2020 MotoGP Round 15 – Portimao

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MotoGP Rider Quotes

Miguel Oliveira – P1

“I knew I had a good pace, but as I said to everyone yesterday, it was going to be a little bit unpredictable after mid-race what was going to happen to the tyres. Surprisingly I kept doing the 40.1’s, 40.2’s quite easily without taking too much risks, so the tyres hold on very well. After five laps to the end, I really started to think about too many things, so I decided to just lose a couple of tenths and just tried to enjoy as most as possible. At that point, I honestly just wanted the race to finish earlier. I came to lead from start to finish, it was a good experience for me. I enjoyed myself on the bike, I had a little bit of pressure, but I could handle it and that’s the most important thing.”

Jack Miller – P2

“That was great, I loved that. Final race for me at the Pramac Ducati team, and I came up with something on the final lap to get second place – hard to top that for the boys really, because the only thing that could have been better was the top step. Hats off to Miguel (Oliveira) though, he was in a race of his own up front. I spent the whole race like last Sunday right behind Franky (Morbidelli), and this time I was able to get him. Two second places in seven days was just about a perfect way to say goodbye to the Pramac guys after four years.

“The track here in Portugal is awesome to ride but it didn’t produce a great race, it’s pretty tight for us on these big bikes. We all took a step into the unknown on Sunday because it was our first race here, and we had no real idea about tyre life and how hard we could go, and for how long. In the end they held up alright and right from the start, when Miguel cleared off up the front, I knew it would come down to me versus Franky for second and that I had to time my attack right. Didn’t want to give him a chance to get me back this time. Three corners from the end, I got it done – and it helped to get Ducati the constructors’ championship, first time since 2007 when Casey (Stoner) was the world champion, so it’s cool there’s an Aussie link there.

“I want to say a massive thanks to Paolo Campinoti, Francesco Guidotti and everyone at the Pramac team for the last few years, they’ve really built me up and I couldn’t be more thankful. The last three years I’ve grown a lot as a rider and as a man, and the lessons I’ve learned have been irreplaceable. So I owe them so much.

“Miguel was on another level today, really. He went away so fast from me and Franky that the win was pretty much off the table about two laps in. It was harder than I expected around here to be able to pass and ideally I would have tried to pass Franky earlier, but that works both ways because I figured if I got him late, he wouldn’t have time to get me back! In the end, I had him by about a tenth of a second, more or less what he beat me by in Valencia. I’d probably spent 60 laps these last two races behind Franky, so I managed to come over the line ahead of him for one lap at least!

“It was the first time for most of us here at Portimao, a few of the guys have raced here in other categories and quite a few of us did some laps on road bikes a month or so ago, but on a MotoGP bike it’s a completely different deal. It’s an amazing circuit, and the unusual thing is that there’s a lot of different corners but not one of them is the same as the next one, so it’s challenge to work out your set-up and where you might have to sacrifice on one corner to make the bike better for others. But from the first lap out there, I don’t reckon I did a single one all weekend without a smile on my face. It’s a difficult track for sure and not like anywhere I’ve ridden a MotoGP bike, and you could see how much all of us were enjoying it. Definitely good fun, and hopefully we get a chance to come back one day – I reckon Miguel wouldn’t have minded winning with some full grandstands too, but that’s 2020 for you.

“I’ve really found my groove again with the bike in the last few races and it’s been good to see. But 14 races in 18 weekends – I like riding most weeks but I’m about ready to have a rest I reckon! To end up seventh in the world championship, my best finishing position yet and one place better than last year … I’m happy with that. Had some bad luck too, so to be seven points off third in the standings … we’ll look back and wonder what could have been, it’s been a season for that for so many of us. Considering I had four DNFs, it’s been a good year.

“Before I go for this week, and for the season really, I can’t finish up without a word about my old mate ‘Crutch’ (Cal Crutchlow) after his last race with us here. We’ll always be mates and it’s not like I won’t be hanging out with him or whatever, but it’s right that we say thanks from everyone in MotoGP for everything he’s done on and off the track. He’s been great for the sport in his 10 years here and with everything he’s achieved personally. It’s not like he’s going away, he’ll still be around as a test rider for Yamaha next year and they’re lucky to have him. You would have seen on the TV that me and the old boy had a moment as we came out of the pit lane for the last runs in Q2, it just so happened that we were coming out at the same time, so that was a cool memory to have. ‘Crutch’ is one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever seen and always was, all through the injuries and setbacks and whatnot. He just never gives up and just comes back and goes harder. Seeing how hard he works, that has definitely rubbed off on me and made me a better MotoGP rider and a professional. Cal and Lucy, Cal’s wife, they’ve been unreal to me ever since we were team-mates in 2015 and that’s something you never forget.

“So what’s next? I have a new team to go to of course, so there’s a bit to be done before I leave Europe for a while and head back home. It’ll be good to get back with the COVID situation getting worse in Europe and get some Aussie summer and get training for next year, because it’s a big opportunity for me. It’s the one I’ve been after all my career, pretty much. Becoming a fully-fledged factory rider with a factory like Ducati … it’s an exciting time for me, and I’ll be 100 per cent ready to go once we start testing. So, hope you enjoyed the season, and I’ll speak to you then.”

Franco Morbidelli – P3

“I enjoyed today’s race quite a lot and this track is amazing, it’s so difficult but so nice to ride. We got the tyre choice right and I was impressed with the pace that we were able to maintain. Miguel [Oliveira] had something extra today and we weren’t able to follow him, so I just gave everything I had to try to pull away from the pack, although Jack [Miller] stayed with me. He was able to attack at the end and I couldn’t retaliate, so massive congratulations to both him and Miguel today. I’m happy that we finished the championship second; to be Vice MotoGP World Champion is something great. Of course my dream is something more than this, but I will remember today forever. I want to say a huge thanks to my team for helping me achieve this. I will work now to improve myself and see what next season brings.”

Pol Espargaro – P4

“It was not one of my best races but we must be very satisfied with the end result this year and the way to sign-off four years together. To be level on points for 4th in the championship and ahead of many other factory bikes and seeing a KTM take three wins this season is amazing for the company and the project. I’m proud to have brought five podiums and two pole positions. I’m really proud in fact of what we have done together. In a way it is sad to say ‘bye bye’ but I feel to give KTM their best championship finish yet is the best way to go.”

Takaaki Nakagami – P5

“First of all, I want to thank my team as this season has been pretty tough with almost no rest, but my team prepare the bike and it’s always perfect and I appreciate every person in the team, so thanks to them. I would like to thank all my sponsors for their support. I want to thank Cal again, since it is his last race with LCR Honda Team. Cal has been a great team-mate in all my three years and I want to wish him the best for the future.

“Today it was difficult to find a strategy during the race, it’s tough to build from P11, but I had a good start and was really strong from the beginning. It was a big fight during the race and at the end I made some good lap times and we got another P5, which I’m really happy with. Overall, with my performance this season compared to last season, we made a big step, so I want to thank my team again for their hard work this year.  We’re already thinking about the next season. I think we can definitely make another step forward next year and hopefully we can fight for the championship, this is my target. See you next year!”

Andrea Dovizioso – P6

“It certainly wasn’t an easy race today starting from twelfth on the grid, but I’m happy because we managed to make a good comeback and finish ahead of some of our direct rivals in the Championship, reaching fourth place in the standings, which was our main goal. It was my last race with Ducati: in the last four years we have been able to do something extraordinary, and I never thought I would be so excited to see the joy that our results have been able to produce in our fans! It’s the magic of our sport, and I’m happy to have experienced it! After these eight seasons, there have been wonderful relationships within my team, which I will surely miss very much!”

Stefan Bradl – P7

“I enjoyed this weekend a lot, I was able to show that I still have the speed and motivation to compete for the top positions in the World Championship. It was tough when we first got on the bike, but we have gotten stronger and worked better with the Repsol Honda Team at each race. I am very satisfied. It was a good race with a lot of fighting at the front. The position in Valencia wasn’t as strong, but we showed that we had this potential and now in the last race I have been able to deliver on it. I want to say thank you to the entire Repsol Honda Team and HRC, we have a great relationship and I’m very happy to continue working with them. We have been very busy with racing and testing this season, but I was able to manage all of the commitments and it has helped to make us stronger. It’s been a challenging year for everyone and I want to thank everyone who has made this season possible.”

Aleix Espargaro – P8

“It was a great race, but I am also angry because it could have been even better with better qualifying. Starting from behind forced me to ride with the pack and I was successful because the RS-GP was very competitive today. In these last races, we were able to find consistency and performance, so I want that to be our starting point to build a high-level 2021. I’ll be on the track again already tomorrow in Jerez to prepare for next season, despite the fatigue after three weekends in a row, and that demonstrates my determination and Aprilia’s to finally achieve the results we deserve.”

Alex Marquez – P9

“A tough race with a lot of battles against experienced riders, I enjoyed it a lot on the bike. We battled with Mir on the first lap, then Valentino, then Fabio and I was able to learn a lot from these experienced riders, unlocking more secrets. The starting position again hurt us because our rhythm was quite good to fight for fourth, but we put together another good recovery. Also, congratulations to Arenas and Enea for the Moto3 and Moto2 World Championships after two very races with a lot of battles.

“Looking back, of course there are some things that we could have done to improve and get results sooner, but I usually start slower in most categories, but I never give up and we get there. We have achieved two podiums this year which was a dream before the season started. One was in special conditions but the podium in Aragon was the icing on the cake. Unfortunately, we couldn’t deliver the Rookie of the Year title because of our ambition in Aragon and Valencia but we remain very satisfied with what we have done in the second half of the year. Thanks to everyone who made this year possible from Dorna to our sponsors and the fans at home and around the world. Of course, I would have loved to have had the fans at the track, but it was not possible, and I hope we were able to put on a good show for them this year. It has been a very difficult year for everyone in the world away from the circuit.”

Johann Zarco – P10

“Today I was very comfortable but at the end of the race it was noticed that I had the hard tire compared to the others who had the extra hard one. A little disappointed because it is not the end of the season that I expected as I was fighting for the top 5. Now we have to rest after this long and intense season.”

Maverick Vinales – P11

“I honestly had fun in today‘s race. I enjoyed battling with Fabio and the other guys. I had liked to have two more laps, because I wanted to pass Johann and Alex Marquez too, but the race was too short. But it was fun. The lay-out of this track gives you the opportunity to overtake in many corners. I enjoyed pushing and passing people. That was nice. Even though I‘m not happy about today‘s position, I enjoyed myself on the bike, and I also had a good rhythm when I was riding alone. It is important that we‘ve ended the season with some positive feelings on track.”

Valentino Rossi – P12

“The Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team and I have a long story together, and we shared a lot of unforgettable moments of my career and my life. This GP was emotional because we‘ve been racing together for 15 years. Today I felt good on track, so it‘s a good end to the story. The weekend didn‘t start well for us, because I needed a bit too much time to adapt to the track. In the end, the results today were not fantastic, but in the race I was quite strong. I had a good pace, could ride the bike in a good way, and we could fight with the rest of the group. It‘s the end of a complicated season for everybody. We will see next year. We need to work and train hard to be competitive and try to be ready for the first race.”

Cal Crutchlow – P13

“First of all, I want to say thank you to my team for the last six years, we’ve had some incredible moments. This year obviously didn’t go to plan, but with the team that I’ve spent the most amount of time with in my career, it was nice to finish it with them. I gave my all this weekend, I topped a couple of the sessions, I went for it in the race, unfortunately I didn’t have the rear tyre under me to be able to continue to push at that pace, but I was glad to finish the race and glad to have the season over and my full-time career finished, which was the decision I took earlier in the year and am happy with. Now I look forward to watching from afar, obviously I’ll still be in a testing role next year, but I look forward to watching the MotoGP races in years to come. It’s going to be exciting, I’ll let these young guys take the reins and go for it and I wish them all the best.” 

Fabio Quartararo – P14

“We had an issue with the holeshot device at the start, so I lost some positions, and then I suffered from arm pump for half of the race, which is really strange because since an operation I have never had that problem. It’s been quite an emotional last race for the team and unfortunately I couldn’t finish in the way that I wanted. I wanted to end the year with a great result. The feeling on the bike was good and I think we could have been fighting for P5 to P8 today, so it’s a shame that arm pump prevented that. We did win three races in 2020, but it is not enough and this season hasn’t ended how we wanted. These two years that I have spent with the team will always be in my heart though, because they gave me the opportunity to be in the MotoGP championship. Thanks a lot for all the support and hard work, I will visit them every time I can.”

Alex Rins – P15

“Today’s race was a bit difficult and I felt that I made the wrong tyre choice. I struggled from the start of the race with the hard rear tyre, and at the start I was able to close in on the riders in front of me but then lap-by-lap I was losing grip and I began to drop back. But in the end I’m happy with my work this year, and despite the injury and some crashes I still managed to get third in the championship. I’m really motivated to start next season already!”

Danilo Petrucci – P16

“I would have liked to have ended my adventure in Ducati with a better result, but unfortunately today was a tough race. I want to thank all the people who work in Ducati, first of all to my team, because during these six seasons on the Desmosedici GP bike I have been able to achieve several successes and two victories in MotoGP! I’m happy to have been part of Ducati in these six years of my career”.

Mika Kallio – P17

“To come back to racing is especially hard on the physical side but I managed to do it, so I’m happy about that. I have to admit, that I thought I could do a bit better, ahead of the weekend, but in the end this was the maximum I could do. Somehow, I’m still quite satisfied that I could make the laps quite consistently and repeat the same things, the same speed, the same lap times and no mistakes, which was really important. So, I’m satisfied with that.”

Tito Rabat – P18

“They have been very fun first laps in which I have been fighting with the group, but little by little I have been lagging behind. Now it’s time to rest and continue training as before.”

Brad Binder – DNF

“All-in-all my rookie year has come to a close and we managed to wrap the Rookie of the Year award, which was a goal starting the season. I made a good start but on the second lap two riders had contact and I was left out to dry. I had to run off track. Coming back I got a great slipstream on the straight but came into Turn 1 too hot and unfortunately it was just enough to lose the front. I tried to save it but went down. It’s a shame because we had the pace to do a good job. It’s been a tough but fantastic season with big highs and low lows! I think all of it will build me up to be a stronger rider next season. I want to say a massive thank you to everyone in the box and the entire team. The feeling is great and we have a competitive package for sure.”

Joan Mir – DNF

“I couldn’t do a lot of laps today, but the ones that I did do I really enjoyed! I want to apologise to Pecco because he got the worst of the touch we had, so I’m sorry for him. After the contact I started to have some problems with the bike on the electronics side and it was impossible for me to finish the race. For sure we’ll find the problem and work on it for the future. It’s a pity I couldn’t get a good result today, I wanted to end on a high, but of course I’m still so happy to have won the title and to be able to celebrate tonight with the team and with Alex, who got third in the standings.”

Lorenzo Savadori – DNF

“Even though finishing the race would have been important, I am still satisfied with this weekend. The improvement compared to Valencia, both in terms of gap and in terms of feeling, was clear. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of time at the start, battling in the early laps where, with a full tank, I am still unable to be aggressive. But, my pace after that was very good. When I saw the gap narrowing behind Petrucci and Mir, I tried to catch up to them. On turn 4, I lost the front end and crashed. It was an unexpected fall which, in any case, does not make me any less confident that I did a good job with Aprilia.”

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Team Managers

Massimo Meregalli – Monster Yamaha Team Director

“We didn‘t go into this race overly confident. The opening laps were very busy, so both of our riders were a bit up and down. Maverick and Valentino eventually got into a good rhythm, especially 10 laps before the chequered flag, and then they fought their way up the order together. For sure, we‘re not satisfied with today‘s outcome. We definitely wanted to finish the season with a different result, but we weren’t able to do better.

“All-in-all, it has been a very unusual season. It was extra difficult due to the pandemic, which changed the circumstances considerably. But I want to thank everyone involved who made this season possible.

“After 15 years of fighting for championship titles with the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team, it is now time to let Vale go to another Yamaha team. It‘s been such a privilege to work with him all these seasons. We have shared many great moments, we even wrote some history together, and that is something we, the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Team, can always be proud of.”

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Razlan Razali – Petronas SRT Team Principal

“It was a great MotoGP race today: Franco finishing third solidified his second place in the world championship and confirmed Petronas Yamaha SRT as second in the teams’ standings. This also helped Yamaha to move into second place in the constructors’ championship. Unfortunately Fabio had some issues which meant he finished the race 14th, ending the season eighth in the world championship. Thank you to Fabio and KIP for working hard in our years together, they are two excellent riders and it has been a pleasure having them in the team. I wish them the best of luck for their futures. With the current pandemic we want to thank Dorna, IRTA everyone who has helped to make the 2020 season happen. It has been great to be racing, although it has been tough with a lot of back-to-back races in such a short space of time. We look forward to next year when we will have our full 2021 line up and our goal will remain to be fighting for championships in all three categories.”

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Shinchi Sahara – Suzuki Project Leader

“This season has been the best I have ever experienced, Joan and Alex did an incredible job. We did hope to achieve the ‘triple crown’ and second place in the standings for Alex, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible today after a difficult race. However, it means we have a really big and exciting target for next year. Thank you to the entire Suzuki family, those in the factory and at the track. Everybody has worked very hard to get us to this point.”

Ken Kawauchi – Suzuki Technical Manager

“We’ve had a great season, but this last race did not go according to plan. It was the same for everybody and it’s always tough to be at a new track, but it made it hard for tyre choice and settings. Despite a difficult day we feel motivated to improve for next year. Thanks to everyone who cheered Suzuki all season, we really appreciate it.”

Davide Brivio – Suzuki Team Manager

“It was a disappointing end to the season; unfortunately Joan had some problems with the bike after some contact with other riders. We need to investigate to discover what happened. Alex struggled with the tyre towards the end of the race, despite making a great start. Our two riders had different problems today which prevented them from having another fantastic race, but we are extremely happy to be first and third in the championship and this year has been magical and unforgettable. Thank you to both our riders for always giving their all, and to all the team staff and all those involved in the project.”

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Hervé Poncharal – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager

“Honestly, I am speechless. We knew this weekend was going to be special, a special circuit, great weather and great people to welcome us in Portugal. But we also knew there would be some pressure and we were just hoping that everything was going to work out well. When we made the pole yesterday afternoon, I thought ‘Wow, we achieved something great’ and this is 50% of the weekend done, but I knew that the biggest part was ahead of us on Sunday. To be honest, I didn’t sleep well last night, because I knew the expectations were big and I knew there was a possibility of a great result. All the Red Bull and KTM top management was here and I knew how important this race was for Miguel, so I was very tense until the MotoGP race started and once it started, it was like a fairytale. It was a very long race, because we didn’t expect Miguel to break away the way he did and to open such a gap in just a few laps. It was just making the countdown of the laps and hoping for no mistake, because nothing is ever done until you see the chequered flag. But I’ve been impressed by how cool, calm and I would say ‘zen’ Miguel has been all weekend long. He is really a great guy, a great champion, because to cope with the pressure the way he did, means you have a lot to still demonstrate. This victory was the second one of the year, the second one with Miguel of course, and the second one with KTM, but maybe that one is even stronger in terms of how dominant Miguel has been. It was a demonstration of Miguel together with the KTM RC16 and I’m just in heaven. I’m just so happy for Miguel, all the team, for the fans, for everybody who has been working really hard. As I told the KTM Factory guys, he is ready, he is hot, so now you can receive a top MotoGP rider for the next two seasons. I would like to thank him, to thank everybody, of course Red Bull, KTM, Elf. I know, I have a second rider. We’ve been missing Iker a lot, but still we had the great pleasure – and I would like to really insist – we had the great honor to have Mika Kallio coming to replace Iker. It was not easy. He didn’t have any time on the bike almost, he didn’t know that circuit. The whole grid is riding every week, so it was very difficult. But he did a perfect weekend, not one crash, improving his lap time nearly every session and finally a very decent result. So, I would like to thank him, to congratulate him and I would like to hope that he enjoyed this week with the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team. So, thanks to everyone, riders, team, crews, media staff, communication department, everyone! It was a long season, a tough season, but we are already thinking in a few days we’ll be a bit bored and we are really wishing to be back on the tracks as soon as possible!”

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Mike Leitner – Red Bull KTM Race Manager

“I’m a big fan of facts and the list of achievements for 2020 speak for themselves and that’s really, really nice. We finished 3rd in the team’s championship and this shows how the spirit is in the box and how we stayed strong in this tough year where so many things happened, and we had to control many emotions. I’m super-happy that Pol is 5th in the championship. When he joined our project he finished 6th with another brand and the goal was always to help him be better. I think he has had a good four years and we wish him all the best for the future. Miguel had an unbelievable race and an unbelievable qualifying showed the level of performance he has reached now by winning with our bike on this very difficult track. Brad was unlucky today but he is Rookie of the Year and he still needed to earn that title. We will not forget his Brno win. He has great potential for the future. 2020 has shown that we are competitive and we will continue to be so after just four years. It is a big credit to the company, the board, the sponsors, Red Bull and everybody that helped us. A big thank you to everyone. Next year we start from zero again but it will be a different kind of ‘zero’ now.”

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Claudio Domenicali – CEO of Ducati Motor Holding

“Winning the Constructors’ World Title is very rewarding, especially after a year so complicated that has forced us to overcome obstacles and situations we had never experienced before. It has been a bizarre season, but working together our engineers and all the Ducati riders have managed to make the Desmosedici GP competitive on all the circuits on the Championship calendar, taking it on the podium on eight occasions, including two wins. Thanks to Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci, Jack Miller, Pecco Bagnaia and Johann Zarco for allowing us to add a second Constructors’ World Title to our MotoGP history. And thanks also to the entire Ducati Corse department for once again demonstrating that with passion, dedication and determination, you can achieve important results like this. I take this opportunity to wish Andrea and Danilo good luck for what the future holds. They have been with us for many years, and together we have lived great moments, thanks for everything”.

Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager

“Winning the Constructors’ World Title is certainly an important goal for Ducati because it demonstrates the goodness of the technological innovations that have been developed in recent years and that today are on the Desmosedici GP. It has certainly been a difficult season, especially after the introduction of the new rear tyre and the impossibility to do tests during the year that would have allowed us to study better its behaviour. Despite this, the Desmosedici GP has been a competitive bike on almost every track. Therefore, we are satisfied with the results obtained in this 2020 and that have allowed us to reach our second Constructors’ World Title in MotoGP. Thanks to all the Ducati Corse staff, riders and teams, that with their work and commitment have allowed us to achieve this important victory”.

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Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager

“What a fantastic circuit this is and it has produced some spectacular moments this weekend. We had a test here in October, but that never really prepares you for the true demands of racing. We chose a very good range of tyres and all were tried during the weekend, the warmer track temperatures meant that the soft was not really a race option, although the rear soft performed excellent in Qualifying and set some fast lap-times. In total we had eight specifications of tyres this weekend – as we were able to bring four front and four rear – and six of them were raceable options, which we were very pleased with considering this was the first time we have been here and the technicians had to decide on the compounds with little competitive data. In the end four were chosen including both of the hard options in asymmetric and symmetric, so we were certainly correct to bring both of those options. There was some excellent racing and despite the technical nature of the track the performance of tyres was very good throughout and produced some great racing and many overtaking manoeuvres as the riders used their tyres to the full.

“We have had a successful season despite all that has happened away from the track. We had nine different winners and a lot of manufacturers on the podium from week-to-week. It was quite difficult as we had to supply a lot of tyres for races that were close together, so logistically it was very demanding, but we did it without any problems. The new rear construction we introduced to give more grip and stability gave a new challenge to all the teams and some found a good setting early on, while some others had to make more adaptions to the bike and the rider’s style, but at the end it was very encouraging and we set records and saw exciting racing throughout the year. MotoE was also very positive as we introduced new front and rear tyres, with the compounds made with regenerated materials and we improved the performance a lot, the lap-times were quicker and the feedback from riders was very good. For Michelin this has been a good season and we look for to the next one.

“On behalf of Michelin I would like to send my congratulations and thanks to Dorna, IRTA, FIM, all the teams and riders, the Michelin staff and everyone that has been involved in MotoGP this season. It hasn’t been easy to make this championship happen during these adverse times, but the organisers have put on a fantastic show and everyone else concerned has contributed to making this a very special season that has given light to many race fans through some very dark times. Here’s to a brighter 2021 and see you in Qatar in March!

“Finally, we will say goodbye to Richard Rodrigues after this race, he has been the Technician for Suzuki, so leaves this year after helping them to championship glory and is heading to join the four-wheel world within Michelin, so we wish him all the best. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Tim Walpole, who has accompanied us for five-years during this fantastic adventure of MotoGP. A man of great values and an excellent Press Officer that we all appreciated. Professional, positive and passionate, Tim will always be a part of the Michelin family, and is very welcome to catch up with us in the MotoGP paddock any time.”

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MotoGP Race Results

MotoGP World Championship Standings

MotoGP Constructors Championship

MotoGP Team Championship

Source: MCNews.com.au

2020 MotoGP Round 15 – Portimao

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Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) took a stunning pole position on Saturday at the Grande Premio MEO de Portugal, putting him in the perfect position to face down his home race with a clear view to Turn 1. And that clear view was never interrupted again once the lights went out as the Portuguese rider rode the race of his life to disappear at the front and decimate the field. Premier class win number two, Tech 3’s second win, another impressive victory for KTM in 2020… and in the first Portuguese Grand Prix since 2012, and the first ever held at Portimão. Sounds like a good Sunday’s work on home turf.

To complete the podium it was another Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) v Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) duel, with the Aussie coming out on top this time around and with that securing Ducati the contructors’ crown. Morbidelli’s third place gives him second overall in the Championship and the title of top Independent Team rider in 2020.

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Portimao MotoGP Race Report

Oliveira got the dream start and into Turn 1, it was Portugal’s superstar who led the way. Morbidelli and Miller also got very good getaways from the front row and they both held station, before Miller then tried to get past the Yamaha at Turn 5. The Australian was slightly wide, however, and Morbidelli didn’t hesitate to take it straight back.

At the end of the opening lap, Oliveira already had a lead of over half a second, and he was pulling clear. Meanwhile World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had got himself on the fringes of the top 10 from P20 on the grid, but then was almost down on Lap 2 at Turn 3. The Majorcan hit the back of Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) at the tight right-hander and was lucky to stay on, Mir then dropping back down to 20th with all the work to do again.

Meanwhile, Oliveira was in the zone. On Lap 3 his lead was up to 1.5 seconds and the Portuguese rider was into the 1:39s, Morbidelli and Miller with no answer. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) was sitting P4 ahead of Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Stefan Bradl (Repsol Honda Team), the KTM rider recovering from a Turn 1 mistake to eventually get the better of Crutchlow on Lap 7.

Oliveira’s lead was now over three seconds. Brilliant, scintillating pace from the Styrian GP winner, and the gap from third place Miller and fourth place Pol Espargaro was 2.7 seconds, with the latter having Crutchlow, Bradl and Zarco right behind him. In the battle for the Constructor crown, it was going the way of Ducati too as Rins was the best-placed Suzuki in P8 – with both Miller and Zarco ahead. On Lap 9, Oliveira struck another fastest lap of the race – a 1:39.855 – and his lead was now creeping up to the four-second mark. But would it last?

Behind him, Pol Espargaro’s podium hopes in his final KTM appearance were slipping away,  with Miller gaining in small but important increments to get 3.4 seconds up the road as the Ducati man sat half a second behind Valencia GP nemesis Morbidelli…

The battle for the lower ends of the top 10 was a feisty one too, as Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) were embroiled in an almighty tangle, the Japanese rider eventually getting the better of the Frenchman for P9. Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) then also passed Quartararo, the early season favourite slipping backwards.

Pol Espargaro was then wide at Turn 8 after almost losing the front on Lap 12, and Crutchlow was back up to P4 but briefly, as it turned out. The KTM struck back. Behind the duo were a whole host of riders: Bradl, Zarco, Rins, Nakagami and Dovizioso, with the three 2020 Yamahas now occupying P13, P14 and P15 – Quartararo leading Maverick Viñales and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammate Valentino Rossi.

With 12 to go, Oliveira’s lead remained just under the four-second mark. The Portuguese rider was on rails around the rollercoaster and with 11 to go, his advantage did then stretch up to and over four seconds.

Meanwhile, Suzuki’s fading hopes of the Triple Crown took another blow as both Dovizioso and Nakagami slid past Rins, the latter dropping to P10 with Mir still not in the points – P16 for the World Champion at that point. And then, with 10 laps to go, the 2020 World Champion’s race was over. A problem with his GSX-RR saw Mir pull into pitlane and it wasn’t the weekend Mir nor Suzuki would have been planning after an epic season. Rins’ race was also unravelling. The number 42 was fighting to keep all three 2020 YZR-M1s behind him for P12. Rins vs Viñales vs Quartararo vs Rossi for the final points? 2020 has been a crazy year!

Back nearer the front, Miller was still shadowing Morbidelli at just under half a second and there were no such troubles in Ducati’s quest to become Constructor Champions as Miller set his first 1:39 of the race to haunt Morbidelli. With that, the battle for second was now getting properly tasty with eight to go. It was a copy/paste from Valencia between Morbidelli and Miller, but this time it was for P2 as Oliveira had well and truly checked out.

Behind the duo, was nearly seven seconds of clear air ahead of Pol Espargaro. The Spaniard now had breathing space back to a sensational battle for P5 though, with Zarco was leading it from Crutchlow and Dovizioso after his Turn 1 pass on Bradl and Nakagami. Rins was now P14, Triple Crown hopes for Suzuki well and truly out the window and barring a mistake from Morbidelli and an upturn in speed for Rins, P2 in the title was lost as well.

Plunging down the hill with five laps to go, the fight for fifth saw Crutchlow run very wide and dropped to P9, just ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini). I

7.6 seconds up the road though, Miller was back on the tailpipes of Morbidelli. Three laps remained; Miller following Morbidelli for two races and probably able to write a book on the Italian’s riding style by that point. But still, the number 43 couldn’t get close enough to pounce.

So, onto the last lap of the season we went. Out front, Oliveira had an easy – relatively speaking – run to victory, or at least made it look that way after undoubtedly one of the rides of the season. Behind him, Miller was close, very close, to Morbidelli and, finally, the Austrlian struck.

The move came at Turn 13, Miller through and holding it into Turn 14, turning the tables this time around to get some sweet revenge on the Italian. The podium was decided: Oliveira made more history, Miller secured the Constructors’ crown for Ducati (for the first time since 2007 no less), and Morbidelli took second in the Championship and top Independent Team rider after five podiums… three of them wins.

P4 for Pol Espargaro isn’t the podium or victory that he would have wanted in his KTM swan song, but another great ride sees the number 44 finish 5th in the World Championship. An amazing achievement from Pol, KTM and the whole team in 2020 as the Spaniard now says his goodbyes and heads for Honda. Nakagami bounced back from two crashes this weekend to finish the season on a high with his fourth top five, a strong campaign for the Japanese rider.

Dovizioso had a sterling final half of the race to earn P6 in his final race for Ducati. The Italian ends 2020 P4 in the standings before his 2021 sabbatical, it’s not the podium he’ll have been hoping for but a positive way to end his season. Bradl’s weekend in Portimao was insanely good, a crash in Warm Up was the only mistake he made across the three days. P7 for the HRC test rider beats his Le Mans P8 from this year as the Repsol Honda call-up flew the flag high in the finale.

Aleix Espargaro was another who had awesome late-race pace, the Aprilia man secures his third top 10 of the year with a great effort on the Algarve. Alex Marquez’ impressive rookie year ends with a P9 in Portimao, not quite enough to beat Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to the Rookie of the Year crown but nevertheless, the number 73 was an impressive contender in 2020. Binder crashed out of the finale, rider ok. Zarco crossed the line in P10 ahead of his switch from Esponsorama Ducati to Pramac Ducati, the Frenchman getting the better of factory Yamaha duo Viñales and Rossi.

Unfortunately for the Iwata factory, 2020 wasn’t the year they’d have hoped for after their Jerez success. Viñales finishes sixth in the standings, with Rossi’s final factory Yamaha race ending with a P12 in Portimao. The pair edged out Crutchlow as the British rider bows out of full-time racing with a 13th place, a fantastic career coming to an end for the number 35 as he gets ready for a Yamaha test rider role in 2021.

Quartararo was icing his arm at the end of another difficult race, the Frenchman finishing P14 in Portimao and that’s a result that sees El Diablo settle for P8 in the overall standings. Rins slipped right back in the latter stages and takes the final point of 2020, a disappointing end to a great season for the Spaniard who takes the 2020 bronze medal.

Danilo Petrucci (Ducati Team) waves goodbye to Ducati with a P16, Mika Kallio (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Tito Rabat (Esponsorama Racing) were the two other finishers in Portimao as Rabat also – potentially – wraps up his MotoGP career. Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) crashed out, Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) was forced to retire on Lap 1. Contact with Mir at Turn 3 saw the Italian in considerable pain back in the garage.

Miguel Oliveira – P1

“It’s unreal. You know you dream about these kind of races and to finally be able to do it, it’s incredible. I have no words to describe my gratitude to all the people, the crowd watching at home who couldn’t be here today. Thank you! And to my team, this is my farewell to Tech 3 but it’s a great day, that I could give them this victory again, for Tech 3 and and KTM, it’s a huge accomplishment for me. It’s extra special because my family didn’t get to see my first win live and now they get to see it, they’re here and it’s an incredible day for me. Very emotional, and just glad to finish the season on a high and with a strong performance like today.”

And so, the curtains are drawn on an incredible 2020 MotoGP World Championship season and we have around three months to wait until the machines fire back into action at the first shakedown test of 2021 at Sepang in mid-February. That is apart from Aprilia, the only manufacturer remaining with concessions that allow their racers to ride and develop their MotoGP bikes outside of the official test sessions. Aleix Espargaro will ride the 2021 Aprilia RS-GP at Jerez on Tuesday and Wednesday. His team-mate at Aprilia for 2021 is still yet to be announced, but Bradley Smith is set to continue in a testing role.

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MotoGP Race Results

MotoGP World Championship Standings

MotoGP Constructors Championship

MotoGP Team Championship

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Moto2

Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) is now a Grand Prix winner! The Australian rode the season finale to perfection in the Grande Premio MEO de Portugal, coming out on top as he beat Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) with a well-pitched move late on. Marini took second and with it second in the World Championship, with Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) riding through the pain barrier to an incredible third place. It wasn’t enough, however, as Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) put in a calm and clear-headed ride to fifth and with that, crowns himself the 2020 Moto2 World Champion.

As the lights went out and the title showdown got underway, Marini, from second on the grid, took the holeshot with Gardner taking second from pole. Bastianini, meanwhile, came through to third from the second row, whilst there was a nightmare start off the front row for Fabio Di Giannantonio (Beta Tools Speed Up). Things got even worse for the man that lost victory on the final lap just one week ago when he tucked the front at Turn 1, taking Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) with him.

Marini was then shuffled back to third on the opening lap when he hit a false neutral out of Turn 5, and the first lap was completed with The Beast in control in terms of the title as he sat second with Marini in third, Lowes in fifth and Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) down in seventh. Gardner was starting to check-out at the front of the race, early doors taking a second out of the chasing pack with only three laps completed. The adrenaline was then clearly starting to kick in for Lowes as the battered and bruised Brit muscled his way ahead of Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to move up to fourth.

Marini then made his move on Bastianini at Turn 1, and Lowes would follow him through too, squeezing past the Championship leader to push the Italian back to fourth in the space of half a lap. Marini and Lowes knew they had to chase down Gardner at the front of the race to stand any chance of being crowned World Champion and that’s exactly what they set about trying to do. In the space of a lap, the advantage had been cut from a second down to just six tenths. Meanwhile, Lowes was getting a helping hand from EG 0,0 Marc VDS teammate Augusto Fernandez as the Spaniard had a big look up the inside of Bastianini, then getting the job done to push him back to fifth.

Bastianini battled back but it didn’t last long, with Fernandez finding a way back through. The pair’s squabbling over fourth saw them lose touch with Marini and Lowes ahead of them too, who themselves had latched onto the rear tyre of Gardner. The pair made quick work of the Australian too, both slicing their way through in the space of a sector and suddenly, with eight laps completed, the top three in the World Championship were split by just five points.

Fernandez was now causing problems for Gardner, who was starting to slip backwards, and the Spaniard was fully committed as he dived through on the Australian to take third place. Meanwhile, another lap ticked by and another place was lost by Bastianini as Bezzecchi started to do some favours for his own teammate, Marini, as he moved through and Bastianini was demoted to sixth.

A mistake from the ‘Beast’ then also allowed Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jorge Martin to squeeze through as well. That put the Italtrans man down in seventh and the top three in the Championship were now even tighter, just three points split them in an unbelievably tense finale. Bit by bit though, the ‘Beast’ was clawing his way back and first to go was Martin. Lowes was also starting to fade ever so slightly, his hand injury starting to take its toll. From being right on the rear wheel of Marini, the Brit ran wide and allowed Gardner to pick his pocket and take second.

With that, Gardner seemed to suddenly be back in his groove and chasing down Marini at the front of the race. The Australian, gunning for a career-first intermediate class victory, was right on the tail of the Championship contender with only seven laps remaining, and with some incredible pace. Lowes wasn’t out of it though, only half a second adrift of the leading duo and hanging in there. Soon though, both Marini and Lowes’ hopes took a severe dent as Bastianini got back past Fernandez for fifth.

A mistake from Lowes then saw him lose some touch with Gardner and Marini, but the towel was far from thrown in in. Somehow, the Brit gritted his teeth to set the fastest lap of the race with four to go. By two laps to go though, Lowes was a second adrift and it started to come down to praying the two would duel.

Right on cue, Gardner pounced and Marini wasn’t happy to sit behind him, trying to fight back to sit side-by-side with the Australian, who kept it pinned to hold on. It worked, and Gardner almost immediately opened out half a second. As he entered the final lap, he had pretty much ended both Marini and Lowes’ dreams of becoming Moto2 World Champion as Bastianini held firm in fifth. Keeping it calm, the Australian came out of the final corner and took the chequered flag to clinch his first Grand Prix victory, emulating father and MotoGP Legend Wayne Gardner.

Marini did all he could, eventually having to settle for second and second in the World Championship. Lowes made it a hero’s ride through the pain barrier for third in the title fight and able to take a podium finish to end a remarkable 2020. Bezzecchi crossed the line in fourth, not quite enough for the Italian to challenge for the podium, and then came Bastianini.

With his solid fifth place, the ‘Beast’ was crowned the 2020 Moto2 World Champion, wrapping up a sensational season before he moves to the premier class next year. Ahead of him, Bezzecchi was given a huge hug by his SKY Racing Team VR46 squad for taking fourth, the Italian now focussing on being crowned Moto2 Champion this time next year… where Lowes and Gardner will be two of the men waiting to race him for it.

Martin took sixth after holding off a hard-charging Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing), the Spaniard saying farewell to the class and the American his team. Fernandez eventually slipped back to eighth after being in podium contention during the early running of the race. The final places inside the top ten were taken by Lorenzo Baldassarri (FlexBox HP 40) and Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing).

Aron Canet (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) wrapped up Rookie of the Year as Hector Garzo (Flexbox HP 40) crashed out, Canet increasing his advantage by a point as he came home 15th.

Another incredible season of Moto2 action comes to a close then, with the top three in the World Championship covered by only nine points as the curtain falls. The top two move on to MotoGP in 2021 but there’s a whole host of talented youngsters ready to step up and stake their own claim on the crown next year – and the likes of Lowes and Gardner waiting for even more.

Remy Gardner – P1

“My first ever win, you know I’ve had a few tough years in Moto3 and Moto2, I’ve had a few podiums this year and last year but the win has always eluded us. I worked on myself really hard last winter and this year as well. The team has done an amazing job this year to give me a really competitive package. We came to a track I really love and we managed to win! I still don’t have words, I’m still on cloud nine at the moment – it still needs to sink in. Extremely happy, a great way to end the season and hopefully this is a glimpse of what’s to come next year.”

Moto2 Race Results

Moto2 World Championship Standings

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Moto3

Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) signed off from Moto3 with pure dominance in the Grande Premio MEO de Portugal, the Spaniard taking the holeshot from his sixth pole of the season and uncatchable thereafter. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) just pipped 2020 Rookie of the Year Jeremy Alcoba (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) to second, but the Spaniard’s third place is nevertheless his first Grand Prix podium to round out his rookie season.

Behind that fight, an almighty Moto3 war raged with the key title contenders all in the battle, but in the end it was Albert Arenas (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) who came out on top, the Spaniard impeccably picking his way through the lightweight class trenches to emerge as the 2020 Moto3™ World Champion.

At lights out, Fernandez got the holeshot from pole and immediately got the hammer down, with immediate movement for the title contenders too as Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) mugged Arenas to move into third, Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) having taken over in second. Next time over the line both Ogura and Arenas moved forward too, although Fernandez was already beginning to disappear in the lead.

The shuffle then began behind the number 25, tension palpable as Arenas, Ogura and those on the chase diced it out. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team), meanwhile, was on the move. After a tough qualifying leaving him in 27th on the grid, the Italian had his head down and clawed back the gap from the second group to his, arriving on the scene with still more than a few laps left – now well in the fight with Arenas and Ogura, his two Championship rivals.

After some more shuffling and ousting in the front battle, Arenas was back in tenth. By three laps to go, Arenas was Champion by eight points, with Ogura then dropping to the back of the group in P12. Arbolino, having made it up the road, was then passed by Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) and dropped to P7, as Arenas got back up to P8 with two and a half laps to go. But the Championship leader was then out of the seat and picked off by John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing), although he hit back.

Ogura, now desperate, was deep into Turn 1 after trying to pass five riders in one. He was wide on the exit and was P10 as Arenas was now back right behind Arbolino. With one lap to go, Arbolino, Arenas and Ogura were P6, P7 and P9. So on the last lap, all Arenas had to do was defend and stay on.

Contact at Turn 3 between Ogura and Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) nearly cost the pair of them and while the latter looking over his shoulder, Arenas was trying to go around the outside. On the exit of Turn 4 though, Arenas was then out of the seat and onto the green. A huge moment on the final lap of the race and suddenly, the points leader was P12 – but that was ok. Arbolino was up to P5 and Ogura had regrouped to P8, but it would be enough. Nevertheless, Arenas was taking risks. And at Turn 12, the KTM rider nearly got his front chopped by Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) after a huge lunge, an almost catastrophic end to the Spaniard’s season on the last lap!

But, despite plenty of scares, with Arbolino 5th and Ogura 8th, Arenas crossed the line in P12 to claim the 2020 Moto3™ World Championship. Super Arenas was on top of the world after a stunning season and it’s a thoroughly deserved crown, but hats off to Arbolino’s incredible effort from P27 on the grid. P5 wasn’t enough for the number one spot but with the equally awesome Ogura finishing P8, Arbolino takes second in the Championship based on number on wins. Four points was the difference between three riders in the end.

At the front though, Fernandez was the ride of the day. Flying from lights out, the Spaniard signs off from Moto3™ with a dominant win in what was fast becoming ‘Fernandez style’. Foggia’s race was also phenomenal, the Italian bouncing back from two Long Laps to second, just enough to fend off Jeremy Alcoba. The Rookie of the Year took his first Grand Prix podium in style, fighting it out to the line.

Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) finished half a second from the podium in P4, another great ride from the double Valencia rostrum finisher, with Arbolino completing the top five. Binder ended his KTM Moto3™ career with a great P6 as Vietti pips Ogura to P7 in their last Moto3 race. McPhee picked up P9 to beat Öncü, Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was P11 ahead of World Champion Arenas.

Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) took points but had a tougher race from the front row, ahead of Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Moto3) and Kaito Toba (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as they were the final scorers of 2020. Suzuki and Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) were two higher profile fallers.

And so, another crazy Moto3 campaign comes to an end in more chaos and creation, with Arenas emerging as the 2020 Champion. Congratulations to the Spaniard and his team on a wonderful 2020 season, and congratulations to Arbolino and Ogura for taking the fight down to the last lap. Now, the riders will take a hard-earned winter break and come back aiming to be even stronger in 2021.

Raul Fernandez – P1

“This weekend was a special weekend, the first time my brother raced here, it was an amazing surprise when I knew that, it was extra motivation, and then the team said that tomorrow I’ll try the Moto2 bike… even more motivation! So on the grid I said, ‘ok, I’ll push, I want to do the whole race in the 47s because I can’, and I didn’t think about anything, just about the bike, enjoying it, sliding it like Supermoto. This is my best race and it’s incredible to end my Moto3 career with victory and pole. I have a great team, we’ll enjoy it and need a relaxed day to enjoy it. It’s my last day with the Moto3 team and I want to party!”

Moto3 Race Results

Moto3 World Championship Standings

MotoE Championship Standings

Source: MCNews.com.au