ROUND 1 / MARCH 24-26, 2023
ALGARVE INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT / PORTIMAO, PORTUGAL
MOTOGP I FIM MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
P70
but all hell was about to break
loose behind him on lap three.
Marquez again locked the front
of his Honda but this time the
consequences were dire as he
with Marquez almost hitting the
deck and falling back to fifth as
Oliveira resumed the lead.
By the end of lap two Bagnaia
had swept past into the lead
At the flag it was Bagnaia
who took the first-ever sprint
race victory ahead of Martin and
Marquez with Miller an excellent
fourth on his KTM debut ahead
of the two Aprilias of Vinales
and Espargaro. Oliveira, Johann
Zarco (Ducati), Alex Marquez
(Ducati) and Fabio Quartararo
rounded out the top 10.
Feature Race
The action-packed sprint race
was just a prequel to Sunday's
25 lapper, and it was home hero
Miguel Oliveira who briefly took
the holeshot but ran wide at turn
one to allow Martin through.
Marquez was already caus
-
ing havoc by turn three, locking
the front of his Repsol Honda
and pushing Martin wide. Martin
then did the undercut move and
the two riders made contact,
Bezzecchi's late-race
pace was exceptional as
he charged to the podium
in the feature race.
Pol Espargaro's practice
crash was terrifying. The
Spaniard has not yet set a
date for his racing return.
