MotoGP Portugal Portimão P2 LIVE: KTM and Jack Miller surprise everyone!

That's it, the 2023 MotoGP season is launched with its share of new features, some of which are shaking up our little habits, including here in the composition of our tables!

This is the first time that the opening of the season has taken place in Europe since 2006, when it was the Spanish GP in Jerez, since from 2007 to 2022, it is the Qatar GP which opened the calendar . This is the first time that Portugal and Portimão will host the season-opening Grand Prix, with its spectacular climbs and descents.

Sprint race obliges (we just say Sprint), the course of the weekend is modified, as well as the name of the sessions, but we will try to adapt in real time.
Finished FP1 (Free Practice 1) and on to P1 (Practice 1). We don't really know why given that FP1 also counted for direct passage to Q2 (Qualifying 2), but that's how it is!
So far, so good, but as the sessions for the 2022 edition of the Portuguese Grand Prix all took place in the wet (with the exception of the warm up), we also give you the 2021 references. Finally, those of the second race of 2021, since COVID obliges, there were two races... are you still following?
So we continue: P2, this afternoon, now lasts an hour instead of 45 minutes and it is the last session which counts for direct passage to Q2.
FP3 becomes FP (Free Practice) because it no longer counts for passage to Q2, and FP4 disappears.
Q1 and Q2 qualifying remain and now precede the Saturday Sprint.
Sunday remains unchanged in the MotoGP category.

For the rest, is it really useful to give you an overview at the dawn of this season which will include 42 races, with a Francis Bagnaia titled, with full confidence, dominator of the last winter tests, winner in Portimão in 2021 and still holder of the track record of the Algarve International Autodrome, and a fabio quartararo winner here in 2022 ahead of Johann zarco, the three men having emerged at the head of the IRTA tests last week?

The weather was expected to be partly cloudy this Friday, clear tomorrow and Sunday. This morning, it even rained a little during Moto2 and a few drops fell during MotoGP. This has improved significantly and temperatures are currently 23° in the air and 35° on the ground, under generally clear skies.

P1, actually a little shortened by very light rain, nevertheless brought its share of good news, with for example Alex Marquez et Joan mir already competitive on the handlebars of their new motorcycles, but also a fabio quartararo very fast despite not having put a soft tire on the rear. Something to make our mouths water for this afternoon…

As the 22 drivers prepare for this P2 session, now 60 minutes long, let's take advantage of these few live moments thanks to the official website MotoGP.com :

MotoGP™ Portimao	11-2021	2022	2023
P1	1'40.192 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'50.666 Marc Marquez (See here)	1'38.782 Alex Marquez (See here)
P2	1'39.390 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'50.707 Pol Espargaro (See here)	1'37.709 Jack Miller (See here)
FP	1'39.202 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'50.552 Miguel Oliveira (See here)	(See here)
FP4	1'39.665 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'50.750 Miguel Oliveira (See here)	XXXXXXXXXXXX
Q1	1'39.130 Johann Zarco (See here)	1'46.316 Alex Marquez (See here)	(See here)
Q2	1'38.725 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'42.003 Johann Zarco (See here)	(See here)
Sprint	XXX	XXX	(See here)
Warm Up	1'39.711 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'40.278 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	(See here)
Course	Bagnaia, Mir, Miller (See here)	Quartararo, Zarco, A. Espargaro (See here)	(See here)
All time lap record	1'38.725 Francesco Bagnaia 2021 (See here)		1'37.709 Jack Miller (See here)

When the red lights go out... it's always Franco Morbidelli who rushes first in front Marco Bezzecchi et Jack Miller.

The sun is shining and everyone is on slicks, although with different choices.

The first reference is registered in 1'39.707 at the end of the first lap launched by Maverick Vinales. We are already very close to the best lap this morning…

Alex Espargaro in fact improves to 1'38.838 from the next pass while his brother Pol Espargaro made a minor mistake in the last sector.

In the wake, Maverick Vinales places himself behind his teammate to shine the RS–GP of Noale who monopolize the first two rows of the table in front of the stage local and the two VR46 pilots.

Joan mir makes a minor mistake at the moment when fabio quartararo is inserted between the two Aprilias. In the next lap, the Frenchman achieved 1'38.850 and took command of the session, 3rd overall.

After a quarter of an hour, the flags are waved, probably because of the timing.

This gives us time to consult the combined ranking, still led by Alex Marquez before Joan Mir, Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Vinales, Luca Marini, Marco Bezzecchi, Francesco bagnaia, Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin, Miguel Oliveira, Brad Binder, Marc Márquez, Aleix Espargaro, Jack Miller, Alex Rins, Franco Morbidelli, Enea Bastianini, Augusto Fernandez , Raul Fernandez, Takaaki Nakagami, Pol Espargaro and Fabio Di Giannantonio.

A little live: like us, the pilots are waiting…

The track opens again at 16:43 p.m. Enea Bastianini leaves first.

Marco Bezzecchi fall without gravity, followed a few moments later by Augusto Fernandez.

Several times were canceled during the interruption, others restored, which now gives a top 10 in the combined ranking made up of Alex Marquez, Joan Mir, Maverick Vinales, Luca Marini, Jorge Martin, Aleix Espargaro, Fabio Quartararo, Marco Bezzecchi, Francesco Bagnaia and Johann Zarco.

Six minutes before mid-session, Francesco Bagnaia achieves the third fastest time of the session and finds himself sixth overall. The reigning world champion continued his effort and scored 1'38.798 on the next pass, which gave him leadership of the session and second place in the combined ranking.

Maverick Vinales then responds in 1'38.785, 13 thousandths faster than the Ducati rider but still 3 thousandths from the best time this morning achieved by Alex Marquez.

Five minutes after mid-session, Marc Márquez produces its effort with a soft rear tire. The Honda driver jumped from 16th place to provisional first place in 1'38.665...

… but is immediately overwhelmed by Jorge Martin in 1'38.370, new official circuit record!

20 minutes from the checkered flag, Alex Marquez, author of the best time this morning but who has not yet improved, made his effort and improved in 1'38.409 to position himself second a brief moment before Joan mir places its RC213V in 2nd place.

Johann zarco then sets the fourth time but it is canceled because Raul Fernandez fell at turn #13 in the fourth sector.

Espargaro Pol falls violently at turn #10 and remains lying on the ground, which results in another red flag. We see Miguel Oliveira who also suffered a violent highside in the same place (but independently), running to return to his box.

Dorna Sports informs that the GASGAS pilot is conscious, which reassures everyone a little.

The time ofAlex Espargaro, author of the best lap in 1'38.253, is still displayed even though it was achieved under yellow flag.
The track opens again at 17:40 p.m. with drivers visibly very impatient…

Luca marini fall without gravity then Francis Bagnaia imposes a 1'37.856 which is not only the new circuit record, but also a faster time than that achieved during last week's tests!

Marc Márquez fall without gravity while trying to follow fabio quartararo (bad memory) just after Jack Miller surprised everyone by registering 1'37.709 at the top of the table!

In extremis, fabio quartararo returns to the top 10, in sixth position ahead John Zarco.

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

Classification credit: MotoGP.com