2023 Portimão Moto2 Practice 3 Result: Canet Attacks The Lap Record

By Zara Daniela | Sat, 25/03/2023 - 10:06

Barely an hour into the first race Saturday of the season and a second all time lap record surrendered, this time to Aron Canet’s charms. While Friday’s leader was dusting himself off and relaunching his attack, Canet took over the top of the timesheets and ended the session almost a tenth quicker than his rivals. Filip Salac was another prominent feature throughout the session, up in second position at the chequered flag, while Pedro Acosta’s time attack was thwarted by a light tumble at turn three but the Spaniard got back on track to reclaim third.

2023 Portimão Moto3 Practice 3 Result: Ortolá Takes Over Lap Record

By Zara Daniela | Sat, 25/03/2023 - 09:22

Before the day’s schedule starts to get more unfamiliar, the lightweight class enjoyed their usual third practice session, albeit in a shortened version focused on fighting for a precious spot in Q2. Although Friday’s leader, Dani Holgado, held onto top spot on the combined standings for much of proceedings, Ivan Ortolá attacked in the final seven minutes and improved the all time lap record with the only 1:46 time of the morning. Jose Antonio Rueda came within a tenth of a second of the leader, with compatriot David Muñoz in third.

Portimão MotoGP Friday Round Up: When Safety Should Be Paramount, But Sometimes Isn't

By David Emmett | Sat, 25/03/2023 - 02:01

The first day of MotoGP's new era did not proceed entirely to plan. There were a lot of reasons for that, some the fault of Dorna, some completely out of their hands. But we will get to that in a minute. First, an institutional failure.

As the MotoGP riders entered the final and hectic 15 minutes of what we must now call P2 – the second timed practice, which in effect determines who will pass directly into Q2, and who will have to hope to defeat 10 other riders in Q1 for one of the two spots which will take you into Q2 – the combination of low grip, falling temperatures, and sheer unbelievable pace the riders were setting came back to bite a couple of the MotoGP riders.

Two men fell within a couple of seconds of each other, in almost the same spot, in almost the same way. Pol Espargaro fell first, his rear letting go over the crest at Turn 10, before spitting him off the bike. Miguel Oliveira fell a few seconds later, a little way ahead of Espargaro, the rear of his Aprilia letting to in a similar way, and catapulting the Portuguese rider high into the air, before he came down hard enough to knock all of the wind out of his sails.

Cause of the crash

2023 Portimão MotoGP Practice 2 Results: Miller Smashes Record In Session Disrupted By Red Flags

By David Emmett | Fri, 24/03/2023 - 17:08

The first hour-long session of timed practice for the MotoGP class got off to a halting start. The session was red flagged after a power cut in Race Direction meant that they couldn't run the session. Practice resumed for half an hour, until Pol Espargaro had a massive crash at Turn 10, being flicked off his bike and then pushed to the barrier by it, hitting the barrier on his own. As horrific as the crash looked, he was reported to be conscious and was transported to a local hospital for further examination and treatment.

2023 Portimão MotoGP Practice 1 Results: Alex Marquez Leads Joan Mir As MotoGP Hits The Track

By David Emmett | Fri, 24/03/2023 - 12:03

The first session of MotoGP practice for the year started with tricky conditions, a dryish track where a few drops of rain had fallen during the latter part of the Moto2 session. That disrupted the team's practice programs, meaning some riders pushed on a new tire, while others didn't.

Alex Marquez ended the session as fastest, taking to the Gresini Ducati like a duck to water. Joan Mir disrupted the Ducati party by putting the Repsol Honda into second, while the Mooney VR46 team of Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi took third and fourth.

The 2023 MotoGP Season Preview: Anything But A Foregone Conclusion

By David Emmett | Fri, 24/03/2023 - 00:31

Writing MotoGP season previews used to be a relatively simple affair: discuss the four or five riders who had a realistic chance of winning the championship, compare the strengths and weaknesses of the Yamaha vs the Honda, and ask whether Ducati have done enough this year to catch up. A few notes on the remainder of the grid, and you were done.

Previewing the 2023 MotoGP season is potentially a much more time-consuming affair. All 22 riders on the 2023 grid have grand prix victories to their name in one class or another. All five MotoGP factories had bikes on the podium last year, and only Honda didn't score a win. There are 13 world champions lining up in MotoGP in 2023. To say the grid is stacked with talent is an understatement.

Potential champions this year? Obviously Pecco Bagnaia has a good chance of defending. But Yamaha have given Fabio Quartararo the extra speed he was missing to be able to challenge. Enea Bastianini could well surprise and upset his factory Ducati teammate. Aprilia have refined the RS-GP to a point where Aleix Espargaro is a serious candidate, and there is no doubting the talent of his teammate Maverick Viñales either. Jorge Martin has a better bike and a point to prove, and sprint races will play right into his hands. Miguel Oliveira is very much in the same boat. And it would be foolish to write Marc Marquez off, whatever the state of the Honda at the moment.

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