MotoGP Portugal Portimão Q2 LIVE: Marc is back!

It is clear and regrettable that the first day of the 2023 MotoGP season on the Portimão circuit left us with a somewhat half-fig, half-grape taste…

On the one hand, this start of the Portuguese Grand Prix brings its share of new features generating additional intensity, as evidenced by the old track record already broken, and not by a little, by no less than 14 drivers, with premium the surprise of a very unexpected Jack Miller at the top of the provisional hierarchy.

 

 

On the other hand, even if we hide the small inconveniences of this first (electricity problems, wifi problems, generator problems, pass problems, etc.), we can only hide the accident of the unfortunate Pol I will espargaro is sufficiently worrying to tarnish the party and to question the long-term benefits of a new weekend format which we are providing below for latecomers.

Sprint race obliges (we just say Sprint), the course of the weekend is modified, as well as the name of the sessions.
Finished FP1 and FP2 (Free Practice 1 and 2) and place to P1 (Practice 1) and P2, this now lasting one hour instead of 45 minutes and being the last session which counts for direct passage to Q2.
Here, Jack Miller, Maverick Vinales, Francis Bagnaia, Luca marini, Jorge Martín, fabio quartararo, Johann zarco, Marco Bezzecchi, Aleix Espargaró et Enea Bastianini obtained their direct passage into qualification 2 (Q2), i.e. 6 Ducati, 2 Aprilia, 1 KTM, 1 Yamaha, and 0 Honda despite the undeniable efforts of Marc Márquez et Joan mir.

On Saturday, FP3 increases to 50 minutes and 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.

In Qualification 1, Marc Márquez et Miguel Oliveira were brilliantly selected to participate in Qualification 2 of 15 minutes which we will now experience with temperatures of 25° in the air and 35° on the ground, under an absolutely clear sky.

 

MotoGP™ Portimão	11-2021	2022	2023
P1	1'40.192 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'50.666 Marc Márquez (See here)	1'38.782 Alex Márquez (See here)
P2	1'39.390 Fabio Quartararo (See here)	1'50.707 Pol Espargaró (See here)	1'37.709 Jack Miller (See here)
FP	1'39.202 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'50.552 Miguel Oliveira (See here)	1'38.577 Marco Bezzecchi (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)	1'37.675 Marc Marquez (See here)
Q2	1'38.725 Francesco Bagnaia (See here)	1'42.003 Johann Zarco (See here)	1'37.226 Marc Márquez (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. Espargaró (See here)	(See here)
All time lap record	1'38.725 Francesco Bagnaia 2021 (See here)		1'37.226 Marc Marquez (See here)

 

When the red lights go out... Aleix Espargaró rushes first in front Marco Bezzecchi et Maverick Vinales.

 

 

In terms of tires, everyone obviously uses a soft rear tire but all the choices are available at the front.

 

From his first lap launched, Jack Miller impresses everyone by scoring 1'37.549 at the top of the table, the new absolute record on the circuit!

 

 

Aleix Espargaró makes a minor mistake in the last sector while his teammate Maverick Vinales is positioned second.

 

 

But things change quickly and at the end of the first run, the hierarchy is made up of Jack Miller, Jorge Martín, Francesco Bagnaia, Luca Marini, Fabio Quartararo, Johann Zarco, Enea Bastianini, Maverick Viñales, Aleix Espargaró, Marc Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi and Miguel Oliveira.

At the restart, the provisional poleman Jack Miller makes a minor mistake then Maverick Casa Particular in Viñales moves back into second position before Francis Bagnaia won at the top of the table in 1'37,290!

Jorge Martín don't give up but have to settle for second place on the grid.

In his final turn, the incredible Marc Marquez finally snatched pole position in 1'37.226 in slipstream behind Enea Bastianini, the 64th of his career!

 

 

A crazy session with circuit records dropping like flies!

 

 

See you for the Sprint at 16 p.m.!

Results of Qualifying-2 of the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Autodrome in Portimão:

Results of Qualifying-1 of the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Autodrome in Portimão:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com