Portuguese MotoGP, Portimao – Friday Practice Results (1)
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New Gresini Ducati rider Alex Marquez leads the MotoGP field during a damp opening practice for the 2023 Portimao season-opener.
Light rain in the previous Moto2 session returned for the start of the 45-minute MotoGP session, with Franco Morbidelli the first faller of the season after a highside (on slicks) at Turn 8.
Fortunately, the moisture cleared for the remaining half-hour, with lap times improving right to the chequered flag.
Jorge Martin was leading Marc and Alex Marquez as the final ten minutes began, with the Pramac Ducati rider’s best time under the official race lap record.
The threat of more rain this afternoon meant some riders threw on a new soft rear tyre for the closing minutes – including Alex Marquez, new Repsol Honda signing Joan Mir, plus VR46 Ducati riders Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi, who swept into the top four places.
However, the likes of Ducati’s reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia, Yamaha’s 2021 title winner Fabio Quartararo and Honda’s six-time premier-class champion Marc Marquez stuck with used rubber.
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro is riding for the first time since undergoing surgery on his right forearm following arm pump-style problems at the final pre-season test.
The new race weekend format sees an extended one-hour ‘Practice 2’ take place this afternoon, after which the top ten riders with direct access to Qualifying 2 will be decided.
| 2023 Portuguese MotoGP, Portimao – Practice (1) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | 1’38.782s | 12/15 | 340k |
| 2 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.045s | 13/14 | 336k |
| 3 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.140s | 18/20 | 339k |
| 4 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.236s | 16/17 | 339k |
| 5 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP22) | +0.286s | 16/16 | 340k |
| 6 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.398s | 15/16 | 343k |
| 7 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.424s | 7/16 | 341k |
| 8 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.499s | 16/16 | 339k |
| 9 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.693s | 10/16 | 341k |
| 10 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.755s | 11/14 | 336k |
| 11 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.770s | 11/13 | 338k |
| 12 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.776s | 14/17 | 340k |
| 13 | Alex Rins | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.813s | 14/14 | 338k |
| 14 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.847s | 12/13 | 338k |
| 15 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.900s | 13/14 | 335k |
| 16 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.012s | 14/15 | 339k |
| 17 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.112s | 11/13 | 336k |
| 18 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.277s | 14/14 | 334k |
| 19 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +1.421s | 12/17 | 340k |
| 20 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +1.689s | 11/12 | 339k |
| 21 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +1.695s | 12/13 | 332k |
| 22 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +2.204s | 15/15 | 336k |
* Rookie
Fastest lap at 2023 Portimao pre-season test:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 37.968s (Day 2/2)
Official Portimao MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1m 38.725s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 39.435s (2022)
- ‘Top speed, flow’ – Morbidelli makes 2023 Yamaha fairing choice
- Martin surprised by factory Ducati aero choice, ‘one of the strongest’
- ‘Test was bad’ but Pol feels ‘better with the GASGAS than Honda’
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