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Bruising Sunday at Portimao for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 – Reports, Results, Points

2023 MotoGP Championship - Round One - Portimao - Reports, Race Results and Championship Points

Motorcycle News by Motorcycle News
March 27, 2023
in MotoGP

MotoGP 2023

Round One – Portimao


Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) made it double delight in Portugal, backing up a first Tissot Sprint win with the Grand Prix trophy to match. It was far from easy, however, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) pushing the Italian all the way to the flag on Sunday, just 0.687 off that elusive first win with Aprilia. Completing the podium came Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), the sophomore able to pull clear of a gloves-off fight for fourth.

2023 Portimao Sunday MotoGP podium L-R: Viñales, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi

There was drama in that fight at the front early on, with Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) locking the front and when he released the brake he brushed Martin and then made sickening t-bone contact with home hero Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP Team). Marquez has a suspected fracture in his 1st metacarpal on his right hand but said he expects to ride in Argentina, whereas Oliveira was bruised but rider ok. Marc Marquez will have to serve a double Long Lap to serve in Argentina, if the Portuguese fans don’t abduct him first…

Marc Marquez – DNF

“First of all I’m very sorry to Oliveira, to him, his team and fans because were at the Portuguese GP. I made a big mistake, it wasn’t my intention, obviously, because my intention wasn’t even to overtake Martin. I had a massive lock on the front, maybe the hard front option was not ready, after that lock I released the brakes and the bike went inside. I could avoid Martin but not Oliveira. The first thing I did was try to understand his condition, looks like he is ok. For that reason I am more quiet because he is ok. Of course I’m sorry to him. Yeah, I made a big mistake. I will be penalised in Argentina and I completely agree. Sometimes these things happen in races and this time I made a big mistake. I have a few injuries, but that’s not important. Most important is Miguel is ok. I will come back when I feel ready.”


MotoGP Race Report

Off the line, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) defended the holeshot but it was close as Oliveira got an absolutely barnstorming start. The shuffling in the pack then began, and the first frisson of drama hit for Marc Marquez as he went past Martin, the number 89 came back and the number 93 was briefly out the seat. Still, Marquez held onto a place near the front of the fight.

At the end of Lap 1, it was Oliveira leading over the line in front of his home fans, ahead of Martin and Bagnaia, but the number 1 struck at Turn 1 to head through on Martin. Not long after, the Ducati Lenovo machine attacked for the lead as well, and not long after that came the drama.

Marc Marquez clipped Martin before making contact with Oliveira just ahead of both, with the number 93 and the number 88 both going down as they collided and slid out of the race. Martin was also forced into the run off, losing some time, and that changed the playing field: it was now going to become a race-long duel for the win, with Bagnaia leading Viñales by almost nothing.

Bagnaia, Vinales

Lap by lap, the two remained evenly matched. When Bagnaia pulled away, Viñales pulled it back. Right down to the final lap, as it went from over a second to seven tenths to half a second… but the Aprilia just couldn’t quite strike. Bagnaia kept his cool to finish the season opener in perfect style, taking his first Grand Prix win of the year. Viñales took second and again just tenths from that history-making win on a third different machine, and he’ll likely be targeting that in Argentina.

Bagnaia, Vinales

Meanwhile, Bezzecchi had been glued to Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), but he was able to pull clear of that scuffle to take a calm, measured and impressed third. The fight for fourth then seriously went off.

The fight for fourth was epic

After huge gains off the start, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had caught his new team-mate and Alex Marquez, and not long after that, Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) arrived on the scene too. Not to be left out, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then also joined the party, with the last few laps a real scuffle to remember.

After a serious final push from Zarco, it was the Frenchman who took P4 – just hundredths ahead of Alex Marquez. Binder was forced to settle for sixth with Miller for close company, with Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro just behind. Fourth to ninth was covered by just over a second. Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) completed the top ten, ahead of Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) after the number 36 also had a Long Lap to contend with.

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Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) gained some points as the final finishers.

There is little rest for the battered and bruised as MotoGP reconvenes this weekend in Argentina at Termas de Rio Hondo.


Pecco Bagnaia – P1

“For sure it was a very long race, I wasn’t used to the long race! In any case I’m very happy. We did an enormous job all pre-season, this year we have started how we wanted. I’m very happy, we have to keep going. I miss my fiancee here to be close to everybody. Thanks to my team, and to the academy, for the incredible job they have done all pre-season!”

Pecco Bagnaia – P1
Maverick Vinales – P2

“I feel good. I feel the job we did this weekend has paid off, actually quite happy. Arghhh, I missed sometime the overtake, and I was trying it very hard cause I know Pecco had a bit more, but I tried and tried and tried in the last lap, braking late but my rear tyre was already really down and I couldn’t make anything more. Congrats to my team, we worked well and wow, I’m actually really happy. That’s the beginning, we’re building up the team and the new bike, I don’t know what to say, I’m really happy and we’re going to fight at the front and that’s the target and we did it today.”

Marco Bezzecchi – P3

“I feel very happy because yesterday I made a mistake but I was already fast. I knew today the start was the key and I started very well, and then I tried to just push when I was behind Maverick, I just watched him and didn’t loook behind, and I was very fast. This is all for the team so thanks to them and thanks to all my family and friends at home, and now we go to Argentina!”

2023 Portimao Sunday MotoGP podium L-R: Viñales, Bagnaia and Bezzecchi

MotoGP Race Results

Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1 1 Francesco BAGNAIA DUCATI 41m25.401
2 12 Maverick VIÑALES APRILIA +0.687
3 72 Marco BEZZECCHI DUCATI +2.726
4 5 Johann ZARCO DUCATI +8.060
5 73 Alex MARQUEZ DUCATI +8.125
6 33 Brad BINDER KTM +8.247
7 43 Jack MILLER KTM +8.381
8 20 Fabio QUARTARARO YAMAHA +8.543
9 41 Aleix ESPARGARO APRILIA +9.294
10 42 Alex RINS HONDA +11.591
11 36 Joan MIR HONDA +16.992
12 30 Takaaki NAKAGAMI HONDA +17.448
13 37 Augusto FERNANDEZ KTM +21.723
14 21 Franco MORBIDELLI YAMAHA +27.050
Not Classified
DNF 25 Raul FERNANDEZ APRILIA 2 laps
DNF 10 Luca MARINI DUCATI 4 laps
DNF 89 Jorge MARTIN DUCATI 6 laps
DNF 49 Fabio DI GIANNANTONIO DUCATI 15 laps
DNF 88 Miguel OLIVEIRA APRILIA 23 laps
DNF 93 Marc MARQUEZ HONDA 23 laps

MotoGP Championship Points

Pos Rider Nat Points
1 BAGNAIA Francesco ITA 37
2 VIÑALES Maverick SPA 25
3 BEZZECCHI Marco ITA 16
4 ZARCO Johann FRA 15
5 MILLER Jack AUS 15
6 MARQUEZ Alex SPA 12
7 ESPARGARO Aleix SPA 11
8 BINDER Brad RSA 10
9 MARTIN Jorge SPA 9
10 QUARTARARO Fabio FRA 8
11 MARQUEZ Marc SPA 7
12 RINS Alex SPA 6
13 MIR Joan SPA 5
14 NAKAGAMI Takaaki JPN 4
15 FERNANDEZ Augusto SPA 3
16 OLIVEIRA Miguel POR 3
17 MORBIDELLI Franco ITA 2
18 FERNANDEZ Raul SPA 0
20 DI GIANNANTONIO Fabio ITA 0

Moto2 Race

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) started the 2023 season as he likely means to go on, holding off some serious pressure from Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) to come out on top and take the first spoils of the season. Canet was right with the number 37 until the last few laps, however, and takes 20 valuable points, with Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) overcoming a tougher qualifying and start to complete the podium.

Canet made a lighting start taking the holeshot into Turn 1, with Filip Salač (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2) and Acosta following the Spaniard closely in the opening stages of the race. One lap later and Acosta was on the move, slotting his way up the inside of Salač to take second. Soon after, he made an incredible dive for the race lead, and it didn’t take long until he began stretching out the gap in an attempt to break away. Canet stayed with him though, applying the pressure lap after lap. Only in the last few was Acosta able to pull clear, the number 37 proving the pre-season hype with an inch-perfect performance to take his first win of the year.

Pedro Acosta

Behind Canet, the battle for the final spot on the rostrum was just as intense as Salač began to drop down the order, under attack from Manuel Gonzalez (Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46) before Arbolino arrived and conquered. The Italian also cut into the gap to the leaders but couldn’t get much closer than seven tenths, crossing the line third but that a solid start to the season after a tougher weekend beforehand.

2023 Portimao Moto2 podium: Canet, Acosta and Arbolino

By the flag, Salač fought his way back through to catch and overtake the late-fading Gonzalez, taking fourth and pushing the Spaniard back to fifth. Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team) fought hard through the pack to take sixth, ahead of Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Albert Arenas (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Jeremy Alcoba (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2).

Moto2 Race Results

Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1 Pedro ACOSTA KALEX 36m04.193
2 Aron CANET KALEX +1.358
3 Tony ARBOLINO KALEX +4.460
4 Filip SALAC KALEX +7.110
5 Manuel GONZALEZ KALEX +8.193
6 Jake DIXON KALEX +9.146
7 Sam LOWES KALEX +9.649
8 Albert ARENAS KALEX +12.270
9 Somkiat CHANTRA KALEX +13.941
10 Jeremy ALCOBA KALEX +13.840
11 Celestino VIETTI KALEX +14.086
12 Barry BALTUS KALEX +14.515
13 Fermín ALDEGUER BOSCOSCURO +15.445
14 Joe ROBERTS KALEX +25.444
15 Sergio GARCIA KALEX +26.876
16 Darryn BINDER KALEX +40.233
17 Borja GOMEZ KALEX +41.710
18 Dennis FOGGIA KALEX +41.806
19 Lorenzo DALLA PORTA KALEX +42.116
20 Sean Dylan KELLY KALEX 42.141
21 Marcos RAMIREZ FORWARD +44.802
22 Rory SKINNER KALEX +45.630
23 Jordi TORRES KALEX +1m02.643

Moto2 Championship Points

Pos Rider Nat Points
1 ACOSTA Pedro SPA 25
2 CANET Aron SPA 20
3 ARBOLINO Tony ITA 16
4 SALAC Filip CZE 13
5 GONZALEZ Manuel SPA 11
6 DIXON Jake GBR 10
7 LOWES Sam GBR 9
8 ARENAS Albert SPA 8
9 CHANTRA Somkiat THA 7
10 ALCOBA Jeremy SPA 6
11 VIETTI Celestino ITA 5
12 BALTUS Barry BEL 4
13 ALDEGUER Fermín SPA 3
14 ROBERTS Joe USA 2
15 GARCIA Sergio SPA 1
16 BINDER Darryn RSA 0
17 GOMEZ Borja SPA 0
18 FOGGIA Dennis ITA 0
19 DALLA PORTA Lorenzo ITA 0
20 KELLY Sean Dylan USA 0
21 RAMIREZ Marcos SPA 0
22 SKINNER Rory GBR 0

Moto3 Race

The season opener was a classic last lap showdown and the Spaniard put in an impressive performance to start his sophomore season on the top step, holding off David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) and Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI) under some serious pressure. Moreira’s podium is his first and the first for a Brazilian rider in the lightweight class, and Holgado’s win is the first in Moto3 for Tech3 as the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal hosted some history.

There was early drama for Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as he couldn’t get away for the Warm Up lap, the Turk forced into a pitlane start. Once the lights went out though, Joel Kelso (CFMoto PrüstelGP) took the holeshot from the front row and immediately started to put the hammer down, but it didn’t take long for the chasing pack to close back in. Holgado and Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) both made for close company at the head of the freight train, and Moreira was soon on the scene too, despite that tough qualifying for the Brazilian.

The classic group then formed, and by the last few laps the top 10 were glued together in a fight for the podium. They had some company soon enough though, with Öncü on an absolute charge to come back from his pitlane start. By the last few laps the Turk was into that group.

Moto3 Portimao 2023

At the front of it though, it became a battle of five for the podium: Holgado, Moreira, Muñoz, Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) and a stunning performance from rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo). Holgado was inch perfect, however, and was able to withstand the pressure for that first win, with Muñoz getting past Moreira for second. The Brazilian’s podium is still his first, and the first for Brazil in the class!

2023 Portimao Moto3 podium: Muñoz, Holgado, Moreira

Rueda was just forced to settle for a fourth place as he begins his full-time Grand Prix career, but he managed to stay a few hundredths ahead of Masia. Fellow veteran Sasaki will want more than sixth next time out, with Stefano Nepa (Angeluss MTA Team), Xavier Artigas (CFMoto PrüstelGP), Kelso and Öncü completing the top ten.

There was a sickening crash after the finish line when Kelso ran up the back of a slowing rider in front of him. The Aussie went over the bars and landed hard to end with a bang what had been a hugely promising start to the season.

Joel Kelso

“I’m gutted. A freak accident after the chequered flag has left me with one broken leg and the other getting further scans shortly. It’s definitely not the fairytale ending we wanted, especially with the race I had, leading my first full lap in the World Championship and managing a top-ten finish.”

Moto3 Race Results

Pos Rider Bike Time/Gap
1 Daniel HOLGADO KTM 34m27.061
2 David MUÑOZ KTM +0.160
3 Diogo MOREIRA KTM +0.175
4 José Antonio RUEDA KTM +0.206
5 Jaume MASIA HONDA +0.233
6 Ayumu SASAKI HUSQVARNA +1.090
7 Stefano NEPA KTM +1.125
8 Xavier ARTIGAS CFMOTO +1.137
9 Joel KELSO CFMOTO +1.268
10 Deniz ÖNCÜ KTM +1.409
11 Kaito TOBA HONDA +2.852
12 Collin VEIJER HUSQVARNA +6.904
13 David SALVADOR KTM +6.931
14 Tatsuki SUZUKI HONDA +9.722
15 Riccardo ROSSI HONDA +9.748
16 Ryusei YAMANAKA GASGAS +9.771
17 Matteo BERTELLE HONDA +19.803
18 Mario AJI HONDA +20.317
19 Romano FENATI HONDA +29.900
20 Taiyo FURUSATO HONDA +29.948
21 Joshua WHATLEY HONDA +29.904
22 Syarifuddin AZMAN KTM +29.969
23 Ana CARRASCO KTM +30.066
Not Classified
DNF 48 Ivan ORTOLÁ KTM 1 lap
DNF 80 David ALONSO GASGAS 6 laps
DNF 7 Filippo FARIOLI KTM 14 laps
DNF 19 Scott OGDEN HONDA

Moto3 Championship Points

Pos Rider Nat Points
1 HOLGADO Daniel SPA 25
2 MUÑOZ David SPA 20
3 MOREIRA Diogo BRA 16
4 RUEDA José Antonio SPA 13
5 MASIA Jaume SPA 11
6 SASAKI Ayumu JPN 10
7 NEPA Stefano ITA 9
8 ARTIGAS Xavier SPA 8
9 KELSO Joel AUS 7
10 ÖNCÜ Deniz TUR 6
11 TOBA Kaito JPN 5
12 VEIJER Collin NED 4
13 SALVADOR David SPA 3
14 SUZUKI Tatsuki JPN 2
15 ROSSI Riccardo ITA 1
16 YAMANAKA Ryusei JPN 0
17 BERTELLE Matteo ITA 0
18 AJI Mario INA 0
19 FENATI Romano ITA 0
20 FURUSATO Taiyo JPN 0
21 WHATLEY Joshua GBR 0
22 AZMAN Syarifuddin MAL 0

2023 MotoGP Calendar

Rnd Date Location
1 Mar-26 Portugal, Portimao
2 Apr-02 Argentina, Termos de Rio Honda
3 Apr-16 Americas, COTA
4 Apr-30 Spain, Jerez
5 May-14 France, Le Mans
6 Jun-11 Italy, Mugello
7 Jun-18 Germany, Sachsenring
8 Jun-25 Netherlands, Assen
9 Jul-09 Kazakhstan, Sokol (Subject to homologation)
10 Aug-06  Great Britain, Silverstone
11 Aug-20 Austria, Red Bull Ring
12 Sep-03 Catalunya, Catalunya
13 Sep-10 San Marino, Misano
14 Sep-24 India, Buddh (Subject to homologation)
15 Oct-01 Japan, Motegi
16 Oct-15  Indonesia, Mandalika
17 Oct-22 Australia, Phillip Island
18 Oct-29 Thailand, Chang
19 Nov-12 Malaysia, Sepang
20 Nov-19 Qatar, Lusail
21 Nov-26 Valenciana, Valencia
Tags: MotoGP
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