It's a Moto3 category still under the spell of the sparkling victory of 16-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta in Doha who is entering his third round of the season at Portimao. It will be recalled that the young Spaniard from the Ajo KTM team won on this occasion for the first time during his second race in Moto3, becoming the second rider to do so since the introduction of the category...
Certainly, Roman Fenati also achieved this great performance during the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. But Acosta also became the first driver to start from the pitlane and win the race since the introduction of the Moto3 in 2012. Aged 16 years and 304 days, Acosta became the fourth youngest driver to win in the category, behind Can Öncü (15 years and 115 days), Roman Fenati (16 years and 105 days) and Sergio Garcia (16 years and 240 days).
Acosta also became the second youngest rider to lead the Moto3 standings behind fenati, who led after the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix at the age of 16 years 105 days. Last year, Acosta took his first victory in the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship at the Algarve circuit…
A Doha , it was the 73rd victory of KTM en Moto3 and the Austrian factory is now tied with Honda as manufacturers in the category. Darryn binder crossed the finish line in second position Doha Grand Prix for his sixth podium in Moto3 and his first in two consecutive races.
Niccolo Antonelli finished the race in third position, his first podium since winning the Spanish Grand Prix. This is the eighth podium ofAntonelli in what is his 149th race in Moto3.
What will this start of this year have in store for us? Portuguese Grand Prix ? Before answering this question, here is the table summarizing the facts known so far.
|
Moto3™ Portimao |
2020 |
2021 |
| FP1 | 1'48.896 Jaume Masia | |
| FP2 | 1'47.987 Albert Arenas | |
| FP3 | 1'47.398 Jaume Masia | |
| Q1 | 1'47.635 Darryn Binder | |
| Q2 | 1'48.051 Raul Fernandez | |
| Warm Up | 1'48.582 Jaume Masia | |
| Course | Fernandez, Foggia, Alcoba | |
| All time lap record | 1'47.398 Jaume Masia |
15°5 in the air and 15°8 on the track and an overcast sky are the conditions proposed to the pilots for the 40 minutes of exercise. But the problem is that treacherous patches of humidity dot the beautiful Portimao route, which hardly encourages people to seek the feat.
A few damp patches for @DarrynBinder40 to keep an eye on! 👀# Moto3 FP1 is underway! 🚥#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/euxEeUmb5X
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 16, 2021
Halfway through the session, only two drivers have a time, Oncü, the Tech3 driver leading with his 2'03.482 ahead fenati to 32 thousandths.
So far, @Denizoncu53 has the track all to himself! 😎# Moto3 | #PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/yOecJmYq9q
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 16, 2021
But the key word is to stay warm and dry…
Slow going out there at the moment! 😂@jaume_masia is waiting for things to dry up! 👀# Moto3 | #PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/4V1Nevuxse
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 16, 2021
Ten minutes from the goal, the entire squad leaves and it's Salac which bears the reference in 1'59.854. Oncü et Artigas follow.
Your fastest rider so far! 💪@XaviArtigas43 launches out of Turn 8! 🚀# Moto3 | #PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/FM7ALb3zjc
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) April 16, 2021
The chief engineer of McPhee is absent, because he tested positive for Covid-19. The Scotsman is definitely having an eventful start to the season... He still sets the best time 3 minutes from the goal in 1'57.440. We still remain far from the performances of 5 months ago.
Under the checkered flag, we see that farmhouse did not turn and that Oncü goes first in 1'56.978. Salac et McPhee. Izdihar et Darryn binder close the top 5. Acosta is fifteenth and Lorenzo Fellon doesn't have a timer like Rodrigo et Bedroom.
FP1 classification of the Moto3 Portuguese Grand Prix in Portimao:
Credit ranking: MotoGP.com