There was a bigger gap of a couple of tenths back to Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP), with the Spaniard, in turn, 0.297 ahead of Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse). John McPhee was sixth as the Scot gets to grips with his Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max machine, with Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team) 0.003 further back and Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) 0.077.
With just two-weeks until season start in Qatar on March 6, the riders that will form up the grids in the 2022 Moto2 and Moto3 Championships are in Portugal for the Official Portimao Test with the aim to allow riders to get up to speed after the winter break.
Many teams and riders have already held their own private test sessions previously, with testing being conducted at other tracks such as Valencia and Jerez already this month. All riders now have three days at the Algarve International Circuit for the final adjustments before heading to Qatar.
As it would be expected at this time of the year in the south of Portugal, the first session of the day started under very windy conditions.
The opening day of the official Moto2 and Moto3 test at Portimao saw Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team) make a late lunge to the top in the intermediate class, the Brit ending the day 0.075 ahead of Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40).
Jake Dixon – P1
“Overall I’m very happy with how today went. I have achieved my fastest lap on this circuit. It’s business as usual, when you’re not focused on getting a lap time, it comes alone. I am also very happy with the team; we continue to work hard and we have found small improvements between the second and third sessions that have allowed us to ride better. I have to try to make fewer mistakes to continue improving.”
Almost as close was Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), only another four-thousandths in arrears. Only a few more thousandths behind came his team-mate, reigning Moto3 World Champion Pedro Acosta, with last year’s rookie sensation maintaining that moniker as he moves into the intermediate class…
Then came a small gap back to Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) as the American ended the day 0.265 off Acosta, heading up another group of incredibly tight lap-times.
Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Albert Arenas (GASGAS Aspar Team) were up next, with Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) just 0.002 off Arenas. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) took P9, with Fermin Aldeguer (Speed Up Racing) taking tenth.
The likes of Fernandez, Acosta, Ogura, Beaubier and Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing) didn’t head out in the final session and with lap-times only a second off the pole record already, it will be interesting to see how the pace progresses on Sunday.
Portimao Moto2 Test Day One Times
Pos
Rider
Bike
Time/Gap
1
J.Dixon
KALEX
1m43.169
2
A.Canet
KALEX
+0.075
3
A.Fernandez
KALEX
+0.089
4
P.Acosta
KALEX
+0.095
5
C.Beaubier
KALEX
+0.360
6
A.Ogura
KALEX
+0.386
7
A.Arenas
KALEX
+0.412
8
M.Schrotter
KALEX
+0.414
9
J.Roberts
KALEX
+0.451
10
F.Aldeguer
BOSCOSCURO
+0.486
11
C.Vietti
KALEX
+0.585
12
J.Navarro
KALEX
+0.702
13
T.Arbolino
KALEX
+0.770
14
B.Bendsneyde
KALEX
+0.968
15
M.Ramirez
MV AGUSTA
+1.067
16
A.Zaccone
KALEX
+1.528
17
L.Dalla Porta
KALEX
+1.553
18
M.Gonzalez
KALEX
+1.577
19
R.Fenati
BOSCOSCURO
+1.667
20
F.Salac
KALEX
+1.668
21
J.Alcoba
KALEX
+1.727
22
S.Lowes
KALEX
+1.810
23
B.Baltus
KALEX
+1.850
24
S.Chantra
KALEX
+1.865
25
S.Corsi
MV AGUSTA
+1.888
26
S.Kelly
KALEX
+2.259
27
K.Kubo
KALEX
+2.530
28
N.Antonelli
KALEX
+2.582
29
Z.Van Den Goo
KALEX
+2.721
30
G.Rodrigo
KALEX
+2.905
Moto3
In Moto3 Tatsuki Suzuki began his tenure with Leopard Racing by topping the timesheets on Day 1, the Japanese rider putting in a 1’48.575 to pull nearly a tenth and a half clear of Izan Guevara (GASGAS Aspar Team), who is gearing up for his second season in Moto3. It was a rookie completing the top three though, with David Muñoz (BOE SKX) 0.283 off the top.
That denied Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) as the Turk was an apt 0.053 further back, with another rookie standout in fifth: Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI). The Brazilian debutant was even closer in the tight field, 0.017 off Öncü.
Deniz Öncü – P4
“We finished the first day of the Portimao Test, which is also the fifth test day for me this month. Everything has been positive so far because I have a very good rythm, I register good lap times and my pace is strong. Today we have been working a lot on the bike and we tried different set-ups to see which ones suit best to my riding style. I got some fast laps so we definitively have a great potential and good ideas. Tomorrow, we will continue the work in this direction.”
Adrian Fernandez seems to be settling in at Red Bull KTM Tech 3 as he ended Day 1 in P6, just ahead of Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team).
Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) put CFMoto into the top ten on their debut in P8, ahead of another impressive rookie in Ivan Ortola (Team MTA).
Ayumu Sasaki’s first official day in Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max colours saw the Japanese rider complete the top ten.
The likes of Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) were outside the top ten, but it is, after all, only the first day.
Aussie rookie Joel Kelso finished day one P21 on the time-sheets despite a small tumble without consequences.
Ana Carrasco continued her adaption to Moto3 and brought up the tail end of the time-sheets at this early juncture with plenty more speed still to come from the tough Spaniard no doubt.
Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), runner up last season, was sidelined due to illness. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) is also sidelined after breaking his ankle.
Day 1 of the official Moto2™ and Moto3™ test at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve saw Jake Dixon (GASGAS Aspar Team) make a late lunge to the top in the intermediate class, the Brit ending the day 0.075 ahead of Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40). Almost as close was Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo), only another four thousandths in arrears. Only a few more thousandths behind came his teammate, reigning Moto3™ World Champion Pedro Acosta, with last year’s rookie sensation maintaining that moniker as he moves into the intermediate class…
That leaves the likes of Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) outside the top ten, but it is, after all, only the first day. And Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), the runner up last season, will be glad of that too as he was sidelined due to illness.
Victory is built on sacrifices, and Marquez knows this better than anyone; “I’ve made a big sacrifice, which is that I’m moving to Madrid for the whole of 2022 for this, to put all my heart into it. I trust them. They will keep my shoulder fresh all season and I’m going all out. I love my Cervera very much and I have lived there all my life, but we are coming here, to continue with the same lifestyle, but with this group of doctors, to fight for a World Championship again, to go for the ninth,” he said at the premiere of MotoGP™ Unlimited in Madrid on Wednesday.
2. Martin’s first premier class victory came at the Red Bull Ring at the Styrian GP, and an image of him draped in the Spanish flag with the Osborne bull lives long in the memory. The flag is synonymous with Madrid born riders, and it’s one that his parents, Angel Martin and Susana Almoguera, have brought to circuits since 1987 as they cheered on Spanish riders, with a special dedication to 1999 World Champion Alex Criville. The flag began to grab headlines as early as 2018, when Martin carried it with him on his lap of honour after sealing Moto3™ title success in Sepang.
The docuseries takes fans behind the scenes, allowing viewers an intimate and exclusive look at the challenges faced by riders and teams during the season, both on and off the track. The docuseries follows in the footsteps of other Prime Video sports content productions also produced by THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO, such as Fernando; following double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso, Six Dreams, and the acclaimed series All or Nothing. The executive producers are Laura Fernández Espeso, Javier Méndez, and Bernat Elías, and the directors are Arnau Monràs and Jaume García.
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Fermin Aldeguer (Speed Up Racing) reaffirmed their statuses as two of the intermediate class’ hottest prospects. Reigning Moto3™ Champion Acosta finished just 0.003s off of Ogura as he seems to have taken little to no time to adapt to Moto2™ machinery, while Aldeguer rounds out the top three, just over a tenth off.
In Moto3™, Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Sergio Garcia (Aspar Team Moto3™) and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) are the riders to beat, with all three carrying considerable experience in the class and race winning pedigree. The lightweight class also sees the addition of several exciting names to the grid for 2022. Ana Carrasco (BOE SKX) returns to the class for the first time since 2015 while the likes of Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), the 2021 Asia Talent Cup Champion, Mario Aji (Honda Team Asia), Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) are among a long list of rookie riders with burgeoning potential.
It’s official! The new docuseries about the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship, MotoGP™ Unlimited, will launch exclusively on Prime Video in France, Italy, Spain, and more than 170 countries and territories worldwide – including the UK and U.S. – on the 14th of March. Produced by THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO in collaboration with Dorna Sports, the series comprises eight 50-minute episodes and follows a number of premier class stars, including riders and team managers.