Valentino Rossi officially ratified as MotoGP Legend

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Valentino Rossi has been inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame and is now an official MotoGP Legend, although his unofficial legend status has been unquestioned for quite some time.

The nine-time World Champion was surprised with the honour at the FIM MotoGP Awards Ceremony, adding to a roll call of celebrations throughout the day as he hangs up his racing leathers. The emotional lap of honour after the race and hero’s welcome were only the start on Sunday, and those came after a weekend already painted yellow in the number 46’s honour.

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta presented Rossi with the MotoGP Legend trophy on the stage, celebrating 26 seasons of history made and hearts captured around the world. Nine World Championships, 115 wins and 235 podiums across all classes are incredible numbers, but the legend is even more than those.

The Italian joins a long list of greats that have been made MotoGP Legends that includes Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Stefan Dörflinger, Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez and the late, great Nicky Hayden.

Valentino Rossi – MotoGP Legend

“I always think of this day like a nightmare, because it’s the end of the a long career and I think it would be in Valencia but in the end I enjoyed it a lot so I have to thank everyone, everyone who has worked with me, the whole paddock, the other riders… it was an unforgettable day and I enjoyed it. It was a long career, and always a pleasure.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta – CEO of Dorna Sports

“The only thing I can say to Vale is thank you very much. It’s been amazing since 1997 in Malaysia, we saw a guy doing fantastic races but also very special for so many reasons. We started to talk with him and since that time, everything we’ve done together, with everyone who works in MotoGP it’s been amazing. First of all Valentino has been an incredible rider, even yesterday, at 42, he was within tenths of Fabio. But also his personality, the situation he’s helped us to create, the Safety Commission, it’s something very special. These are all the words I can say. Grazie, Valentino!”

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FIM MotoGP Awards Ceremony caps off 2021

Sunday at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana is a day that will go down in history for a few reasons and the FIM MotoGP Awards ceremony brought the curtain down on the season.

The Champions and winners in 2021 also took centre stage, including – of course – newly-crowned MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) fresh from Moto2 glory and the Moto3 history maker himself, rookie World Champion Pedro Acosta.

The 2021 Awards were hosted by Gavin Emmett and Andrea Schlager, with FIM President Jorge Viegas and Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta in attendance to present the range of awards throughout the evening to all the winners this season.

Quartararo was the MotoGP main event as he received his trophy after making history as the first French premier class World Champion, and he picked up the BMW M Award for best qualifier in the MotoGP class once again. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducat Lenovo Team) was on stage as runner up, and 2020 Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was once again in the top three.

The Tissot Pole of Poles winners this season were Bagnaia, Raul Fernandez and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) in MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 respectively, and they picked up their prizes.

The top three in the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup were also honoured: Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40), runner up Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt IntactGP) and third overall Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE), with Aegerter receiving his award remotely.

The top Independent Team rider title went to Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) after another season of consistent speed and excellence from the Frenchman, and this year’s MotoGP Rookie of the Year award was presented to his teammate Jorge Martin after a stunning debut for the Spaniard – including a first premier class win, a host of poles and another podium to round out the year too.

In Moto2, Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Raul Fernandez, after breaking some of Marc Marquez’ records in the class, was crowned Rookie of the Year. In Moto3, by definition it was also a clear winner as a rookie stormed the Championship: Pedro Acosta.

Ducati swept the Team and Constructor titles in the premier class, with the Bologna factory taking their highest number of podiums ever – and earlier in the day having taken their first ever 1-2-3. Ducati Lenovo Team were the Team Champions too. Kalex came out on top in Moto2, and KTM in Moto3.

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup winner David Alonso and FIM MiniGP World Series Champion Izan Rodriguez were also applauded for their seasons.

And so the curtain falls, and we bid farewell to a rider who sparked the soul of the sport. Ciao Vale, grazie – and let’s celebrate an incredible career before the lights go out in 2022 for more incredible racing!

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MotoGP – Round 17 – Algarve

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Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was unstoppable at the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve and picked up his third victory of the season, with his latest 25-point haul handing Ducati the 2021 Constructors title too. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the podium as the race ended slightly prematurely, with Iker Lecuona (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashing at Turn 13 and bringing out the red flags. Riders ok, Oliveira also headed to local hospital for further checks.

Portimao MotoGP Race Report

Rewinding to the start, Miller propelled his GP21 off the line very well and grabbed the holeshot diving down the hill into Turn 1, but the Australian was slightly wide, allowing polesitter Bagnaia through and into the lead. Lap 1 saw Mir then pass Miller at Turn 8, the Spaniard making his front row start count, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) losing a couple of positions in the latter half of the top ten.

Bagnaia and Mir had the hammer down at the front, soon nearly a second clear of Miller. The Australian had Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing), Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) and Quartararo in hot pursuit too. Bagnaia really started to get the hammer down on Lap 7, his lead up to seven-tenths over Mir, who in turn was a second up the road from Miller. Third place soon went to Alex Marquez though, the double World Champion getting the job done at Turn 1 at the beginning of Lap 12.

As things stood then, with Bagnaia leading and Quartararo seventh, Ducati would be crowned Constructor Champions. And Pecco’s lead was stretching. With 12 laps to go, it was up to nearly two-seconds over Mir, who in turn had a second and a half over Alex Marquez. For the Ducati in the lead, it only increased and Bagnaia was nearly two and a half clear with nine to go.

Mir, meanwhile, was holding Alex Marquez and Miller at bay by just over a second, with Martin, Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) and Quartararo a second and a half down on the podium fight in turn.

A fantastic fight between Marquez and Miller was unfolding for the final podium spot too. Turn 1 witnessed Miller dive up the inside of the Honda, but Marquez was able to make the cutback work – so it was as you were with six laps to go. Quartararo was struggling to dismiss Pramac duo Martin and Zarco too, with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) soon joining the scrap for P5.

With five to go, at Turn 5, it was done and dusted for the newly-crowned World Champion though. Quartararo slipped out of contention and suffered his first DNF of the season – rider ok after a fairly drama-free lowside. Focus turned then turned to the Miller vs Alex Marquez fight just up ahead, the Aussie still leading that ding-dong, with everything boiling up for a final lap scrap.

The last lap didn’t arrive, however, as a crash involving Lecuona and home hero Oliveira at Turn 13 brought out the Red Flags. Both riders were conscious and eventually up on their feet, but with three-quarters of the race completed, the race was declared a result at the beginning of Lap 24. It was investigated and no further action deemed necessary. Lecuona made his own error and unfortunately made contact thereafter with Oliveira in some pure bad luck for the home hero.

With that thought, it was done: Pecco’s victory ensures Ducati retain their Constructor crown, and it was a fantastic way to bounce back after the disappointment suffered by the Bologna camp at Misano. Mir returns to the rostrum for the first time since Aragon, and from his first MotoGP top three in qualifying, also turning his fortunes around after a tough Emilia-Romagna GP. Miller too ends a podium drought that stretched back to the Catalan GP, although the Aussie was ready for a 2014 Moto3 re-run, with ‘heaps of tyre’ ready to fight it out.

Still, Alex Marquez’ fantastic weekend ended with the Spaniard unluckily missing out on a chance to attack for the podium, but it was nonetheless a brilliant ride from the LCR Honda Castrol rider – a best result of the season for the number 73. Zarco claimed a lonely P5 in the end, but it’s a result that confirms the Frenchman as the top Independent Team rider in 2021. Pol Espargaro’s P6 was a job well done for the Spaniard, and talking of jobs well done, the rookie in seventh impressed.

Only a few months on from his Turn 7 horror crash, Martin returned to Portugal and picked up an impressive result to help Pramac Racing become Independent Team Champions – with Martin now just three points down on Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama) in the Rookie of the Year fight. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) finished eighth ahead of Bastianini in ninth, with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounding out the top 10 from the near back of the grid.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Luca Marini (Sky VR46 Avintia), Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Andrea Dovizioso (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Marc Marquez’ stand-in Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team) completed the points, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) the other finishers in Portimão as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Danilo Petrucci (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) suffered DNFs

One round now remains, and Pecco is back on top! The Italian has secured the silver medal in the MotoGP World Championship, as well as helping Ducati secure the Constructor crown. Now, Ducati Lenovo Team and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP go head-to-head for the Team Championship in Valencia. The season finale is just around the corner at Valencia this coming weekend!

Portimao II MotoGP Race Results

MotoGP Championship Standings

Constructor Standings

Team Standings

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Moto2

Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) secured what’s likely the most important victory of his career at the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve and now takes a 23-point lead into the final round in Valencia. The Australian got the better of rival and teammate Raul Fernandez as the Spaniard had to settle for P2 despite an early lead. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) completed the podium, ultimately less than a second away from Fernandez.

As the lights went out, Raul Fernandez and Gardner both made good starts and they launched into Turn 1 as they lined up on the grid – P1 and P2. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) made a lightning start from seventhto push his way up into P3 in the opening exchanges too, and the Italian was soon ahead of Gardner to boot. The top three – Raul Fernandez, Bezzecchi and Gardner – were split by just over a second in the early stages, with Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) in an impressive fourth, two seconds down on the podium fight.

After shadowing Bezzecchi for a few laps, Gardner was back up into P2 on Lap 9, with Raul Fernandez’ lead standing at just over a second. As things were, the gap between the Red Bull KTM Ajo pair would have been 13 points heading to Valencia, but Gardner was starting to reel his teammate in…

Turn 1, Lap 13. Gardner, with more grip, was truly on the scene and passed Raul Fernandez down the hill. Bezzecchi was three seconds further behind, so it looked set to send in a duel, but Gardner wasn’t pulling away. The number 25 of his teammate was latched onto his rear tyre, with Lowes the new threat in P3 as the Brit caught and passed Bezzecchi.

Heading into the final five laps, Raul Fernandez was still hanging in there but couldn’t get close enough to make a move. But with three to go, the gap went up over a second, and it only increased from there…

By the last lap, Lowes was lapping nearly a second a lap quicker than Raul Fernandez too, and if the number 22 overtook the number 25, that would hand the title to Gardner. And the Brit got close but not quite close enough, with Gardner taking 25 points under extreme pressure and in a fair bit of pain after his crash on Friday. Fernandez hung on in second, and Lowes completed the podium after another good ride at the front, pulling a little more clear in fourth overall heading to Valencia.

Aron Canet (QuieroCorredor Aspar Team) ultimately pipped Beaubier to P4 but the duo crossed the line just 0.005 apart, and the American equalled his best Moto2 result. Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) claimed P6 as the Italian once again impresses, the rookie beating Jorge Navarro (Termozeta Speed Up) by eight tenths. Bezzecchi slipped from P2 to P8 at the chequered flag. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) rounded out the top 10.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) couldn’t covert a front row start into a podium attack, the Italian finishing P11, with Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP40), Stefano Manzi (Flexbox HP40), Marcos Ramirez (American Racing) and Bo Bendsneyder (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) picked up the final points.

Gardner’s victory sees him have one hand and four fingers on the 2021 Moto2 World title, but it’s not over until it’s over. A phenomenal season finale is coming up in Valencia between the Red Bull KTM Ajo duo… so who comes out on top after a thrilling season?

The Australian has gathered 12 podiums through a consistent term that included wins in Italy, Catalunya, Germany, Great Britain and now Portugal. Fernandez has 11 rostrum appearances. Gardner and Fernandez’s will end their gripping dispute at next week’s season-closing Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana on Sunday November 14th.

Remy Gardner

“One of the hardest races and one of my best. Especially with all that pressure. I was pretty clear that we’d go with the hard tyre and it worked out. I had to really push in the first stage of race to stay with Raul. My ribs were hurting, and it was really tough. I don’t know how I did it to be honest.”

Portimao II Moto2 Race Results

Moto2 Championship Standings

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Moto3

In an unbelievable Moto3 Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) took both victory and the 2021 World Championship in a dramatic penultimate round of the season. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) was taken out at Turn 3 on the final lap after leading for much of the race, the Italian experiencing some late heartbreak after a sensational run of form. After that incident, Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) came through to complete the podium behind Acosta.

Polesitter Sergio Garcia (MuchoNeumatico GASGAS Aspar Team) grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, with Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) getting the better of John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) down the hill. Foggia lost a couple of places on the first lap but the pocket rocket slipstreamed his way to P1 at the beginning of Lap 2, with Acosta 12th at the end of the first lap.

However, Acosta was carving his way through the pack and soon enough was 6th. Foggia, up front, had a stellar Lap 3 to set the fastest lap of the race and stretch a lead over Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) to over half a second, but Acosta remained on the march and was up to P4 after passing Fernandez and McPhee – the latter crashing unhurt at Turn 13 on Lap 5.

By Lap 9, Acosta finally got the better of Binder into Turn 5 and the top two in the title chase were now 1-2, with Foggia leading Acosta. Diving down the hill into Turn 1 on Lap 10, the number 37 then led for the first time. However, he was wide, allowing Foggia and Binder to get back past. Now though, Acosta had his teammate Jaume Masia with him in the fight at the front too…

Just like that, Masia was past Acosta at the start of Lap 13, then shoved his way up the inside of Foggia at Turn 3. Masia sat Foggia up, the Spaniard taking the lead and Acosta following him through. Turn 5 on the same lap saw the Championship leader then take the lead again too, but Masia returned the favour on the front straight. Acosta then looked behind him and lost some time, dropping to sixth as Foggia got back into the lead.

y five to go it was Foggia-Binder-Acosta, and at his favoured Turn 13, the number 37 grabbed second from Binder and once again the two title contenders were leading the group. With four to go, it was as you were. With three to go, not quite. Turn 3 saw Acosta overtake Foggia, and Turn 5 then saw Masia crash out of the battle.

Two to go. Foggia reeled in Acosta and a brilliant move up the inside at Turn 11 gave the Italian the lead once more as the riders clocked onto the final lap: Foggia 1st, Acosta 2nd.

But then the drama came at Turn 3. Acosta dived up the inside for the lead, and behind them Binder was in hot. The South African collided with the back of Foggia, who crashed, with Garcia also getting caught up in the incident. And that, ultimately, was all she wrote for Foggia’s title chances.

Acosta kept it pinned up ahead and making no mistake on the last lap, took victory. From P14 on the grid to the top step, he is the 2021 World Champion. Migno and Antonelli avoided the Turn 3 drama to come through, the Italians getting the better side of luck this time around to complete the podium.

Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) picked up P4 ahead of Izan Guevara (MuchoNeaumatico GASGAS Aspar Team) and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) – the latter duo producing fine performances after taking Long Lap penalties in the race. Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing), Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Filip Salač (CarXpert PrüstelGP) rounded out the top 10.

Fernandez, Carlos Tatay (Avintia Esponsorama Moto3), FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship riders Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power), and Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) completed the points.

Binder, after causing the crash that saw Foggia and Garcia go down on the last lap, crossed the line in P4 but was then disqualified from the race.

Joel Kelso had answered a last-minute call-up from the CIP-GREEN POWER Moto3 Team that he will join in 2022 last week to replace regular incumbent Maximilian Kofler, after the Austrian returned a positive Covid-19 test. Arriving in Portugal only a couple of hours before first practice, Kelso qualified 19th before then slowly working his way up during the race to finish 14th. Team-mate Kaito Toba struggled more and crashed at the first corner on the first lap.

Joel Kelso – P14

“Overall it was a good weekend. What can I say? The team and I did a great job this weekend. We made a lot of progress with the bike, and that’s a very positive thing for the coming year. Honestly, it gives me a lot more motivation. Everything went incredibly well in the opening 13 laps until I made a small mistake. In the end we finished 14th, so two points. I also set my best lap on this track. Overall, I am very happy. I know I could have done better, but anyway, we have to take the positive. We worked well. We’ll see what happens after that, but I’m looking forward to next season with this team.”

So there we have it – Pedro Acosta is the 2021 Moto3 World Champion. A young Spaniard taking the world by storm, Acosta has been nothing short of phenomenal this season and becomes the first rookie lightweight class Champion since Loris Capirossi in 1990. Commiserations to Foggia, who now heads to Valencia hoping to end his classy campaign on a high, but both riders have given us a title chase to remember. As has Garcia in the earlier season – and the Aspar rider’s record at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo teases a highflying end to the season….

Pedro Acosta – 2021 Moto3 World Champion

“It’s unbelievable, I was thinking on the in-lap about everything that’s happened this last year. Less than a year ago I lost the opportunity to come here with another team, and finally Aki, Red Bull and KTM gave me the opportunity. But they didn’t give me a team, they gave me a family. I didn’t win this alone, we won this together. The guys didn’t stop believing in me when in the middle of the season I had some bad races or when I crashed, you know. Everyone believe in me and this is for everyone in the team, for Aki, Red Bull, KTM, all my mechanics. Everybody.

“I’m not proud of myself, I’m more super proud of them who didn’t stop believing. Everybody was talking about it… we did it together for sure. I think they gave me the mentality of not riding alone, I ride with my team, with my close circle. We know we won this together.

“I preferred to not look behind and just try to push. The only thing I could do was push and I did. I’m proud to fight with Dennis, and for sure he’s going to fight for the Championship next year. I’m proud to fight with these guys.”

Portimao II Moto3 Race Results

Moto3 Championship Standings

2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MotoGP – Round 17
Portimao Friday Report

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Fabio Quartararo was pretty dominant over Friday’s two practice sessions at Portimao overnight. Right on his heels on both sessions was the Ducati pairing of Pecco Bagnaia and Jack Miller.

Suzuki’s Joan Mir slotted into fourth. It was a positive day at the office for the Spaniard and the number 36 heads into Saturday just a couple of tenths down on Quartararo.

Fifth place Pol Espargaro leads the Honda charge, with Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) moving up from P13 in FP1 to take sixth overall and in FP2, readying for his charge at the title of top Independent Team rider on Sunday…

Alex Marquez enjoyed his Friday on the rollercoaster and took seventh, the Spaniard heading compatriot Aleix Esaprgaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and LCR Honda teammate Nakagami in P8 and P9, respectively. The final provisional place in Q2 goes to Rins as it stands, but the top 15 riders are split by less than a second so far…

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MotoGP Rider Quotes

Fabio Quartararo – P1

“I enjoyed today’s sessions a lot, because the last two race weekends were more about stress and not making any mistakes than about enjoyment. Now I’m enjoying riding so much again. Even in the time-attack it’s been a while since I was able to get that feeling of being on the limit. I was really enjoying it. It’s nice to battle for first in the timesheets with Pecco. Sunday is the most important, but it’s nice to see the two most competitive riders of the second half of the season fighting. For today, we had planned to try the medium and the hard tyres, but because of the wind it was quite difficult to adapt myself properly, so we need to do it tomorrow instead. Other than that, we wanted to try a few things on the bike, but to be honest the most important thing was to be back after Misano and check my riding, and I think it was quite okay. The triple crown is not just in my hands, so instead my target this weekend is to fight for the race victory and then we will see what happens, also concerning the Team and Constructor’s Title. We need to at least try to win to secure the triple crown.”

Francesco Bagnaia – P2

“I had a lot of fun today, and I’m satisfied with this first day at Portimão. The pace is always fast on this track, but we could have a very consistent pace right from the start. Although the wind picked up in the afternoon, which disturbed us a little, we still set a good time, and over the next two days, it looks like the weather will improve. Anyway, we’re in good shape and tomorrow, we’ll try to make a few more steps forward, but in general, we don’t have any significant changes to make to the bike. I’m confident and ready to have a good qualifying session”.

Jack Miller – P3

“I’m thrilled to be back here at Portimão: it was a positive Friday for us, and I hope we can continue like this until Sunday. The bike is working well, and I felt comfortable right from the start. This morning we tried the medium tyre while in the afternoon, we lapped on the hard tyre, then we mounted the soft in the final minutes and tried a time attack. Unfortunately, compared to the morning, I struggled a bit more in FP2 because of the wind, but it seems that tomorrow and Sunday, the conditions will be better. The main focus for Saturday will be to continue to work on the race pace and try to stay in the top ten in FP3 to aim for a good grid position for the race.”

Joan Mir – P4

“It was a positive day for us; we’re working well and I felt competitive straight away so that made our work a bit easier today. Apart from the big moment in FP1, everything has been running smoothly. We focused on a few small details, including the electronics and we’re following the steps to try and build a strong weekend. So far, I’m happy.”

Pol Espargaro – P5

“The conditions today weren’t amazing, there wasn’t a lot of grip and I was struggling honestly. Today we worked on the setting of the bike to make the most of the situation and to be competitive, I think it shows how far we have come since the start of the year. It’s an amazing step when you compare now to the first time we came. Even if I’m not happy with my feeling, we are able to set quite good times and finish in a position that isn’t too bad. There’s still more work to do, especially with the harder tyres, and getting straight into Q2 won’t be easy but we have potential.”

Johann Zarco – P6

“I feel good on this track. I like it a lot, and I can have fun despite it being difficult. Everyone is really quick and it will not be easy. We have, however, had a good first day, and we are confident about tomorrow.”

Álex Márquez – P7

“It was a really good day for us. We’ve already ridden here at Portimao at the start of 2021 and that was a good race for us. Today, we started with good pace in the morning, we were constantly in the top five to seven which is really good. We have to keep going like this now, it’s only Friday and there’s still many things to do. Tomorrow we need to be positive and the key will be getting into Q2 in the morning. We’ll try to make another step tomorrow, but I’m really happy with the team who did a great job today.”

Aleix Espargaro – P8

“Today things didn’t go badly. I’m eighth in spite of still not having the best sensations and that is positive. We clearly need to improve. I’m still struggling too much, especially when trying to stay consistent over several laps. The track didn’t have much grip this morning, but it improved gradually. I think it will continue to do so and that should help us. I’m have faith in what the technicians will be able to propose for me tomorrow. I’m sure we’ll be faster.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P9

“It was a good day. FP1 was quite difficult conditions as there was a little bit of dust, but in FP2 conditions were getting better and we were able to improve the lap time and the feeling on the bike. We still need to find the best balance of the bike, but the general feeling is quite good, so we’ll keep working hard to improve. Let’s see how we do in qualifying.”

Alex Rins – P10

“This is a good track for me and our bike works well here – this morning I was fast and also this afternoon, especially with the soft rear I felt really good. In the last laps of the day I was missing something, and I couldn’t reach the target of being a bit faster. However, I still made it into the Top 10 and we know where we can improve so we will keep pushing.”

Jorge Martín – P11

“On the first run, I was a bit worried, but I then managed to gain confidence and so the feeling improved lap by lap. In FP2, we managed to put out a good lap. We only just didn’t make it to the top ten for now. We need to take a small step forwards to get ahead.”

Franco Morbidelli – P12

“It was a decent day. We were decently fast with the harder tyres. But unfortunately, when we put on the soft tyres, we didn’t do a proper time attack. But anyway, I was pushing more, and the feeling wasn’t what I was expecting, so we need to work a little bit on that to improve the performance with new tyres and with soft tyres. But overall, it was a decent day.”

Danilo Petrucci – P13

“It was a good day. Since this morning I have a good feeling with the bike and I’m having fun, which is just the most important thing. I enjoy riding the bike around this circuit. We made a few steps that have been working. I’m happy about that. For sure, we are still not in the top 10, so we still need to improve some areas. In general, I’m happy and I think tomorrow we can have a decent Qualifying.”

Maverick Vinales – P14

“I’m rather satisfied with the work we did today. We can’t forget that our primary goal is still to get to know the RS-GP as well as we can and to gather information for next season. I felt fairly good in terms of pace, whereas I’m struggling on the flying lap. The bike moves around a lot, which causes me to make mistakes, making it difficult to be consistent. For tomorrow, we’ll try to find more stability and I’m sure that we’ll make another step forward, partly because, despite not finding the best feeling, I was still close to the top 10.”

Luca Marini – P15

“This morning, in FP1, I had a good feeling with the bike, but in the afternoon with the wind, I struggled to keep the pace and in the last run I had very little confidence with the rear tyre. Anyway, we are confident for tomorrow, we are close to the Top 10, which is our goal, and we are not going to make any changes to the bike. We have shown that we can be fast in these conditions.”

Enea Bastianini – P16

“I was expecting a bit more, we are having more problems than expected and I still can’t ride like I want to. In the afternoon with the wind, it made the bike move a lot and I couldn’t put in a good lap. From tomorrow we will keep working to improve, especially in the second and fourth sector, which is where I lose more time. Normally, the corner entry is my strong point, but here I have to ‘fight’ with the bike to get it. Tomorrow will be a new day and we will try to get a good result.”

Stefan Bradl – P18

“I am content with today, we did a good job overall and we were able to start focusing on some smaller details. Our times are there more or less, with the riders who have been racing all year so this shows our level well. I put in a soft tyre at the end of FP2 but it didn’t help us too much. We keep on working, it’s great to see the Honda going so well here with Pol, Alex and Taka all challenging at the front.”

Iker Lecuona – P20

“In general, it would have been a good day for us. I had a great feeling on the bike in FP1. I was riding alone, worked on myself and on the bike to improve and feel more confident and it worked out. In FP2, we kept the same direction and I felt ok again. My pace was very consistent and we are not very far. On my fast lap I did some mistakes and nearly crashed in the last corner, so it was a little bit crazy. But I want to keep this way, I think we did a very good job today. Now we just focus on tomorrow.”

Valentino Rossi – P21

“It was a difficult day and I struggled more than I expected to. In the race here in April I made a good step with the hard tyre, but today it has been a bit too cold for it and the track doesn’t have enough grip. I hope that the conditions will be better tomorrow and that the grip improves as well, so that we can use the hard tyre. For me, this is the tyre that I can be fastest on because it gives me better stability with the rear. FP3 is always very important because you need to try to stay inside the top-ten, because if you don’t then you have to do Q1. We have another practice to try to improve the feeling of the bike with the tyres, so we will see.”

Andrea Dovizioso – P2

“The first day here in Portimao wasn’t easy and I didn’t feel too good today, but the track is nice – albeit a little strange. I’m still not feeling 100% with the bike and I think there are a few reasons, for example I’m not smooth enough and in some areas of the track I am not fast enough. It means that when you want to push to gain some time, you make a mistake. We will see tomorrow what the conditions are like and what we can do in FP3 and Qualifying. We have room to improve.”

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MotoGP Friday Combined Times

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Moto2

Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished top of the pile on Day 1 but only just. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was just 0.002 off the Spaniard’s 1:43.246 by the end of play, with the Brit continuing his Misano momentum.

World Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was third quickest and quick all day, but the Australian suffered some late drama at the final corner when he crashed with Marcos Ramirez (American Racing).

Moto2 Friday Combined Times

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Moto3

Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) ousted compatriot and title contender Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) from top spot in FP2. Fenati’s 1:48.026 saw him beat Foggia by just 0.015s, as Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) claimed P3 at the end of play on Friday.

Moto3 Friday Combined Times

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MotoGP Championship Standings

Constructor Standings

Team Standings

2021 Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve

2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar

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Moto2 Championship Standings

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Moto3 Championship Standings

Source: MCNews.com.au

2021 MotoGP – Round 17 – Algarve

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Due to the Covid-affected race calendar this year, the MotoGP paddock will be returning to Portimao for the second time this season, for the penultimate round of the 2021 championship in the Grande Prémio do Algarve.

Situated in the south-west of Portugal, the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve saw action in April in the third round of the series and will now welcome the riders back onto its 4.6 kilometres of asphalt, with nine right and six left-hand corners and a long 968 metre front straight. The elevation changes of its rolling layout are quite dramatic, and it features a unique descent into Turn 1 which gives the circuit its fairground ride reference as a ‘high speed rollercoaster’. The temperatures in the Algarve in November should be fairly similar to April, but due to the time of year and its location close to the Atlantic, there is an increased chance of rain compared to the Spring.

The 2021 FIM MotoGP World Champion is decided, but there’s plenty still on the line this season. Two Grands Prix remain, and there are also the Team and Constructor crowns to be fought for. The fight though won’t include the added presence of a stronger Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) as the eight-time World Champion is sidelined as a precaution, having suffered a slight concussion in training on Saturday.

An exact re-run of the Portuguese GP would probably suit newly-crowned Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) just fine though. The Frenchman dominated on our first visit, and headed a top three on the podium that mirrors the 2021 standings exactly. If there hasn’t been a shake up since then, that’s no problem at all for El Diablo – especially as the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team arrive 13 points clear in the Team standings. But Quartararo was already in his stride as the season began, something that, arguably, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) hit a little later.

Fabio Quartararo

“It took a bit of time, but winning the 2021 MotoGP World Championship is finally sinking in! Now that I no longer have to think about the standings and points all the time, I can go back to the mindset we had when we came here earlier in the year. Our goal is to be first again, as it was at the start of the championship, because we still have the Team and the Constructor Title to fight for. We did an amazing race at this track at the Portuguese GP. The pace was so fast, so I‘m very curious to see what we can do this weekend.”

The other obstacle for Bagnaia’s charge to stay with Quartararo on take one in Portugal was a rollercoaster qualifying that saw one lap chalked off for track limits and another for a Yellow Flag. That dropped him ten places behind Quartararo on the grid, and Bagnaia and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) charged from 11th and ninth to second and third, respectively. Now, Bagnaia arrives with the last four pole positions in his pocket… so the sensible bet is against the Italian having to repeat his comeback on take two.

Francesco Bagnaia

“It was nice to have a few days off after Misano to restore energy before heading into the last two races of the season. The riders’ Championship has been decided, but we have to stay focused: our goal is to get the best result every race weekend, so I arrive in Portimão full of energy and keen to do well! In the last GP here, I managed to get on the podium even though I started the race quite far back, and this weekend we will try again to fight for the victory. We must try to bring home as many points as possible to confirm the second position in the Championship and try to secure the teams’ and constructors’ titles. I am optimistic and confident that we can do well here in Portugal.”

Mir and Suzuki, meanwhile, arrive hoping to repeat that podium but still looking for some Saturday secrets. The 2020 Champion hasn’t ever had a front row in MotoGP and despite five podiums this season, has a 2021 best of fifth and that – at the Styrian GP – is the only time he’s started on the front two rows this season. That’s a lot of extra work to do on Sunday and he also arrives on the back foot after a crash out at Misano from 18th on the grid. His performance in Portugal last time out was impressive though, and that will be a positive on the way in – as will the reappearance of Valencia on the horizon, scene of his first MotoGP win.

Joan Mir

“I was third here when we came for the third round of the season, and the race was really good. I felt confident the whole time and I hope that I get those same good feelings when we get on track on Friday. Portimão is an amazing circuit, it’s like a rollercoaster but it’s really nice!”

Another positive as the Hamamatsu factory aim to push back towards the very front will be the pace shown by Mir’s team-mate Alex Rins in the Portuguese GP. The Spaniard ultimately crashed out, but he’d been able to stay with Quartararo until that point.

Alex Rins

“Portimão is a great track which I find really fun to ride. When we came here in April I was a bit unlucky because my pace was strong but I crashed out of a podium position. I’m ready to try again this weekend, especially as our bike has improved since we last came. I think we could be fast around here.”

Ducati and Yamaha will hope not, as the Hamamatsu factory are out of the running in the Team and Constructor standings but could complicate life just ahead of them. The aforementioned 13-point lead for Monster Energy Yamaha in the Teams’ standings is a lead ahead of Ducati Lenovo Team, and Ducati have a 12-point lead in the Constructors’ over… that’s right, Yamaha. Suzuki are third in both. So there could be plenty of key players: Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin, Enea Bastianini (Avintia Esponsorama), Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso…

Jack Miller

“I’m happy to be back racing in Portugal! The Autódromo do Algarve is really an incredible track where I always have a lot of fun! Unfortunately, last time that we had a Grand Prix here, I could not finish the weekend as we had hoped: after a crash on the sixth lap of the race, I was forced to retire, so I am back to Portimão determined to redeem myself and fight for a good result! It is the penultimate race of the year, and I want to end my season positively. In addition, we’re still fighting for the manufacturers’ title and the teams’ title, so I’ll do everything I can to help Ducati and the team achieve these two important goals”.

Franco Morbidelli

“The Emilia-Romagna GP weekend was positive for us overall. We made a good step to improve the feeling with the bike, and my pace at the start of the race was good. The condition of my knee is improving week by week, so steadily we are seeing progress. Portimão could be a challenge though. I don‘t know how physically demanding this track will be, especially considering the elevation changes, but I do always enjoy riding at this track, so I‘m looking forward to it.“

Valentino Rossi

“Portimão is a difficult track and has some very particular characteristics, which other circuits do not have. The first of our two races there this year wasn’t too bad for us, as I was able to make my way through to be in the top-ten. Unfortunately I crashed out though. The target this weekend is to try to have a good race and to make our way towards the front. I had a good feeling there before, especially on Sunday, so I hope that we can be competitive and repeat a great result like we did last time in Misano.”

Andrea Dovizioso

“Algarve International Circuit is a very unique track and I actually don’t know what it will be like with the Yamaha YZR-M1, especially because we are still learning new settings with the bike. I’m really interested to see if we can be more competitive in Portimão, because in Misano we didn’t have the possibility to be with the changing track conditions. I hope to make a step forward because it is difficult to fight at the moment. I also hope that we have good conditions in Free Practice, because we need this to continue making progress and to complete more laps on the bike.”

The fight for Rookie of the Year is also heating up. After Martin had taken an early lead, Bastianini is now the rider in the hot seat following another stunning podium taken in the Emilia-Romagna GP. The Italian has a five-point lead over the Spaniard with only two races to go, so it could potentially be wrapped up this weekend, although it seems likely to roll all the way on. Who will come out on top in Portugal?

Top Independent Team rider is another up for grabs this weekend, but it’s a bigger gap and advantage in favour of Zarco. He’s back into fourth overall after a DNF for Miller last time out too, and the Pramac rider has 39-points over Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini). Zarco needs to leave the Algarve GP 26 clear to wrap up the title, so he needs to lose less than 13 to the Aprilia rider.

Aleix Espargaro

“We are headed back to Portimão in very different conditions compared with the first race, both in terms of the weather and because we’ve had the chance to get to know the new RS-GP better in the meantime. I like this track and we rode a good first race here. I can’t wait to get back on the track to verify our improvements. We have two races left to finish out this championship season well.”

Aleix Espargaro could also lose touch with Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) this weekend in the fight for seventh and higher in the overall standings, so the number 41 will want to maximise his potential in Portugal. But Binder and KTM are also on the tails of both Marc Marquez and Honda, and Suzuki aren’t mathematically out of reach either for the Austrian factory. With Marc Marquez sidelined too, Honda’s hopes fall more to Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) fresh from the podium, who will be joined in the Repsol Honda garage by Stefan Bradl in the absence of Marc Marquez. This will be Bradl’s fifth appearance of the year and all four of Bradl’s previous on track appearances have led to point scoring finishes with 11th in Qatar his best result so far. Portimao holds fond memories for the German who scored a sterling seventh place there in 2020, his second top ten of the season and highest placed finish of the year.

Pol Espargaro

“We had a great weekend in Misano and we were able to show what we can do on the Honda but now we have a new challenge. Having already raced in Portugal this year will be good as we already have knowledge of the track but I think it could be a bit difficult this weekend compared to Misano. Conditions will be different compared to the last time here so we have to understand what adjustments we will need. The motivation is so high to push in these final rounds and reward the team again. I want to wish Marc a speedy recovery.”

Stefan Bradl

“First of all I hope Marc is recovering well and he can be back on track soon. I am looking forward to riding again as Portimao is an enjoyable circuit where we had a good result towards the end of 2020. It’s never easy to jump on the bike, but we have had a lot of good bike time this year between the races and testing.”

Then there is of course Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) also flying the Honda banner.

Back to KTM, the Algarve GP will also be a huge weekend for Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The Portuguese rider has had some incredible rides this year, including that impressive win in Catalunya, but after a tougher run he’ll want to end the season on a high. He is a previous winner at Portimão after that demolition job in 2020, although he’ll more likely be aiming for a good points haul and a return to the front this time around. The number 88 was back on form at Misano too, fighting for the podium before his charge was ended by a crash. What can he bring on home turf?

After both, Iker Lecuona and Danilo Petrucci delivered some strong performances last time out in rainy Misano, clinching their respective best grid positions aboard the KTM RC16 with their participation in Q2 and eventually an eighth and a ninth place, hopes are high to take along the good spirits, although the last race ended in a disappointing way for both, the Spaniard and the Italian. Yet, Lecuona and Petrucci are eager to terminate this year on a high.

Iker Lecuona

“I want to enjoy that race! I struggled quite a lot when we have been here at the beginning of this season, but I changed a lot, I improved a lot and can keep the pace. So, I think, I can do very well this weekend. I expect to enjoy it, to stay in a good position and to fight for a decent result one more time.”

Danilo Petrucci

“I’m really happy to jump back on the bike. Misano was really, really unlucky, but in Portimao we have another chance. It’s going to be the penultimate round for us. We have some data there from April, I’m feeling well and prepared, so I will definitely try to be as competitive as possible this weekend.”

Hervé Poncharal – Tech3 KTM Team Manager

“We, the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team start our last trip with two back to back races, the first one being held in Portugal. Of course, arriving in Portimao at this time of the year will make us think a lot of what happened just one year ago, where Miguel and his crew won that race and dominated the whole weekend. For sure it will be emotional for all of us, but I believe the target is going to be a bit different this year. The Algarve circuit itself has a fantastic and very unique layout. Let’s hope we will have the same kind of weather like last year, which brought us perfect track conditions.”

“Yet, Misano was quite good on Saturday, because that was the best Qualifying of the team so far this season. Although the race was a big disappointment with two DNFs, we want to keep the positives and I believe both, Danilo and Iker like Portimao very much. The KTM is going quite well there, so clearly, we arrive there with confidence. We really hope that we will have at least one of our riders fighting in the top 10.”

“I know for both, Danilo and Iker the fact that they couldn’t finish the race last time out in Misano was hard to digest and I think they will be even more eager this time not only to qualify as well as last time, but also see the chequered flag in a decent position. I think they both know about their future now, which will help them to start the weekend with a positive spirit and clearly, they will be able to push with a free mind and no distractions, aiming just to have fun and enjoy the moment on a MotoGP bike.”

Maverick Viñales will be tackling the Portuguese race comforted by the good performance he demonstrated on his comeback ride in Misano where he finished right behind his team-mate after starting from the nineteenth spot on the grid and where he was among the fastest in the race. His growing feeling with the Italian bike makes him optimistic for a 2021 finale that will give him the right momentum to prepare for a fundamental 2022 season.

Maverick Viñales

“I am arriving in Portimão with decidedly positive sensations. The step made in Misano has more to do with just the final position. In fact, we did a lot of work on the RS-GP, ending up with a clear improvement that we’ll be able to exploit here too. That is precisely our goal – to continue getting to know this new bike and the alchemy with my riding style. That helps us to better prepare for 2022 and, in the meantime, why not try to take home some satisfaction before the end of the season.”

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MotoGP Championship Standings

Constructor Standings

Team Standings

2021 Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve

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Moto2

During the Moto2 race the Emilia-Romagna GP, the World Championship looked like it was boiling up to get closer than ever. But in one dramatic moment the landscape changed again, with Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crashing out the lead and losing a key chance to cut the gap as team-mate and Championship leader Remy Gardner suffered a tougher race in the latter half of the top ten. Instantly, what had been a tough day for the Australian then became his own chance to strike, and the nine points for seventh place saw his lead double in the blink of an eye.

Now 18 points clear, Gardner has a shot at the crown on the Algarve. He needs to ends the race more than 25 clear to wrap up the crown, so the easiest way is to win the race and his teammate not finish second. But there are plenty of possibilities, just as there are in the race… because the last time the intermediate class raced at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Raul Fernandez took his first Moto2 win.

That bodes well, and it wasn’t as if Gardner failed to finish or suffered a mistake: he came home third. But the Australian also took his first Moto2 win at the venue last season, so there’s good form for both. In Raul Fernandez’ favour there’s also his proven ability to bounce back when needed – after each of his other two DNFs he returned to the top step in the race after – but then in Gardner’s there’s that incontrovertible 18-point lead. He doesn’t need to stop his teammate taking victory in either of the two remaining races, so Raul Fernandez’ record at both venues isn’t cause to put everything on the line at Portimão.

Aside from the two-horse race for the title though, there are a good few more riders who’ll be lining up alongside the Red Bull KTM Ajo duo and one in particular could play a key role: Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team). The Brit arrives from his third win of the season and joked himself he was looking forward to taking on Portimão again, having earlier in the season made it as far as Turn 1. Can the Brit come out swinging and fight for another victory? He knows the track well and has shown speed there. Lowes’ teammate Augusto Fernandez may also be one to watch, the number 37 coming back from a Long Lap penalty to take second last time out, and he was in the top five on take one at the track even before he’d hammered out the kinks in his season.

Aron Canet (Inde Aspar Team) will also want to finish ahead of Augusto Fernandez as they fight for fifth in the Championship, and remain in reach of Lowes in fourth, and Canet impressed at the Portuguese GP with his first Moto2 podium in second place earlier in the year. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) is only four points behind Canet too, and he’ll want to get in the mix again after an up and down last few races, with top eights mixed with podium finishes.

Only two riders remain in the fight for the Moto2 crown. Either Remy Gardner or Raul Fernandez will be the 2021 FIM Moto2 World Champion, and the Algarve GP could prove the decider. Can Gardner wrap it up? 18 points is a serious advantage, but taking more than seven points more than his team-mate has become a serious challenge too.

Moto2 Championship Standings

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Moto3

The Emilia-Romagna GP was a nail-biter for Moto3. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) had his first shot at the crown and rival Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) started down in 14th, then even dropping a few more places on Lap 1. But the Italian dug deep despite the pressure, keeping his head to take victory – his third on home soil this season and second at Misano – and keep the battle raging on to the rollercoaster. There could hardly be a better place to stage another showdown either, as the paddock’s first visit to the venue this season saw the fight for the win boil down to a duel: Acosta vs Foggia.

Then, it was the Spaniard’s second win and third podium in his first three Moto3 races, but now there’s a little more on the line as he arrives 21 points clear in a bid to become the first rookie lightweight class Champion since Loris Capirossi in 1990. And unlike Misano, where Acosta depended on Foggia’s result to be able to secure the crown, Portimão offers the Spaniard a simple equation: win the race, win the Championship. There are other combinations too of course, but a victory for Acosta in one guarantees a victory in the other regardless. Otherwise, the magic number is 26 for the rookie sensation… so just five more than Foggia.

The fact the two already duelled at the track only adds to the spectacle, and we know already there will be a spectacle. We also know, however, that there will likely be a group fight at the front for at least some of the race. Last time on the Algarve it was polesitter Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) completing the podium as he fought off the rest of the freight train, which included compatriots Niccolo Antonelli (Avintia VR46 Academy) and Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team). Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) took fourth as part of his pre-injury early season run of form he’s getting back to, and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was fast throughout the weekend before crashing in the race but still rejoining to take ninth place. He also arrives fresh from second place at Misano.

Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) is also expected to be back, and his rookie teammate Izan Guevara was fast once again at Misano. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) will want more after having a pitlane start in the Portuguese GP, too now taking on two final chances to score big in Moto3 ahead of his move to the premier class, and teammate John McPhee will hope for a smoother weekend after suffering with illness at Emilia-Romagna.

Acosta vs Foggia has been the duel for the Championship for a few races now, and the Algarve GP could be the final showdown for the crown. Can Acosta wrap it up on the second time of asking? Or will Foggia find one final stand to take it down to Valencia?

Moto3 Championship Standings

2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship calendar

Source: MCNews.com.au