MotoGP 2023
Round One – Portimao
MotoGP Sprint Race
The first Tissot Sprint was a stunner. 12 laps, 22 riders and a last lap finish! Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) came out on top as the final push came down to a duel, piling the pressure on Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in the last few laps and finding a way through as the Spaniard headed ever so slightly wide.
The fight for third was a mammoth battle from the off, too, with seven riders fighting for the top three throughout and ultimately, the rider on pole taking his first medal of the season: Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
Marc Marquez got the holeshot despite a spectacular attack from a fast-starting Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), but Bagnaia took over in second early on as a red duel let Martin sneak into third. Marquez, Bagnaia, Martin and Bastianini was the initial leading quartet, with Marquez defending the lead until the final few metres of Lap 1.
Bagnaia and Martin then struck for the front and got past the number 93, with the leading trio enjoying a little breathing space for a few corners. Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP Team) had struck back into fourth too, and soon Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was also past Bastianini.
Drama then hit for the number 23, with Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) losing the front on the inside and rider and machine sliding into the factory Ducati, leaving the Beast nowhere to go. Meanwhile, further contact a little further back had also seen Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) overcook it against Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), with the Spaniard making contact and crashing out, and the Frenchman losing time.
Back at the front, Bagnaia led Martin led Marquez, with Miller moving up into fourth past Oliveira. Then came Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) vs Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) vs Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP), but Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) was also intent on joining that party. So he did, and Bezzecchi crashed out of it not long after.
With nine to go, Martin slipped past Bagnaia for the lead as Marquez dug in ahead of Miller and Oliveira. Soon enough, the battle was truly on. Miller and Oliveira passed Marquez, and then the Australian picked Bagnaia’s pocket for second. By six to go, Miller hit the front, but Martin hit back. The chopping and changing let the Aprilia Racing pair also catch up, and it all bubbled up to one duel and one serious fight for third.
As Martin and Bagnaia started to inch away, the two-man decider for Tissot Sprint glory was set. The reigning Champion was gaining and gaining, and finally the door opened ever so slightly on the final lap – with Martin wide and Pecco through. It remained close to the line but the #1 remained so on track, taking that coveted first Sprint win as Martin was forced to settle for second.
Meanwhile, Miller vs Oliveira vs Marquez, plus two factory Aprilias intent on beating each other, set up a stunning grandstand finish in the fight to join Bagnaia and Martin’s date with Prosecco. Marquez had even enjoyed a two for one as the Australian and Portuguese rider went head to head at Turn 1, and once the number 93 was through, there was no looking back. The eight-time World Champion took the spoils.
Heartbreak for Oliveira later in the lap saw him overcook it and drop back in that fight, with Miller suffering no such bad luck and taking a hard fought fourth. Fifth went to Viñales as he won the factory Aprilia war, with Aleix Espargaro sixth and Oliveira crossing the line seventh. Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) pipped Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) to P8, with that leaving Quartararo just outside the points in the first Sprint. El Diablo made progress after the early drama with Mir, taking P10 and just off the number 73 ahead.
On Sunday the grid is reset and Marc Marquez returns to pole position, and this time around the journey will be the full 25 laps.
MotoGP Sprint Race Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Time/Gap |
1 | Francesco BAGNAIA | DUCATI | 19m52.862 |
2 | Jorge MARTIN | DUCATI | +0.307 |
3 | Marc MARQUEZ | HONDA | +1.517 |
4 | Jack MILLER | KTM | +1.603 |
5 | Maverick VIÑALES | APRILIA | +1.854 |
6 | Aleix ESPARGARO | APRILIA | +2.106 |
7 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | APRILIA | +2.940 |
8 | Johann ZARCO | DUCATI | +5.595 |
9 | Alex MARQUEZ | DUCATI | +5.711 |
10 | Fabio QUARTARARO | YAMAHA | +5.924 |
11 | Raul FERNANDEZ | APRILIA | +8.160 |
12 | Brad BINDER | KTM | +8.384 |
13 | Alex RINS | HONDA | +11.288 |
14 | Franco MORBIDELLI | YAMAHA | +17.138 |
15 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | HONDA | +18.128 |
16 | DUCATI | +21.235 | |
Not Classified | |||
DNF | Marco BEZZECCHI | DUCATI | 10 laps |
DNF | Enea BASTIANINI | DUCATI | 11 laps |
DNF | Luca MARINI | DUCATI | 11 laps |
MotoGP Championship Points
Pos | Rider | Nat | Points |
1 | BAGNAIA Francesco | ITA | 12 |
2 | MARTIN Jorge | SPA | 9 |
3 | MARQUEZ Marc | SPA | 7 |
4 | MILLER Jack | AUS | 6 |
5 | VIÑALES Maverick | SPA | 5 |
6 | ESPARGARO Aleix | SPA | 4 |
7 | OLIVEIRA Miguel | POR | 3 |
8 | ZARCO Johann | FRA | 2 |
9 | MARQUEZ Alex | SPA | 1 |
10 | QUARTARARO Fabio | FRA | 0 |
11 | FERNANDEZ Raul | SPA | 0 |
12 | BINDER Brad | RSA | 0 |
13 | RINS Alex | SPA | 0 |
14 | MORBIDELLI Franco | ITA | 0 |
15 | NAKAGAMI Takaaki | JPN | 0 |
16 | DI GIANNANTONIO Fabio | ITA | 0 |
MotoGP Qualifying
The first qualifying session of 2023 will live long in the memory, with a handful of lap records and the fight for pole going right to the wire.
In an almost perfect narrative arc, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) topped Q1 with a new lap record and headed into Q2, although he’d seemed on the back foot before the very final lap. Right at the flag, however, the number 93 played his cards to perfection to take the first pole position of the season, deposing reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and setting another new lap record.
MotoGP Qualifying Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap | Speed |
1 | Marc MARQUEZ | HONDA | Q2 | 1m37.226 | 340.6 |
2 | Francesco BAGNAIA | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.064 | 343.9 |
3 | Jorge MARTIN | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.228 | 343.9 |
4 | Miguel OLIVEIRA | APRILIA | Q2 | +0.295 | 343.9 |
5 | Jack MILLER | KTM | Q2 | +0.323 | 341.7 |
6 | Enea BASTIANINI | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.358 | 346.1 |
7 | Maverick VIÑALES | APRILIA | Q2 | +0.372 | 345.0 |
8 | Marco BEZZECCHI | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.390 | 343.9 |
9 | Luca MARINI | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.396 | 342.8 |
10 | Johann ZARCO | DUCATI | Q2 | +0.654 | 342.8 |
11 | Fabio QUARTARARO | YAMAHA | Q2 | +0.694 | 342.8 |
12 | Aleix ESPARGARO | APRILIA | Q2 | +0.910 | 342.8 |
13 | Alex MARQUEZ | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 0.295 | 345.0 |
14 | Joan MIR | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.389 | 334.3 |
15 | Brad BINDER | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.430 | 343.9 |
16 | Alex RINS | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.458 | 340.6 |
17 | Franco MORBIDELLI | YAMAHA | Q1 | (*) 0.660 | 345.0 |
18 | Takaaki NAKAGAMI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.764 | 339.6 |
19 | Augusto FERNANDEZ | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.789 | 345.0 |
20 | Raul FERNANDEZ | APRILIA | Q1 | (*) 0.817 | 341.7 |
21 | Fabio DI GIANNANTONI | DUCATI | Q1 | (*) 1.103 | 343.9 |
Moto2 Qualifying Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap | Speed |
1 | Filip SALAC | KALEX | Q2 | 1m42.323 | 281.9 |
2 | Aron CANET | KALEX | Q2 | +0.058 | 280.5 |
3 | Pedro ACOSTA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.284 | 284.2 |
4 | Celestino VIETTI | KALEX | Q2 | +0.338 | 276.2 |
5 | Manuel GONZALEZ | KALEX | Q2 | +0.405 | 280.5 |
6 | Jeremy ALCOBA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.543 | 280.5 |
7 | Albert ARENAS | KALEX | Q2 | +0.544 | 282.7 |
8 | Tony ARBOLINO | KALEX | Q2 | +0.574 | 282.7 |
9 | Sam LOWES | KALEX | Q2 | +0.619 | 276.2 |
10 | Bo BENDSNEYDER | KALEX | Q2 | +0.625 | 281.9 |
11 | Darryn BINDER | KALEX | Q2 | +0.718 | 283.4 |
12 | Jake DIXON | KALEX | Q2 | +0.739 | 278.3 |
13 | Somkiat CHANTRA | KALEX | Q2 | +0.797 | 278.3 |
14 | Alonso LOPEZ | BOSCOSCURO | Q2 | +0.821 | 275.5 |
15 | Barry BALTUS | KALEX | Q2 | +0.948 | 277.6 |
16 | Fermín ALDEGUER | BOSCOSCURO | Q2 | +1.010 | 273.4 |
17 | Sergio GARCIA | KALEX | Q2 | +1.051 | 284.2 |
18 | Zonta VD GOORBERGH | KALEX | Q2 | +2.618 | 281.9 |
19 | Joe ROBERTS | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.497 | 277.6 |
20 | Borja GOMEZ | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.575 | 281.2 |
21 | Lorenzo DALLA PORTA ITA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.707 | 279.7 |
22 | Marcos RAMIREZ | FORWARD | Q1 | (*) 0.707 | 279.0 |
23 | Dennis FOGGIA | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.941 | 281.2 |
24 | Sean Dylan KELLY | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 0.956 | 281.2 |
25 | Rory SKINNER | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 1.552 | 279.7 |
26 | Jordi TORRES | KALEX | Q1 | (*) 2.667 | 274.8 |
27 | David SANCHIS | FORWARD | Q1 | (*) 2.927 | 270.0 |
28 | Kohta NOZANE | KALEX | P3 | 2.514 |
Moto3 Qualifying Results
Pos | Rider | Bike | Q | Time/Gap | Speed |
1 | Ayumu SASAKI | HUSQVARNA | Q2 | 1m46.798 | 244.8 |
2 | José Antonio RUEDA | KTM | Q2 | +0.374 | 243.7 |
3 | Joel KELSO | CFMOTO | Q2 | +0.450 | 244.8 |
4 | Daniel HOLGADO | KTM | Q2 | +0.614 | 240.5 |
5 | Ivan ORTOLÁ | KTM | Q2 | +0.716 | 235.8 |
6 | David ALONSO | GASGAS | Q2 | +0.721 | 243.2 |
7 | Xavier ARTIGAS | CFMOTO | Q2 | +0.733 | 242.1 |
8 | Deniz ÖNCÜ | KTM | Q2 | +0.763 | 242.6 |
9 | Jaume MASIA | HONDA | Q2 | +0.782 | 241.6 |
10 | Stefano NEPA | KTM | Q2 | +0.791 | 243.7 |
11 | Kaito TOBA | HONDA | Q2 | +0.808 | 246.0 |
12 | Riccardo ROSSI | HONDA | Q2 | +0.808 | 244.3 |
13 | David MUÑOZ | KTM | Q2 | +0.830 | 244.8 |
14 | Collin VEIJER | HUSQVARNA | Q2 | +1.056 | 241.6 |
15 | Tatsuki SUZUKI | HONDA | Q2 | +1.094 | 241.0 |
16 | Diogo MOREIRA | KTM | Q2 | +1.248 | 242.6 |
17 | Ryusei YAMANAKA | GASGAS | Q2 | +1.402 | 239.4 |
18 | David SALVADOR | KTM | Q2 | +1.590 | 240.0 |
19 | Matteo BERTELLE | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.512 | 242.6 |
20 | Scott OGDEN | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.599 | 240.0 |
21 | Filippo FARIOLI | KTM | Q1 | (*) 0.920 | 238.9 |
22 | Mario AJI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 0.993 | 240.5 |
23 | Syarifuddin AZMAN | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.035 | 244.3 |
24 | Joshua WHATLEY | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.037 | 241.0 |
25 | Romano FENATI | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.140 | 238.9 |
26 | Taiyo FURUSATO | HONDA | Q1 | (*) 1.577 | 239.4 |
27 | Ana CARRASCO | KTM | Q1 | (*) 1.685 | 243.2 |
28 | Lorenzo FELLON | KTM | Q1 | (*) 2.361 | 238.9 |
Portimao MotoGP Schedule
AEDT
Time | Class | Event |
Sunday | ||
1945 | MotoGP | WUP |
2100 | Moto3 | RACE |
2215 | Moto2 | RACE |
0000 (Mon) | MotoGP | RACE |
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 |