Moto2 Portugal FP1: and at 16, Zonta Van der Goorbergh emerges from the storm

In Texas, Tony Arbolino won his first victory in Moto2, his fourth in Grand Prix since he already had three in Moto3. The Italian became the 13th different Italian rider to win in Moto2. This is also Italy's 49th victory in this category, but Spain remains in the lead with 79 victories in this class.

After Celestine Vietti in Qatar and Somkiat Chantra in Indonesia, Arbolino is the third young rider to win in Moto2 this year, which is already one more than last year with Raul Fernandez and Fabio Di Giannantonio. The last year with four (or more) hopefuls in the same Moto2 season was in 2020 with five riders: Tetsuta Nagashima, Enea Bastianini, Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi and Remy Gardner.

Ai Ogura placed second for his third Moto2 podium after Austria 2021 (P2), and Argentina 2022 (P3). He is third on the list of Japanese riders with the most Moto2 podiums behind Takaaki Nakagami (14) and Yuki Takahashi (4).

At the Grand Prix of the Americas, Jake dixon stood on the podium in Moto2 for the first time, becoming the fifth different Briton to reach the podium in this category, along with Sam Lowes (24), Scott Redding (14), Bradley Smith (3) and Gino Rea (1) .

Marcel Schrötter finished fourth for his best result since also being fourth at the Valencia Grand Prix in 2020. Jeremy Alcove finished sixth for his best rookie result so far in Moto2 and the best result for a rookie so far this season. He is second in the fight for the rookie of the year title with 14 points behind Peter Acosta (20)

Barry Baltus finished 10th at COTA for his best result in Moto2 and the first top 10 in the category by a Belgian rider since Xavier Simeon's seventh place at the Dutch TT in 2017. With the fall of Celestino Vietti At COTA, Ai Ogura, Tony Arbolino, Joe Roberts and Albert Arenas are now the only four riders to have scored points in the first four Moto2 races.

Two riders have won all three Moto2 races at Portimao: Remy Gardner in 2020 (from pole position) and 2021/2 and Raul Fernandez (2021/1). Both took their first victory in Moto2. None of the current riders have therefore won in Moto2 in the Algarve.

Sam Lowes (P3 at the 2020 Portuguese GP and the 2021 Algarve GP) and Aron canet (P2 at the 2021 Portuguese GP) reached the podium in Moto2 on this circuit. Lowes is also (at the Portuguese GP last year) the only current Moto2 rider to have qualified in pole position on the Lusitano track in this category. Finally, on the day of the Portuguese Grand Prix race, Simone Corsi will celebrate its 35th anniversary.

With this information taken, what will this FP1 in Portimao have in store for us, the deadline for a Portuguese Grand Prix which launches the major European campaign of the calendar? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Moto2™ Portimão	2021	2022
FP1	1'43.667 Remy Gardner	2'04.519 Zonta Van den Goorbergh
FP2	1'43.246 Raul Fernandez
FP3	1'42.462 Raul Fernandez
Q1	1'42.816 Fabio Di Giannantonio
Q2	1'42.101 Raul Fernandez
Warm Up	1'42.958 Remy Gardner
Course	Gardner, R. Fernandez, Lowes
All time lap record	1″42.101 Raul Fernandez 2021

Wet track, 14.4° in the air and 13.3° on the track are the conditions offered to the drivers for the 40 minutes of exercise. It's even the heavy downpour on Portimao, so that the pilots remain dry while waiting for the sky to calm its anger since the wind has recovered.

The first ten minutes are done without any machine on the track then Joe Roberts et Romano Fenati try the Portimao experience on the water. The Italian gave up quite quickly while the American signed a 2'17.517 as the only first time in the field.

The others remain in the stands…

Joe Roberts still prefers to ride and puts his mark at 2'11.933. Kubo et Van der Goorbergh join the ItalTrans pilot. We are halfway through the session and three drivers are on the track.

Joe Roberts is now 2'09.552. Manuel Gonzalez joins the trio on the track. Then at the start of the last quarter of an hour, the championship leader Drive takes the plunge, literally and figuratively. Kubo fall at turn 3.

https://twitter.com/MotoGP/status/1517449743684804608

There are ten minutes left, less than ten drivers are on track. Van Der Goorbergh, at the age of 16, set the best time in 2'09.052. Then he clocked a 2'06.336 in the storm...

Manuel Gonzalez fall at turn 8. The driver in the colors of Yamaha was second. Under the checkered flag, the young Dutchman remains in the lead in 2'04.519. Only 12 drivers will have driven in this session.

Results of FP1 of the Moto2 Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Autodrome in Portimão:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com