Thanks to his victory in this event that makes its appearance this year, the Italian provisionally takes the lead of the championship, before the traditional Grand Prix contested on Sunday, the first of a record season of 21 races.

He finished ahead of Spaniards Jorge Martin (Ducati-Pramac) and Marc Marquez. Starting from pole position to everyone's surprise, Marquez, six-time world champion in MotoGP, did not resist for long the onslaught of the two Ducati who started just behind him.

"I spent a lot of energy, there are only 12 laps, but we did an extraordinary job today," said the Honda rider at the finish.

Tenth in the sprint, Fabio Quartararo, 2021 world champion, failed to reach the points, behind his compatriot Johann Zarco (Ducati-Pramac), who, thanks to his 8th place, took two points overall.

The Niçois, who started only eleventh on the grid behind Zarco tenth, made a bad start before hooking Joan Mir's Honda.

Show

Contested every day before the Grand Prix, the sprints represent the equivalent, in distance, of half of the main race on Sunday. They also offer up to 12 additional points to the championship, in addition to the 25 points awarded the next day to the winner of the GP.

France's Fabio Quartararo during qualifying for the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix on March 25, 2023 in Portimao © PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP

For its very first edition, the sprint kept its promises of spectacle with beautiful battles on track, like the one led for the first place between Bagnaia, Martin and the Australian Jack Miller (KTM), then between the Italian and the Spaniard in the last lap.

This first sprint was also marked by the violent collision between the Italians Enea Bastianini (Ducati) and Luca Marini (Ducati-VR46).

The first was taken to Portimao Hospital and suffered a fractured shoulder blade. His presence on track for the rest of the weekend is not yet certain.

- Score for a 60th? –

On Sunday, the starting grid of the GP will still be the one determined on Saturday morning during qualifying.

If the French will still start far behind the leading men, Marc Marquez will start on pole for the second time this weekend with the hope of signing his first victory in the premier class since autumn 2021. And the 60th of his career.

Spaniard Marc Marquez, third in the sprint on the eve of the MotoGP GP of Portugal, on March 25 in Portimao © PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP

As for the sprint, he will start ahead of Bagnaia, 2nd, and Martin, 3rd. A performance that surprised the poleman, far from being convinced by the strength of his Honda.

"Frankly, I don't understand what happened," he said after qualifying. "Yesterday (during testing, editor's note), we suffered a lot," he acknowledged.

On Friday, the Spaniard had only set the 14th fastest time in qualifying practice and therefore had to go through the repechages on Saturday morning to win this pole.

Back from nowhere, Marquez, 30, even set the lap record to win this pole - the 64th of his career, marked in recent years by health problems that prevented him from competing for the title.

But, he already anticipates, "the race will be very difficult against the Ducati who have a very high pace". Answer tomorrow from 14:00 (15:00 Paris time) in the hills of the Algarve.

© 2023 AFP