Portimao MotoGP, Portugal - Free Practice (1) Results

Free Practice (1) results from the Portimao MotoGP at Portimao in Portugal, round 3 of the 2021 world championship.
Maverick Vinales, MotoGP, Portuguese MotoGP, 16 April 2021
Maverick Vinales, MotoGP, Portuguese MotoGP, 16 April 2021
© Gold and Goose

Vinales leads a damp opening practice for the Portimao MotoGP ahead of Rins and the returning Marc Marquez.

Eight-time world champion Marquez was completing his first MotoGP laps since July 25, having been sidelined for the past nine months due to complications with his broken right arm, which eventually required three operations.

The Repsol Honda star ran wide at the start of his first flying lap in 265 days, but was just +0.061s from the top by the end of his opening run. Marquez had dropped to 11th by the time he returned for a second and final run, and again ran wide at turn one, before moving to the top of the timesheets with 5mins to go.

Marc Marquez, Portimao MotoGP, 16 April 2021
Marc Marquez, Portimao MotoGP, 16 April 2021
© Gold and Goose

Marquez led the timesheets again on his final lap and was all smiles on his return to the pits, despite being pushed down to third by Rins and then Vinales. Marquez had never ridden a MotoGP bike at Portimao, but did test the RC213V-S production bike at the circuit last month.

Vinales' best lap time was a 1m 42.127s, several seconds off the fully dry pace due to the wet patches.

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Portimao MotoGP, Portugal - Free Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)1'42.127s15/15330k
2Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.151s18/18333k
3Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.251s14/14330k
4Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.255s12/12338k
5Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.316s20/20343k
6Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)+0.337s20/20334k
7Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.401s14/14328k
8Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+0.409s17/18342k
9Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+0.654s14/14334k
10Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.830s12/12329k
11Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.886s19/19327k
12Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+0.909s12/13333k
13Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.933s15/15329k
14Franco MorbidelliITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.116s20/21329k
15Lorenzo SavadoriITAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*+1.412s16/17331k
16Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+1.575s19/19339k
17Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)+1.873s16/18334k
18Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+2.475s14/15333k
19Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+2.840s20/20325k
20Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*+3.198s13/14332k
21Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+3.208s10/10330k
22Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)+5.647s14/17331k

* Rookie.
Official Portimao MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Miguel Oliveira POR KTM 1m 38.892s(2020)
Fastest race lap:
Miguel Oliveira POR KTM 1m 39.855s (2020)

By Peter McLaren
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