First weekend of MotoGP 2023 to remember for Francesco Bagnaia. After having triumphed on Saturday in the first sprint race in MotoGP history, the reigning World Champion confirmed his dominance in the GP of Portugal, on the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.
At the start, it was Oliveira who had the best starting point: the home hero started off from the fourth box and took the lead, while anything went on behind. Martin immediately slips the Portuguese, but at turn 3 Marc Marquez enters hard and swallows the two leaders to take the lead. However, he goes wide and in the exit he loses the support of his inside foot on the platform, giving up some positions. Oliveira thus returns to the top ahead of Martin and Bagnaia.
Starting from second position, behind Marc Marquez, Bagnaia was able to establish himself right from the start, gaining the lead of the race on the second lap. Marquez, fourth, still at turn 3 looks out to overtake Martin but takes the measures badly and hits Oliveira, at that moment second and already engaged in setting up the right-hander. They both end up on the ground.
From there Bagnaia held his own against a tough Maverick Viñales until the end, who closely guarded him throughout the match. Bagnaia was thus awarded his second success of the season, with an advantage of 687 thousandths over the Spanish rider. The Ducati of Marco Bezzecchi also climbs onto the podium of the Portuguese GP, VR46 Racing Team rider, protagonist of a good comeback after starting with the eighth fastest time.
For Francesco Bagnaia this is the 12th victory in MotoGP, and Pecco now has a 12-point lead in the standings. After the first round of the 2023 season, Ducati and the Ducati Lenovo Team also occupy the first position in the constructors’ and teams’ standings.
On the following pages you will find the complete classifications of the Saturday sprint race, the Sunday GP and the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
