Live Qualifying for MotoGP 2023 at Portimao on FormulaPassion.it

MotoGP – Hello dear readers of FormulaPassion.it MotoGP enthusiasts and welcome back to the appointment dedicated to the live news of the third free practice session and some qualifications of the Portuguese Grand Prix of Portimao, the first race of the 2023 world championship in the premier class. The 22 centaurs will take to the track on the circuit which has hosted the winter tests in recent weeks: the man to beat will obviously be the world champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati).
These are the Saturday session times: PL3 11.10-11.40 / Q1 11.50-12.05 / Q2 12.15-12.30 / Sprint 16
• Session in progress

12.15 – Green light for Q2 in Portimao – Fifteen minutes available for the 12 remaining riders to define the first four rows of the Sprint and the Sunday race. We will see on the track Jack Miller (KTM), Maverick Vinales (Aprilia), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), Marini (Ducati VR46), Martin (Ducati Before Pramac), Quartararo (Yamaha), Zarco (Ducati Before Pramac), Bezzecchi (Ducati VR46 ), Aleix Espargarò (Aprilia), Bastianini (Ducati), Marc Marquez (Honda) and Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia RNF).

12.05 – Checkered flag for Q1 in Portimao – At the last moment Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia RNF) detaches the ticket for Q2: the Portuguese is second in 1’37.849. So Marc Marquez (Honda) and Miguel Oliveira pass in Q2. This is how the fifth row is made up with Alex Marquez (Ducati Gresini), Mir (Honda) and Brad Binder (KTM); the sixth row with Rins (Honda LCR), Morbidelli (Yamaha) and Nakagami (Honda LCR); the seventh with Augusto Fernandez (KTM GasGas), Raul Fernandez (Aprilia RNF) and Di Giannantonio (Ducati Gresini).

12.04 – Fourth position for Brad Binder (KTM, MS), but at 0″430 from Marc Marquez.
Meanwhile, Alex Marquez (Ducati Gresini) flickers, now second in 1’37.970, 295 thousandths behind his brother.

12.02 – Marc Marquez (Honda) did not enter the track for the second run. In the lap that gave him the leadership and circuit record, the Spaniard was ‘pulled’ by his teammate Mir.

11.59 – Unique on the track at the moment Joan Mir (Honda, MS), who is pushing. First part of an absolute record for the Spaniard, but in the subsequent intermediates he does not improve and remains third.

11.57 – Standings after the first run:
1. Marc Marquez 1’37.675
2. Oliveira +0.30
3. Mir +0.38
4. Rins +0.6
5. Morbidelli +0.6
6. Raul Fernandez +0.8
7. Augusto Fernandez +0.8
8. Alex Marquez +0.8
9. Nakagami +0.9
10. Brad Binder +1.0
11. By Giannantonio +1.3.
It should be noted that Brad Binder (KTM) is struggling with a neck problem.

11.56 – Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia RNF) conquers the second position in 1’37.975. At the moment, the qualifiers for Q2 would be Oliveira and the leader Marc Marquez.

11.55 – Ten minutes to go. Alex Rins (Honda LCR) moved up to third place 659 thousandths behind Marc Marquez.

11.52 – First lap for all the riders: Marc Marquez (Honda, HS) is leading in 1’37.675, second is Mir (Honda, MS) in 1’38.064. Third Morbidelli (Yamaha, MS) at six tenths.
Marc Marquez set the track record.

11.50 – Green flag for Q1 in Portimao – Only two riders will get the pass for Q2, in contention Alex Marquez (Ducati Gresini), Mir (Honda), Rins (Honda LCR), Marc Marquez (Honda), Nakagami (Honda LCR), Augusto Fernandez (KTM GasGas), Raul Fernandez (Aprilia RNF), Brad Binder (KTM), Oliveira (Aprilia RNF), Morbidelli (Yamaha), Di Giannantonio (Ducati Gresini).

PL3 analysis

The thirty minutes of Free Practice 3 in Portimao, irrelevant for the formation of the qualifying groups, saw the MotoGP riders prepare tires and set-ups in view of the Sprint and the race. The fastest was Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati VR46), while good sensations on the pace were given by Quartararo (Yamaha), Bagnaia (Ducati) and the Aprilias of Aleix Espargarò and Maverick Vinales.
Finally, the crashes – without consequences – of Marini (Ducati VR46), Bastianini (Ducati), Bagnaia (Ducati).

11.40 – Checkered flag for the PL3 of Portimao – Bezzecchi (Ducati VR46) closes in the lead, ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha) and Aleix Espargarò (Aprilia).

11.35 – Crash for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) in Turn 1. Long crash by the Italian after losing the front end in setting up.

11.31 – Guizzo di Bagnaia (Ducati, MS), who climbed the rankings up to third position, in 1’38.803. Luca Marini (Ducati VR46, SS) rejoined the track after a crash on the warm-up lap.
Enea Bastianini (Ducati) crash in Turn 5. The Italian is in ninth position.

11.30 – Ten minutes to go and leaderboard positions unchanged. To note the difficulties of Marc Marquez (Honda), only 16th in 1’39.426.

11.27 – Fourth position for Miguel Oliveira (Aprilia RNF) in 1’38.985, just over four tenths behind the leader Bezzecchi. Luca Marini (Ducati VR46) has not yet returned to the track.

11.25 – Ranking top10 PL3 Portimao after 15 minutes (half session):
1. Bezzecchi 1’38.577
2. Quarter +0.1
3. Alex Marquez +0.2
4. Vinales +0.4
5. Martin +0.4
6. Bastianini +0.4
7. Bagnaia +0.4
8. Oliveira +0.5
9. Mir +0.5
10. Nakagami +0.5.

11.22 – Maveirck Vinales (Aprilia, SM) was also fast, now in fourth position. The feeling is that the riders are trying out the tire combination to use for the Sprint and the race. We remind you that the current PL3 ​​session has no value for the formation of the groups participating in Q1 and Q2.