MotoGP | Portimao Test Day 1: Italian dominance with Ducati and Aprilia

Portimao MotoGP 2023 test – Domination of the Italian manufacturers on the first day of IRTA testing held on the Portimao circuit, a track that will also host the opening race of the 2023 MotoGP on March 26th.

The time table sees seven Italian bikes in the top seven positions, nine in the Top Ten. The best time went to reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia, who put the Desmosedici GP 23 in the lead with a time of 1:38.771, a close time to the track record which already belongs to him and which is 1'38.725.

Behind “Pecco” we find his brand and VR46 Riders Academy teammate Luca Marini, who aboard the Desmosedici of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team, lapped 0.234s from #1.

Third time for Maverick Vinales' Aprilia, a bike presented yesterday in Portimao. The #12 of the Venetian company "stopped" just 20 thousandths from the #10 and precedes his compatriot Alex Marquez, who has been riding the Gresini Racing Ducati since this season.

The #73 performed excellently as he moved from Honda to Ducati and immediately became a protagonist. The Aprilia RS-GP 22s of Razlan Razali's Team SAT were also very good.

Raul Fernandez took the fifth fastest time ahead of team-mate Miguel Oliveira. The two are separated from the summit by 0.689s and 0.695s.

Marco Bezzecchi riding the second Ducati of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team is seventh, ahead of the only Japanese bike in the Top Ten, Fabio Quartararo's Yamaha.

“El Diablo” is literally surrounded by Italian bikes, in fact in addition to the seven in front, he has two others behind, those of Fabio Di Giannantonio (who fell twice and was taken to hospital for checks, ed.) and Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing).

Best Honda rider is Alex Rins, who moved from Suzuki to the RC213V managed by Lucio Cecchinello. The #42 has a gap from the top of 0.875s and precedes Aleix Espargarò's Aprilia and Johann Zarco's Ducati Pramac.

Joan Mir riding the Honda Factory is 14th, ahead of the best of the KTMs, that of the South African Brad Binder, who in turn precedes team-mate Jack Miller.

Difficult day for Enea Bastianini who had a technical problem on his Ducati Factory. Eight-time world champion Marc Marquez fared worse, only 19th at 1.399s from Bagnaia. A disappointing result, even when compared to those who had never ridden the RC213V, Alex Rins and Joan Mir.

Franco Morbidelli continues to struggle and is 21st with the second Yamaha on the track, around 8 tenths behind team-mate Fabio Quartararo. Also in front of "Morbido" is Ducati tester Michele Pirro, while behind him we find the GASGAS of Pol Espargarò and rookie Augusto Fernandez, separated from Takaaki Nakagami's Honda.

Of note are the many crashes, in order: Raul Fernandez at turn 15, Aleix Espargarò at turn 1, Johann Zarco at turns 13 and 3, Pol Espargarò at turn 5, Fabio Di Giannantonio at turns 10 and 7, Marc Marquez at turn 14 , Takaaki Nakagami at turn 13, Enea Bastianini at turn 4 and Joan Mir at turn 14.

Official Portimao MotoGP record

best lap
Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati 1:38.725 (2021)

Fastest race lap
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1:39.435 (2022)

MotoGP Portimao Day 1 test, the final times