Moto3 Portugal Portimão P2: Daniel Holgado is on fire!

Finally, our favorite drivers return to the track near Portimão after the traditional winter break. As usual, the Moto3s get the ball rolling and begin a year that promises to be one of the busiest. Remember; Last year, Izan Guevara, GasGas Aspar Team driver, took the title ahead of his teammate Sergio García. Full box for the teams of Jorge Martínez “Aspar”. Dennis Foggia, on the Leopard Racing Honda, completed the top 3. With the three main contenders for the 2022 crown moving to Moto2, the title promises to be hotly contested.

Several men can surprise or confirm. To start with Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing), who leaves the KTM fold to try to bounce back on the Honda NSF250RW. Also watch out for the brand new crew GasGas Aspar Team, who, as we know, often finishes well ranked under the leadership of the legendary team director. The duo is now made up of the Japanese Ryusei Yamanaka and the Colombian rookie David Alonso.

Impossible to omit the eternal Roman Fenati (Honda Rivacold Snipers Team), aged 27, who is currently the record holder for victories in the category (13 wins since 2012). Despite his notable performances over the years, he still remains in search of his first world title.

We will have to watch the rookie Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Garlic): winner of FIM JuniorGP World Championship as well as Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2022, the prodigy arrives in motorcycle Grand Prix riding a very efficient machine. Is he the new world sensation? Response in a few months. Note also the arrival of Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP in Moto3 with Ayumu Sasaki and the Dutch rookie Collin Veijer. This class is so compact that everyone involved can create a surprise.

This morning we attended a relatively calm session, marked by the excellent time of Diogo Moreira (KTM MT Helmets MSI) On 1'48.006. Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was also in the mix. Three falls to report, namely those of Riccardo Rossi (Honda Sic58 Squadra Corsica), Philip Farioli (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Matthew Bertelli (Honda Rivacold Snipers Team).

Before the start of the session, let us recall the facts known in Portimão: 

Moto3™ Portimão	2022	2023
P1	2'02.658 Daniel Holgado	1'48.006 Diogo Moreira
P2	2'02.491 Mario Suryo Aji	1'47.320 Daniel Holgado
P3	2'03.866 Sergio Garcia
Q1	2'07.198 Deniz Öncü
Q2	2'03.955 Deniz Öncü
warm up	1'50.089 Deniz Öncü
Course	Garcia, Masiá, Sasaki
All time lap record	1'47.274 Sergio Garcia 2021

 

A temperature barely above 20°C on the track awaits the young wolves, without wind. The Colombian rookie David Alonso (GasGas Aspar Team) is the first to hit the track. 

 

 

The turns follow one another, and David Muñoz (KTM Boé Motorsports) records the first lap in 1'48, soon overtaken by Daniel Holgado who seems in very good shape at the start of the year. He was second in the first session (note that we now say P1 instead of FP1). We note a fall forward for David Alonso (GasGas Aspar Team) at the entrance to turn no. 5, without gravity. The grid remains very compact, and Kaito Toba (Honda Sic58 Squadra Corsica) now leads the way with a nice 1'48.146. Watch out for traffic jams on the hills of Portimão! David Munoz et Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) stay at a distance.

 

 

Small loss from the front for the rookie Colin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Team) at turn 15, but fortunately, he immediately gets back on his mount. At the same time, a second fall is reported for David Alonso in turn no. 5, which looks exactly like the first. Definitely.

 

 

Sensation Jose Antonio Rueda, n°99 (let's wish him a career as complete as Jorge Lorenzo) at the house of Red Bull KTM Garlic, makes its appearance in the top 3. Until now, the 1'48.006 of Diogo Moreira established this morning still held, until a Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Team) on fire slams a magnificent 1'47.787 without aspiration, thus taking command of operations. Tatsuki suzuki (Honda Leopard Racing) joins the best in 5e position, he who absolutely must confirm this year. 

 

 

The times are panicking. Several drivers beat the mark previously established by the Japanese Sasaki. Daniel Holgado, riding a 1'47.320, is slowly approaching the official record established by Sergio Garcia in 2021 (1). The pilots have to play acrobats to pass the power to the ground, see.

 

 

Two minutes from the end, old habits resurface: the young guns wait in the hope of being towed on the straights. At the same time, the turn of Daniel Holgado is not worried, Moreira is still in the game.

 

Results of P2 of the Moto3 Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Autodrome in Portimão:

 

Classification credit: motogp.com

Cover picture : Tech3