Preview/schedule Portimao MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3

MotoGP 2023

Round One – Portimao

Autodromo Internacional do Algarve will see Q1 and Q2 on Friday kick off the full 2023 MotoGP season, preceded by a Sprint launch on Saturday, followed by a 25-lap race on Sunday, handing the winner the interval. line 25 points first of the season.

The defending champion always has a goal behind him, and Francesco Bagnaia is no exception when he chooses to run No. 1. His speed and form so far in testing have been unmatched, with a record. New laps and sweltering Sprint simulation raised some eyebrows in the pitlane during recent testing.

The other side of the garage, though, looks a little different this season. After dueling Bagnaia several times last year, Enea Bastianini is now the one to be called from inside the house. Can he make his presence more than a quiver and really take on Bagnaia? In Portimao, he doesn’t have the best record except for fond memories of the Moto2 championship, so we may need to be patient.

Now a true Ducati veteran, Johann Zarco spent a lot of pre-season in the spirit of testing the factory. Then came the final day of action on the track and the Frenchman said it was his day to work on his bike and set up… and he went straight to second. after Bagnaia.

As for Jorge Martin, the track may not be the best performer of the 89. He’s also hit a big crash there in 2021. He’s already eighth in the test, and he’ll want to. much more on the first grid of the year. And maybe we’ll just need a little patience.

The story of the two riders continued for Yamaha in the pre-season, but the top speed saga seems to have a happier ending at the moment. The speed traps are made to read well, but when the Iwata brand put it all together for a hot lap with new tires in Sepang… nothing happened. It was a bit nervous, but it seems Fabio Quartararo realized it at the end of the Portimao test as he finished third.

Quartararo is also a two-time champion at Portimao, and will try to push his limits to make sure that number turns out to be three. Meanwhile, for Franco Morbidelli, there was still a step to be found, with the Italian finishing the test 7/10 against his teammate.

Luca Marini is king of the pre-season elections in Valencia and Sepang, with the Italians performing quite well – and showing how many weapons the GP22 has left, if anyone needs proof. Marini’s MO throughout his career has built on what he’s learned to take one more step forward, at his pace, and that hasn’t gone away in MotoGP.

Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi is already the top finisher on the podium – and he just wants more. Where last season Marini lacked Bezzecchi’s pace, Bezzecchi lacked Marini’s consistency, so there’s a lot to learn from both sides of the garage.

The end of the season was difficult for Fabio Di Giannantonio as ‘Diggia’ crashed in the final test and had to take a day off. Before that, however, strides were made to make his form interesting. On the other side of the garage, however, Alex Marquez is about to begin a great season of his career…

The two-time world champion has shown bright flashes in the top tier so far, but they’ve appeared less and less during a difficult period for riders and mills. Now is a fresh start on a new bike and that gives a whole new dynamic.

It’s been a big year for KTM. Last season was a tougher one, despite those wins in wet conditions, and they weren’t racing just for the chance to get on the podium. However, a lot of work has been done over the winter, and there are some good signs that are coming – as well as some that have been there for a while.

Brad Binder’s maximum squeeze after lights out could have a chance to shine twice over the weekend in 2023, AND South Africans somehow combine that with more staying power than most , suffered only one DNF last season. He’s ninth in the test here but only half a tenth as much as Martin so don’t take him out…

On the other side of the garage, however, there was a new face: Jack Miller. The Australian has yet to burn the timesheet, but has given his adaptation a 7 or 8/10 so far when asked in the test.

Over time we can expect more speed, as Miller has a lot of experience up front and at the top. That experience – and wins on two other bikes – also means he faces Maverick Viñales for a chance to become the first rider to win with three mills in the MotoGP era.

Last season, Aleix Espargaro was known as the captain of Aprilia and it looks like things are about to get even more interesting at the Noale factory. First, both he and teammate Maverick Viñales have two new riders on the same bike at the RNF to compete, and second, Viñales is now very, very fast.

Espargaro had an incredible 2022 with just one DNF, that first MotoGP win, lots of podiums and a challenge for the title. He had a hitch and had to have arm pump surgery after the test, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t fight at the front again.

Team Repsol Honda rider needs no introduction, but let’s start with a new appearance: Joan Mir. Many expected a harder time for Mir and Rins to adapt to Honda, but both were in the ballpark and Mir was even the fastest Honda in the test.

And then there’s Marc Marquez. Eight-time world champion, return king and a racer are often expected to summon that extra magic, for good reason. Now, he’s completely back to normal and there’s a lot of eyes on him as the season begins, and that’s understandable.

There’s still a lot of work to be done for the RC213V to catch up to the pace of their rivals, and during testing, Marquez said they were still a few tenths behind. But can 93 find them now? We can be sure of one thing: Marc Marquez is by no means stable.

For Raul Fernandez, this is an important season. After a tough and sometimes harsh 2022, he now has a new team, a new bike and something to prove. He was P16 at the end of the test at Portimao but also won twice here in the lower divisions, and a couple of times upset the seniors of the timesheet during pre-season.

Meanwhile, Miguel Oliveira also begins a new adventure. He looked upbeat into the winter and split the factory Aprilia duo during the test, as well as showing some good pace throughout. For the first time at home, what position can he play? He’s won here before.

The timesheet on the final day of testing featured Mir, Marc Marquez and Alex Rins jostling each other in a trio of Hondas, and that’s a good sign. Rins won the last race of last season and if he wins this would equal Rossi’s 2004 record, but that’s not the goal. Number 42 is in sponge mode to understand his new LCR Honda Castrol machine, get the best out of it, and contribute to Honda’s journey back to the top.

That puts a little more pressure on Takaaki Nakagami at LCR Honda Idemitsu, as the Japanese driver is struggling to find form so far. However, after some injury struggles and a rough time, it may take some time – something he’s certainly had at least in the first part of the season.

Pol Espargaro’s merry dance on the bike at the Valencia test is arguably one of the highlights of the season: the pure joy of being back on the RC16, the bike he’s achieved so much. much success and a car that seems to fit.

Since then, the pre-season timesheet has gotten tougher, but it seems hard to say what we should expect or what the program should be. Espargaro was a key player in bringing KTM to the top and he is now tasked with racing GASGAS.

Last, and last but not least, Augusto Fernandez is now a MotoGP racer. After his journey from European Moto2 to Moto2, falling results and fighting back to the top of last season, his CV is impressive. He doesn’t have any contenders for Rookie of the Year, but in some ways it adds a challenge.

Moto2

In terms of pre-season, the driver to beat in Moto2 this weekend could be Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo).

He was the new lap record holder at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, but it was trailed by Fermin Aldeguer (CAG Speed ​​Up) also at 1:41.

Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) in third place is also behind the old lap record…

Moto3

The Moto3 test ended with Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse – pictured) setting a new lap record, with impressive rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) following in his footsteps.

Proven podium finisher David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports), 2022 top finisher Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and veteran Romano Fenati (Rivacold Sniper Team) are next, adds some serious firepower to the top five…

Aussie Joel Kelso finished the test in a respectable 13th place, after kicking off the weekend by topping FP1 in wet weather, also finished in the top 10 in previous FP sessions, and looks ready ready to make its mark in 2023.

Portimao MotoGP Schedule
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MotoGP Calendar 2023