World Champion Quartararo tops Portimao FP1 from Bagnaia

New MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo left it late to top free practice one of the 2021 Algarve Grand Prix at Portimao.

Francesco Bagnaia and Quartararo were the early pace setters along with both Suzuki’s of Alex Rins and Joan Mir. 

After exchanging fastest times during the opening few laps, Bagnaia finally got the better of Quartararo, while improvements from Franco Morbidelli, Alex Marquez and Jack Miller saw them all move into the top five. 

Pol Espargaro, who endured a dreadful first Portimao weekend aboard the RC213V in April, continued his impressive turnaround of late to go third with 10 minutes gone.

Bagnaia and Quartararo continued to challenge one another while being over four tenths clear of Epsargaro in P3. 

Quartararo got within +0.005s of the Ducati rider before moving ahead of the Italian on his very next lap. Miller made it a Ducati 2-3 by going third with half the session remaining. 

After a small moment early on in FP1, Mir then came close to a big highside on the exit of turn 14. Luckily for the Spaniard he was able to stay aboard his GSX-RR machine. 

With just over ten minutes to go, Bagnaia set a stunning lap to go five tenths clear of Yamaha. 

After being bumped down to fifth by an impressive Franco Morbidelli and Miller, Espargaro regained third place.

Although Bagnaia looked to have pace over the rest, Quartararo closed to within a tenth before taking top spot on his final effort. 

Luca Marini, who secured his best MotoGP qualifying last time out, went fifth quickest with just a couple of minutes to go.

Bagnaia remained second fastest ahead of Miller, Rins and Mir who concluded the top five. Marini dropped a position late on and ended FP1 in sixth, while P. Espargaro, Maverick Vinales, Morbidelli and Aleix Espargaro rounded out the top ten. 

There’s no Marc Marquez this weekend after suffering a concussion during a training accident last week. Stefan Bradl is replacing the eight-time world champion.