Portimao Moto2 Test Results - Saturday, Day 1 (Session 3)
The only Official 2022 pre-season test for the Moto2 and Moto3 classes began in Portimao on Saturday morning.
Testing takes place over three days, from 10am to 6pm, with each class having three 70-minute track sessions per day.
Augusto Fernandez was the rider to beat in Sessions 1 and 2 of the Moto2 action, reaching a best of 1m 43.258s, with rookie team-mate and reiging Moto3 champion Pedro Acosta slotting into a close second place.
However, both Ajo riders were among those to sit out the final session, when Aspar's Jake Dixon set the fastest lap of the day.
“Overall I'm very happy with how today went,! said Dixon. "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 along. 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.”
Fernandez, who eventually slipped to third overall behind Dixon and Aron Canet after skipping the final session, said: "I am happy with this first day, because my hand feels better and we have been able to make progress. I felt fairly good with the base setup that we had from Jerez. We worked as if it were a Grand Prix weekend, looking for the best setup for the bike according to the track conditions, and we have been able to try out some things. I am improving every time I go out on track, and I want to continue like this."
Rookie Acosta, fourth overall, added: "We have had a good start on the first day of testing in Portimao. We needed a few laps to understand the circuit with a Moto2 bike, as it is different compared to Moto3. However, we felt good, we have taken a step forward and we have got back the same feeling that we had at Jerez. For the next two days we will continue testing things to draw conclusions for Qatar."
| 2022 Portimao Moto2 test times, Saturday - Session 3 | |||
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Jake Dixon | GASGAS Aspar Team | 1'43.169s |
| 2 | Aron Canet | Flexbox HP40 | +0.075s |
| 3 | Albert Arenas | GASGAS Aspar Team | +0.412s |
| 4 | Joe Roberts | Italtrans Racing Team | +0.451s |
| 5 | Fermín Aldeguer | Speed Up Racing | +0.486s |
| 6 | Celestino Vietti | VR46 Racing Team | +0.585s |
| 7 | Marcel Schrotter | Liqui Moly Intact GP | +0.671s |
| 8 | Jorge Navarro | Flexbox HP40 | +0.702s |
| 9 | Tony Arbolino | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team | +0.770s |
| 10 | Bo Bendsneyder | Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team | +0.968s |
| 11 | Marcos Ramirez | MV Agusta Forward Team | +1.067s |
| 12 | Alessandro Zaccone | Gresini Racing Moto2 | +1.528s |
| 13 | Lorenzo Dalla Porta | Italtrans Racing Team | +1.553s |
| 14 | Manuel Gonzalez | Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team | +1.577s |
| 15 | Romano Fenati | Speed Up Racing | +1.667s |
| 16 | Jeremy Alcoba | Liqui Moly Intact GP | +1.727s |
| 17 | Barry Baltus | RW Racing GP | +1.850s |
| 18 | Filip Salac | Gresini Racing Moto2 | +1.940s |
| 19 | Keminth Kubo | Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team | +2.530s |
| 20 | Niccolò Antonelli | VR46 Racing Team | +2.582s |
| 21 | Gabriel Rodrigo | Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team | +2.905s |
| 22 | Simone Corsi | MV Agusta Forward Team | +3.028s |
| 23 | Zonta Van Den Goorbergh | RW Racing GP | +3.916s |
| Ai Ogura | Idemitsu Honda Team Asia | No Time | |
| Sean Kelly | American Racing | No Time | |
| Cameron Beaubier | American Racing | No Time | |
| Sam Lowes | ELF Marc VDS Racing Team | No Time | |
| Somkiat Chantra | IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia | No Time | |
| Augusto Fernandez | Red Bull KTM Ajo | No Time | |
| Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM Ajo | No Time | |
Portimao Moto2 lap records:
Best lap:
Remy Gardner AUS Kalex 1m 42.447s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Remy Gardner AUS Kalex 1m 42.504s (2020)
