Moto2 Portugal Portimao Qualifying: Gonzalez strikes again

The weekend kicks off in Portimao (Portugal), and also marks the return of the competition to Europe. After a well-contested Qatar Grand Prix in Moto2, some must confirm their good form, while others wish to bounce back after an unsuccessful start to the season. Two weeks ago, Alonso Lopez won the event ahead of Barry Baltus and Sergio Garcia, while Tony Arbolino and Fermin Aldeguer both missed the top 10. 

Before we begin, here is a table which summarizes the known facts:

Moto2™ Portimao	2023	2024
P1	1'43.046 Jake Dixon	1'44.900 Manuel Gonzalez
P2	1'42.391 Pedro Acosta	1'42.362 Alonso Lopez
P3	1'42.003 Arón Canet	1'41.716 Manuel Gonzalez
Q1	1'42.965 Tony Arbolino
Q2	1'42.323 Filip Salač
Course	Acosta, Canet, Arbolino (See here)
All time lap record	1'42.003 Arón Canet 2023

Qualification 1:

The aim here is to qualify in the first four in order to take part in the second part of the qualifying session. Once the first brands are established, Senna Agius leads the way with a time of 1:42.921.

As the clock ticks, Zonta Van der Goorbergh seems to be able to calmly move into Q2. Disappointment, however, at the checkered flag for the No. 84 which fails at 52 thousandths.

Somkiat Chantra sets the best time of the session in 1:42.064. AI Ogura and Diogo Moreira complete the top-3. The last qualifier is none other than Senna Agius who, however, had to improve his first attempt by almost half a second to get into Q2.

Jaume Masia was on the edge of the top-4 during most of the session and finally failed in 9th place, more than a second from the best lap.

Standings for Q1 Moto2 of the Portuguese GP:

Qualification 2:

The serious things begin, and Fermin Aldeguer sets a first reference mark in 1:41.941, which is still two tenths slower than the best lap of P2 signed Manuel Gonzalez, but already faster than Filip Salac's pole in 2023 ( 1:42.323).

The Spaniard continued with a time of 1:41.758 which allowed him to keep the lead, when Manuel Gonzalez and Alonso Lopez returned to the charge. The future Ducati rider in MotoGP then has one finger on pole position.

Aron Canet will come, as he already did this weekend, to shake up the hierarchy at the very end of the session with a lap in 1:41.746, or 12 thousandths faster than Aldeguer. However, it was the unstoppable Manuel Gonzalez who won his first pole position thanks to a record time of 1:41.514.

Aldeguer and Canet complete the top-3. Barry Baltus had an unsuccessful Q2 and will start the Portuguese GP in 16th position. Disappointing result also for Tony Arbolino who failed to improve during the second part of the session. Driver Marc VDS ranks 12th.

Manuel Gonzalez on pole at Portimao:

“I knew we could improve and we did, this circuit suits us but it remains to be confirmed tomorrow. We were fast in Qatar, and that's also the case here in Portimao, but we'll see tomorrow because that's when the result counts. »

2 Moto2024 Portuguese Grand Prix Qualifying Results: 

Classification credit: motogp.com