ROUND 17 / NOVEMBER 5-7, 2021
AUTODROMO INTERNACIONAL DO ALGARVE / PORTIMAO, PORTUGAL
P68
MOTOGP I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Speed Up) by eight-tenths of
a second, with Bezzecchi
slipping from second to
eighth at the flag. Augusto
Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS
Racing Team) and Marcel
Schrotter (Liqui Moly Intact
GP) rounded out the top 10.
Gardner now holds a
23-point gap to Fernandez in
the title chase and only has
to finish 13th or better to take
the title in Valencia.
Moto3
Another nail-biter in Moto3
saw a dramatic conclusion to
the title race as Pedro Acosta
(Red Bull KTM) became
the first rookie since Loris
Capirossi in 1990 to win the
125cc/Moto3 title.
Acosta came through for
the win and the title, but not
before chief title rival Dennis
Foggia (Leopard Honda) was
punted out of the champion-
ship on the final lap by Dar-
ryn Binder (Petronas Honda),
the South African slamming
into the back of Foggia in an
incident that also took out
Sergio Garcia (Aspar Gas-
Gas).
Once the field sorted
itself out following the crash,
Honda's Andrea Migno
pushed through for second
ahead of Niccolo Antonelli,
Jeremy Alcoba (KTM) and
Izan Guevara (GasGas).
Acosta's points total 259
from Foggia (213) and Garcia
(168).
I have to learn a lot. The navigation is very
difficult to understand. I need training. But it
has been really nice. It was 7 in the morning;
I was in the middle of the desert. I saw just
dunes and I was thinking 'where has my life
brought me?' It was an amazing feeling."
MIR TAKES A BREAK
The pain of failing to retain his crown was
keenly felt. So much so, Joan Mir had
to take a total break from training after
his disastrous performance in the recent
Emilia Romagna GP. The Spaniard suffered
poor showings in Texas and Italy, as his
title challenge faded away, leading him to
take a step back from his usually intense
preparation. "I was mentally a bit collapsed
after two difficult GPs in a row," he admit-
ted in Portugal. "The end of the season is
coming. I needed that week off to try and
disconnect a bit more and to make the last
two races at the best of my performance."
Briefly...
How the mighty have
fallen. Former title rivals
Andrea Dovizioso (04) and
Maverick Vinales (12) were
reduced to 14th and 16th
places at Portimao.
