Table of contents:
- Quartararo against Márquez, the first race of MotoGP 2022
- Good memories for Raúl Fernández and Pedro Acosta
- They change the schedules to adapt to the Portuguese zone
- Timetables MotoGP Algarve 2021
The 2021 MotoGP World Championship is coming to an end. Portimao will host the first round of a double that will serve to put an end to a World Cup who has already decided on his champion in MotoGP, but who is still looking to put the crown on a young rider in both Moto3 and Moto2.
In the premier class, with the champion already decided, we can have a more than interesting duel that serves as a prelude to 2022. Fabio Quartararo won in Portimao at the start of the season, but now he is going to meet a Marc Márquez who is coming on a roll. Neither has anything to lose, so there will be a duel.
Quartararo against Márquez, the first race of MotoGP 2022
That is why the one in Portimao may be the first race of MotoGP 2022. Let us remember that already there was a portuguese test earlier this season and it was an overwhelming dominance from Quartararo. That was Márquez's first race after the injury, and he did too much to see the checkered flag.
But the situation has changed a lot since then. In the last four races Márquez has two victories, one second place and a quarter. He is the fittest rider in the category, although it is true that at no time has there been a duel with a Quartararo who was more pending to finish off his first world championship.
Too Pecco Bagnaia was fast on the first date of the season, finishing second, which together with the streak of poles that he has, now four in a row, forces him to be a candidate for victory. But his mind may be very touched after losing the title with another knockdown leading at Misano.
Whenever there is A MotoGP visit to Portimao must be very attentive to Miguel Oliveira, which swept the first race of the world championship on this circuit, that of 2020. It is true that the Portuguese arrives in the middle of a bump, but it is also true that in Misano he saw the light at the end of the tunnel and only lost the podium for a untimely fall at the end.
For Suzuki, the chances of winning at least one race in their title defense year are running out, although they have two favorable circuits ahead. Remember that Álex Rins was the only one who kept up Quartararo's pace in the first in Portimao until he fell, and Joan Mir finished on the podium.
As for Aprilia, Lorenzo Savadori's injury has spoiled the weekend, since they will not be able to try the new things of the motorcycle with a 'wild card'. At least Maverick Viñales will continue with his adaptation to the Aprilia on a different circuit than Misano, who was already playing, since practically all his experience has been there.
Good memories for Raúl Fernández and Pedro Acosta
The one this weekend It will be the first Grand Prix of the Algarve of MotoGP, a new name to not coincide with the Portuguese Grand Prix that was used in April. In any case, this will only be the third visit of the MotoGP World Championship to Portimao, the three in less than a year due to the pandemic.
Therefore, there is little story to tell about Portimao. The driver who has won the most races at this Raúl Fernández circuit, the only one who has managed to prevail on both occasions. He did it in 2020 in Moto3 and in 2021 in Moto2. Another triumph that keeps him alive in the World Cup would be vital for him.
In MotoGP the first victory was for Oliveira and the last for Quartararo. Curiously, no one has repeated on the podium, since in 2020 Jack Miller and Franco Morbidelli joined the Portuguese team, while in 2021 they accompanied the champion Bagnaia and Mir. We will see if someone repeats this time.
There will also be morbid in Moto3, where Pedro Acosta could mathematically proclaim himself world champion but for that he would have to win the race. In April, at the Portuguese Grand Prix, the Murcian driver fought Dennis Foggia, his rival for the title, until the last lap, with a victory for Acosta. Repeating it would be worth a World Cup.
They change the schedules to adapt to the Portuguese zone
To follow the Algarve Grand Prix live there are two alternatives. DAZN is still the sole holder of the MotoGP rights in Spain, but Movistar + will puncture the signal of the entire Grand Prix on its DAZN 1 channel, after the agreement reached by both platforms. In addition, the MotoGP VideoPass will always be available.
The schedules in Portimao vary with respect to the traditional ones. The MotoGP race will start at 14:00 on SundayYes, but it will go before Moto2. Also, Moto3 starts at 12:20. The weather forecast indicates that we will have a somewhat cool weekend, but without the option of rain in any session.
Timetables MotoGP Algarve 2021
- (FP1) Moto3 free practice: 10:00
- (FP1) MotoGP free practice: 10:55
- (FP1) Moto2 free practice: 11:55
- (FP2) Moto3 free practice: 14:15
- (FP2) MotoGP free practice: 15:10
- (FP2) Moto2 free practice: 16:10
- (FP3) Moto3 free practice: 10:00
- (FP3) MotoGP free practice: 10:55
- (FP3) Moto2 free practice: 11:55
- (Q1) Moto3 timed practice: 13:35
- (Q2) Moto3 timed practice: 14:00
- (FP4) MotoGP free practice: 14:30
- (Q1) MotoGP timed practice: 15:10
- (Q2) MotoGP timed practice: 15:35
- (Q1) Moto2 timed practice: 16:10
- (Q2) Moto2 timed practice: 16:35
- (WUP) Warm Up Moto3: 10:00
- (WUP) Warm Up MotoGP: 10:30
- WUP) Warm Up Moto2: 11:00
- (RAC) Moto3 Race: 12:20
- (RAC) MotoGP Race: 14:00
- (RAC) Moto2 Race: 15:30
