PORTIMAO. Yesterday Fabio Quartararo said he did not deserve the pole position (arrived after having canceled the fastest lap at Bagnaia), but today no one can blame him for anything. The Frenchman made a mistake only at the start, leaving his compatriot Zarco to lead the race, but only for a few laps. On lap 8 the Yamaha rider had already broken the delay and started his escape, with only Rins able to keep up with him. Alex, however, made a mistake with 7 laps to go by going to the ground (the same thing happened to Zarco, the first lap). Quartararo not only won his second race of the season, but he also jumped to the top of the standings with 61 points.
Behind the Frenchman, both on the podium and in the championship, is Pecco Bagnaia. The Ducati rider started 11th, after a few corners he was 13th, then an irresistible comeback began which handed him the silver medal: “I did my best, it was a very difficult race – he said. -. My goal was to be in the top 5, so I’m very happy with this 2nd place ». Rounding out the podium is world champion Joan Mir, who managed to defend the last step available from Franco Morbidelli’s attacks. Behind him came Brad Binder with KTM and Aleix Espargaró in the Aprilia.
Seventh place for Marc Marquez, the hero of the day. When he returned to the garage he was in tears of pain, having completed a race that was impossible for him on paper after 9 months of hiatus. In the first lap he was even 3rd, before losing positions. He arrived only 13 seconds after the winner: an incredible result for him. Marc was also the first Honda rider under the checkered flag, ahead of his brother Alex, Enea Bastianini and Takaaki Nakagami. Out of the top 10 Viñalese, ahead of Marini, Petrucci and Savadori. Valentino Rossi finished his race after 14 laps due to a crash, the same fate for Miller and Oliveira.