Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati) has taken a crushing win at the Algarve MotoGP 2022 in the Autodromo de Portimao, a GP that had to be cut short by two laps following an accident between Iker Lecuona (Tech 3 KTM) and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Both unharmed.  

After the Italian pilot, 2021 runner-up, arrived Joan Mir (Suzuki), who has sealed his third place at the MotoGP World Championship (+2.478s). Let down by his inferior machine, the Spaniard was unable to keep up with his Italian rival for most of the race. Jack Miller (+6.402s) was third to complete Ducati’s double podium. 

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The Australian racer sustained an intense showdown with Alex Marquez (LCR Honda) over the final laps. Luckily for him, he was saved by the red flag just as the Spaniard was closing in on him. The Catalan pilot had in fact got three-tenths of a second closer in the last few meters ahead of the cancellation of the race.

In the end, both concluded just mere 0.051 seconds apart. This was, in any case, Marquez’ best performance and result of the season, as well as being the best Honda on the day.  

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 Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) concluded a place below, securing the honour of being the best independent pilot of the year. Behind the Frenchman came Pol Espargaro (Honda HRC) in sixth place, followed by Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing). The pilot from Madrid will try to become Rookie of the Year in Valencia against Enea Bastianini (Esponsorama Racing), who was ninth at the Algarve MotoGP 2021.  

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Thanks to its double podium, which included the third win of Bagnia (Aragon & San Marino) and the fifth podium of Miller, the team from Borgo Panigale has secured its third overall, and second consecutive, Constructors’ World Title.

A great relief after their young pilot lost his title chances last week in Misano. The red squad is also still on the game for the Team’s Title which they will play against Yamaha at the last round of the calendar in Valencia.  

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Fabio Quartararo, on the other hand, has been one of the great losers this weekend in Portugal. The French pilot started by losing two positions and then crashed out of his first race as MotoGP World Champion. Complacent after having achieved his objective, he hasn’t performed as expected, if it is also true that the Algarve is not one of his favourite rounds. 

Bagnaia commands the race from the start  

The race itself has pretty much been a monologue from Bagnaia. After losing first place in the initial meters of the race, the pilot from Milan took it straight back and held on to it until the very end. Only one courageous pilot, Joan Mir, was able to keep hot on his heels during part of the race. Despite the Spaniards best efforts, the Italian steadily slipped away from his grip.  

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Slowly but surely, Pecco had escaped to 1,3 seconds with fifteen laps left to the end of the race. The Spaniard still had to witness powerlessly how his rival opened a further second distance five laps later. When the accident between Lecuona and Oliveira ended the Algarve MotoGP 2021 ahead of time, they were running 2,478 seconds apart.  

Mir, for his part, crossed the finish line 6,402 seconds ahead of Miller. Thanks to the accident the Australian snatched third place with just 0.051 seconds on Alex Marquez.  

Images of Algarve MotoGP 2021: Ducati Corse.