Turn 1. His team-mate was through, and so was Acosta – before the rookie then also attacked Binder at the same place not long after.

From there, it was target lock on Marc Marquez. Acosta homed in and did the same with a brutal move at Turn 1, pitched perfectly to make his way past but not open the door enough to allow the eight-time World Champion to reply.

At the front, Martin marched on, as Viñales shadowed. Bastianini held station, close enough to be cooking something up, as behind another titanic battle erupted.

Acosta’s charge didn’t stop at Marc Marquez as the rookie then homed in on the reigning Champion next. He chose Turn 1 again, but the rear slipped once, then twice, and he headed just wide enough getting it back under control to let Pecco back through. Not long after, Acosta was able to get past Bagnaia once again, and that left the reigning Champion to go toe-to-toe with Marc Marquez. And then came the drama.

Marquez went for one attempt on Bagnaia, but the door was shut. This time he wasn’t going to try and push it open a la Sprint, either. Four laps to go and Marquez still shadowed Bagnaia.  Marquez made a lunge next time around, it ‘nearly’ worked… Bagnaia anticipated the move and was ready to switch back to the inside, but as he did Marquez also wanted to close that line and the two clashed. Marquez stood up to try and avoid the contact as Bagnaia came back up the inside, but contact was made; Bagnaia folded the front, and they both went down.

Meanwhile, the rider sweeping past to take that fourth place? Acosta. But there was another twist in the tale for another rider up ahead, with fourth about to become premier class history.

Crossing the line for the last lap, Martin had enough in hand to bet on. But Viñales was suddenly slowing, hanging off the bike and then looking down as he headed into the run off. A late technical issue, rumoured to be a gearbox failure, made it a heartbreaking end to the GP race for the Sprint winner, as he then crashed out as it said no more. That put Acosta on the podium after his gung-ho charge for glory.

Up ahead, Bastianini was close to Martin, but not close enough to strike. The #89 achieved the 89th victory for Ducati in style, winning holeshot to flag despite the drama and the tension in the chase.

Bastianini, after a tougher Qatar GP and Sprint in Portugal, gets that podium to begin his count for the season, and then comes Acosta.

Acosta is the third youngest premier class podium finisher of all time, getting it done in only his second race to join an exclusive club. Acosta was also the first over the line of the trio of KTM/GASGAS RC16s, with Binder taking fourth and Miller fifth.

Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) took P6 and was able to stay ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who finished seventh after a weekend that had some positives for the Yamaha crew.

Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) managed to come through to P8, ahead of home hero Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) in ninth.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the top ten but by hundredths ahead of Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3).

Next up, it’s the Circuit of the Americas. Only three riders have ever won a MotoGP race in Austin, and only one of them has done it seven times, and that is, of course, Marc Marquez…

MotoGP Portimao Race Results

Portimao MotoGP Top Speeds Across Weekend

MotoGP Championship Standings

Moto2

Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) is a Moto2 race winner! The Spaniard broke his victory drought with a stylish win by two seconds as the podium fight exploded behind him in Portugal. Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) completed a brilliant weekend at Portimao to take second, fighting off polesitter Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) before Gonzalez had his own showdowns to secure that third place. Meanwhile, Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) had to do two long laps after jumping the start, leaving him down the order but still fast as ever as the new Ducati signing set off on a charge.

Aldeguer led into Turn 1, but soon team-mate Alonso Lopez hit the front, launching an attack on his teammate even before Aldeguer served the first of his penalties. Aldeguer then took his first LLP on lap four, dropping down to 11th before the second on lap seven, dropping to 13th.

Canet set the pace early on, stealing the fastest lap of the race while sitting in second – setting sights on a first Moto2 win. Polesitter Gonzalez sat in third position after finding a way through on the fast-charging Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI). Ogura’s fourth did not last long as Roberts and Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) found a way through.

As laps ticked down, Lopez maintained an advantage at the front until lap 11, when the race was blown wide open as the Spaniard lost the front at turn 13 – crashing out the lead. That promoted Canet to p1 and Roberts into second at the venue where the American claimed his first win in 2021.

All eyes were now on Canet in the lead and Aldeguer, who was carving through the field and back inside the top 10 in two laps. The Spaniard soon set the fastest lap, circulating quicker than Canet at the front of the field with 10 laps remaining.

Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was having a ferocious battle with Jeremy Alcoba (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team) for seventh position, allowing Arenas to escape in front. They could not match the pace of Aldeguer on his mission to the front, as Fermin flew down the inside and remarkably entered fifth place.

It was beginning to build to be an incredible end to the race with a battle brewing inside the front group. Gonzalez found a way through on Roberts, trying to up the pace and catch Canet at the front.

Now with just three laps to go the gloves were off after Aldeguer launched a brave attack at turn three to pass Ogura briefly before the Japanese rider responded. Meanwhile, Roberts entered second position before Gonzalez quickly responded – putting pressure on the American.

Two laps remained as the dream began to look like a reality for Canet, crossing the line with a lead of almost two-seconds with just a lap to go. You could cut the tension with a knife on the last lap of the race with Canet leading as an all-out battle for the final place on the podium was happening behind.

As the chequered flag loomed, Canet even celebrated around the final corner before finally becoming a Moto2 race winner. Roberts continues to celebrate success In Portimao, finishing second ahead of Gonzalez, who finally got the better of Aldeguer after Ogura dropped to fifth on the final lap after a near high-side on the exit of turn four battling Aldeguer.

Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) battled to sixth place, in yet another impressive race from the Spaniard, ahead of Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Arenas, Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) rounding out the top ten. Alcoba and Arbolino continued their battle to the line but dropped down to 11th and 12th at the end of 21 laps, just over a second clear of Barry Baltus.

Moto2 newcomer Senna Agius started from 13th place on the grid and remained in a good midfield position throughout the race. In doing so, he always kept his eye on the much-desired points, and even a long lap penalty for overtaking under a yellow flag could not prevent the 18-year-old from scoring points on this cloudy Sunday on the Portuguese Algarve coast, crossing the line 14th after getting the better of team-mate Darryn Binder.

Senna Agius – P14

“It’s a bittersweet feeling. The first points of the season and the gap to the winner was the smallest I’ve had in the championship so far. Anyway, the first five laps were a good improvement, but during the race I had a little problem when I did an overtake under the yellow flag. I really hadn’t noticed it when I went into the corner because it was quite tight and not easy to see. When I realized at the pit board that I had to drop back a position, I couldn’t see the rider behind me. Nevertheless, I had to give back the position and so I had to ride super slowly. In the end, the situation was a bit confusing, and it turned into a long lap penalty. So, I thought I’d do my best afterwards and bring the points home. A big thank you to the team, we are working well because I felt the best all weekend today and we are competitive. Unfortunately, the top ten slipped away from us due to one or two mistakes, but the most important thing is that we made a good step in pace and the overall feeling is good. A big thank you to the whole LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team for the weekend, we are ready for Texas.”

Moto2 Portimao Race Results

Moto2 Portimao Top Speeds Across Weekend

Moto2 Championship Standings

Moto3

Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) won a classic drag-to-the-line finish at the stunning Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, staying ahead of Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by just 0.044 as the two battled it out on the last lap. Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) completed the podium as the lead trio turned up the wick in the final few laps to escape former race leader David Alonso (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team).

Rueda took the holeshot and had his turn making a gap, managing to stay ahead of the group until 10 to go. Then Alonso made his move and looked to be trying to make a break as the gap extended. But not so, as Holgado and Rueda duo closed the CFMoto Aspar rider down, got past, and in a handful of laps had been able to make their own gap.

Onto the last lap, it seemed likely it would remain a duel. Holgado led over the line with Rueda for close company, with Ortola just off the back but forced to wait in the wings for any possible drama. Rueda went for a move at Turn 14 and was briefly ahead, taking a tighter line, but the number 99 couldn’t keep it as Holgado pinned it and swept back into the lead. It all came down to the final corner and again, the Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 was able to stay ahead and gas it towards the line with just enough metres in hand to take his first Grand Prix win of the year – and the Championship lead.

Rueda may not have taken the win but it’s his best Grand Prix result yet, as well as only his second podium. Ortola completed the rostrum another seven-tenths back but managed to keep more than a second in hand over those on the chase: Alonso, Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports) and Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), in that order.

Joel Kelso – P5

“We scored some good points today. It was a pity not to finish on the podium, but overall it was a very good race. In Moto3 it’s like a lottery, there are a lot of fights and anything can happen in the front group. It was a good weekend, we worked really well. In the race the bike was perfect, so I’m really happy with how everything went. We will have many more opportunities, the season is very long, it’s not how it starts, it’s how it ends. Every race we are stronger and we are already fighting at the front, we have shown that we are candidates for the victory”.

Stefano Nepa (LEVELUP – MTA) took P7 ahead of top rookie Joel Esteban (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team), with David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) beating Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) and rookie Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) in a close finish for P9.

Jacob Roulstone – P11

“Overall, I am quite happy with the race. However, my first laps were not good, I was not aggressive enough, and lost a bit of ground. However, we improved our pace after a couple of laps and felt really good. We did a good race and scored points again after Qatar, although I want more, but the boys are really fast. We will try continuing in that direction, scoring points every round and learning as much as we can to get closer to the rest of the riders.”

Moto3 Portimao Race Results

Moto3 Portimao Top Speeds Across Weekend

Moto3 Championship Standings

MotoE Race Two

MotoE Championship Standings

2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar (Updated)

RelatedPosts

MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 Entry Lists for 2025 season

November 22, 2024

Catalunya MotoGP Test roundup – Quotes – Images – Times

November 20, 2024