MotoGP Portimao-2 Q1 LIVE: Zarco leads and Lecuona impresses

MotoGP launches its qualifying procedure in Portimao for an Algarve Grand Prix which marks the penultimate stage of the season. And it starts with this Q1 where we once again find Johann Zarco but also the two Aprilias like all the KTMs…

A contingent which was formed at the end of the FP3 where Francis Bagnaia was the fastest. The pilot Ducati beat the new champion fabio quartararo (Yamaha) by only a thousandth. We thus note the times of 1'39.202 for "Pecco" against 1'39.203 for the French driver.

Third time for the Suzuki Joan mir, which preceded the official Ducati of Jack Miller, the Honda LCR ofAlex Marquez, Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha) and Alex Rins. Pol Espargarò (Repsol Honda) and Ducati rookies Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia) and George Martin (Pramac) also entered directly into Q2. The Australian on the Ducati even jumped in…

Will have to go through this Q1: Takaaki Nakagami, Iker Lecuona, Enea Bastianini, Johann Zarco, Miguel Oliveira, Danilo Petrucci, Stefan Bradl, Valentino Rossi (17th at 1.011s), Andrea Dovizioso and the Aprilias of Maverick Vinales et Aleix Espargarò.

What will this 15-minute exercise have in store for us from which the two best drivers will emerge to join the qualifying final? Before answering this question, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

MotoGP™ Portimao	4-2021	11-2021
FP1	1'42.127 Maverick Viñales (See here)	1'40.192 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
FP2	1'39.866 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'39.390 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
FP3	1'39.044 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'39.202 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)
FP4	1'39.788 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'39.665 Francesco Bagnaia
Q1	1'39.253 Marc Márquez (See here)	1'39.130 Johann Zarco
Q2	1'38.862 Fabio Quartararo (See here)
Warm Up	1'39.721 Jack Miller (See here)
Course	Quartararo, Bagnaia, Mir (See here)
All time lap record	1'38.862 Fabio Quartararo 2021 (See here)

20° in the air and 27.9° on the track under a benevolent sun are the conditions offered to the pilots. When FP4, two protagonists of this Q1 played at the forefront with Johann zarco second and lecuona surprising fourth with a KTM which has suffered terribly since the start of this weekend in the Algarve.

To Johann zarco, his boss in the Pramac box Francesco Guidotti commented : " I hope he returns to his performances at the start of the season. Not only him but almost everyone has experienced a phase of decline. The only one who didn't get it was Quartararo and he won the world championship. Staying at a certain level throughout the year is not easy and those who do it win the title ».

The first reference is signed by lecuona in 1'39.923 and a thousandth better thanAleix I will espargaro. The tone is set ! Brad Binder falls and triggers the yellow flags. The best time is signed by Aleix I will espargaro in 1'39.464 ahead Olive tree.

Meanwhile, at Ducati, we revise before Q2… zarco takes the lead in 1'39.340.

We are entering the last five minutes which means that the last cartridges will be fired. Nakagami falls and ends his chances. lecuona takes the lead in 1'39.171 ahead zarco. Under the checkered flag, it's the Frenchman who takes the lead ahead of the amazing Tech3 KTM rider. bastianini is the first eliminated. Aleix Espargaro, Petrucci Rossi, Oliveira, Vinales, Binder, Bradl, Dovizioso and Nakagami follow.

Results of Qualifying 1 of the MotoGP Algarve Grand Prix in Portimão:

Credit Ranking: motogp.com