Moto2 Portugal Portimao P2: Pedro Acosta gives the answer to Jake Dixon

Jake Dixon was the fastest during the first free practice session of the Portuguese Grand Prix in the Moto2 category, the first race of the 2023 World Championship. The Team Aspar rider completed a lap in 1'43.046, a time which allowed him to beat Pedro Acosta (Red Bull Ajo) by only 5 thousandths and Manuel Gonzalez (VR46 Team) by 0.179s.

Tony Arbolino fourth is the best of the Italian drivers and with the Kalex of Team Marc VDS he is ahead of the Speed ​​Up of Fermin Aldeguer, his teammate Sam Lowes and his compatriot Celestino Vietti (Fantic Racing). The Top Ten is closed by Aron canet (Pons), Alonso lopez (Speed ​​Up) and Filip Salac (Gresini Racing).

Jeremy Alcove (Gresini Racing), Somkiat Chantra (Team Asia), Will Bendsneyder (SAG) and Barry Baltus (Racing GP) also qualified for provisional Q2. The rookie of the category Sergio Garcia (Pons) is 15th while Darryn binder (Intact GP), which moved from MotoGP to Moto2, is 19th.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta (SAG) is 24th, while the rookie Dennis Foggia (Italtrans) is 27th. We will recall the absences of the 3 Moto2022 world champion Izan Guevara, injured, who will also likely miss the Argentine Grand Prix and the reigning Moto2 world vice-champion Ai Ogura who is recovering from a motocross accident that fractured his hand.

What will this P2 have in store for us which will close the day on Friday in Portugal for the Moto2 ? Before knowing it, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

Moto2™ Portimão	2022	2023
P1	2'04.519 Zonta Van den Goorbergh	1'43.046 Jake Dixon
P2	2'00.678 Marcel Schrötter	1'42.391 Pedro Acosta
P3	2'00.810 Celestino Vietti
Q1	1'45.533 Marcos Ramirez
Q2	1'44.151 Arón Canet
Warm Up	1'43.353 Arón Canet
Course	Roberts, Vietti, Navarro
All time lap record	1″42.101 Raúl Fernández 2021

The sun is back above the Portimao route:

It's gone for 40min

Salac takes control at the start of the session in 1.43.587s. Acosta dethrones him next in 1.43.574s. Lopez, Baltus and Aldeguer complete this provisional top5.

Acosta fast, improves in 1.42.866s. Behind this there is a jostling, Salac manages to maintain 2nd best time in 1.42.915s. He is pressed by Arbolino, Lopez and Canet.

Arbolino fall in turn 5

At the head of the pack, Salac is pushed back to 3rd position by Gonzalez who signs the 2nd best time (1.42.825/ 1.42.915 Salac)

Lowes, very fast and seeming to have found the best of his form, in turn took the 2nd best time in 1.42.762s. After 18min, the top10 is as follows: Acosta, Lowes, Gonzalez, Salac, Arbolino, Lopez, Canet, Dixon, Baltus and Chantra

Big slide Canet at the exit of turn 14, he luckily remained on his wheels. Acosta improves again and signs a lap time of 1.42.681s

11 minutes from the finish, Dixon passes in front by signing the best time like this morning in 1.42.489s. Behind him, the positions do not change: Acosta, Lowes, Gonzalez and Salac complete this provisional top5

kick of Chantra in turn 14. Canet crashed in the same corner on the next lap.

Acosta regrowth Dixon in 2nd place by achieving the best time in 1.42.391s

3min still in this free session, the forces present consist of: Acosta, Dixon, Salac, Arbolino, Lowes, Gonzalez, Lopez, Canet, Vietti and Aldeguer

kick of Lopez in turn 5

End of session, Acosta the fastest ahead of Dixon and Salac.

      Complete results free session 2: