Algarve MotoGP, Portimao - Free Practice (3) Results
Francesco Bagnaia turns the tables on Fabio Quartararo during Free Practice 3 for the Algarve MotoGP at a cold and windy Portimao.
New world champion Quartararo just got the better of nearest championship rival Bagnaia in both Friday sessions, and the contest cntinued in FP3 when the Ducati rider edged out the Yamaha by just 0.001s!
The close times continued with Joan Mir just 0.025s from the top in third, less than half-a-second covering the top ten and 0.867s covering the top 16!
Jack Miller, in fourth, was captured getting some air time this morning:
Check out the #AirTime!!! @jackmilleraus takes flight! #AlgarveGP pic.twitter.com/jBfzELwWJh
— MotoGP (@MotoGP) November 6, 2021
The injured Franco Morbidelli - who has an impressive record at the circuit - and Luca Marini were among the biggest improvers this morning in sixth and ninth.
The top ten riders after FP3 (combined times) receive direct access to the second and final part of qualifying, with the likes of Johann Zarco and home hero Miguel Oliveira heading for Qualifying 1.
Marc Marquez, winner of the past two MotoGP rounds, is missing the event after still feeling 'unwell' several days after sustaining a 'slight concussion' while training on an off-road bike. Marquez is replaced by test rider Stefan Bradl.
The hard front tyre option has been changed from the disliked asymmetric version selected for April's Portimao round, to a symmetric hard compound.
Oliveira, winner of last November's inaugural Portimao race while using a symmetric hard front, was one of those to struggled badly with the revised tyre allocation in April, when Quartararo dominated the race from Bagnaia and Mir.
Although Quartararo has already wrapped up the 2021 riders' title, with Bagnaia and Mir on course for second and third, Ducati and Yamaha remain locked in a close battle for victory in the teams' and constructors' championships.
| Algarve MotoGP, Portimao - Free Practice (3) Results | |||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max | |
| 1 | ^1 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | 1'39.202s | 15/18 | 339k |
| 2 | ˅1 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.001s | 20/20 | 330k |
| 3 | ^1 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.025s | 13/16 | 332k |
| 4 | ˅1 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.160s | 18/19 | 344k |
| 5 | ^2 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.173s | 19/20 | 336k |
| 6 | ^6 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.274s | 19/19 | 328k |
| 7 | ^3 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.348s | 19/20 | 336k |
| 8 | ˅3 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.350s | 17/18 | 339k |
| 9 | ^6 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.378s | 17/18 | 336k |
| 10 | ^1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +0.461s | 17/19 | 341k |
| 11 | ˅2 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.466s | 18/19 | 338k |
| 12 | ^8 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.681s | 18/19 | 335k |
| 13 | ^3 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +0.734s | 16/18 | 334k |
| 14 | ˅8 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | +0.793s | 18/19 | 340k |
| 15 | ^4 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.859s | 18/19 | 332k |
| 16 | ˅3 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +1.005s | 17/17 | 332k |
| 17 | ^4 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.011s | 18/19 | 335k |
| 18 | ˅1 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.011s | 17/17 | 334k |
| 19 | ˅1 | Stefan Bradl | GER | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.080s | 20/20 | 338k |
| 20 | ^2 | Andrea Dovizioso | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.162s | 19/19 | 334k |
| 21 | ˅7 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +1.414s | 13/15 | 332k |
| 22 | ˅14 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +1.624s | 4/18 | 341k |
Key:
^X Rider is X positions higher than FP2.
= Rider is same position as FP2.
˅X Rider is X positions lower than FP2.
* Rookie
| Riders directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times: | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 2 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 3 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) |
| 4 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) |
| 5 | Alex Marquez | ESP | LCR Honda (RC213V) |
| 6 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 7 | Alex Rins | ESP | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) |
| 8 | Pol Espargaro | ESP | Repsol Honda (RC213V) |
| 9 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia (GP19)* |
| 10 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* |
Official Portimao MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 38.862s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Alex Rins SPA Suzuki 1m 39.450s (2021)
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
