REFLECTIONS ON PORTIMAO.

By Whit Bazemore

Bend. Pardon me for my perhaps over-the-top giddy excitement in covering the still-young 2022 MotoGP season, but it’s been for good reason: the first four races, all fly-a-ways on four different continents, thrilled with unpredictable drama and results, which have, in a small way, turned the series upside down. Underdogs have been winning races, and the first three races each featured three different riders on their podiums - a level of parity and competitiveness seldom seen in any top level racing series. But it wasn’t only the level of competitiveness that surprised; it was also the level of uncompetitiveness by the longtime dominant and all-conquering factories - the big three teams. The official factory teams of Honda, Yamaha, and Ducati all suffered inconsistent results amid fleeting flashes of brilliance. “The real championship will start once we return to Europe,” quickly became a shared consensus of many of the factory regulars - as if to say that somehow the European tracks will fix everything. And while it’s true that the highly strung, exotic, carbon and titanium MotoGP race bikes can definitely favor one type of circuit over another, the first four races were all so competitive, emotional, and entertaining, (and that is exactly what motorcycle racing should always be) it was hard to understand how it wouldn’t be more of the same once the series arrived in Europe.  

MotoGP’s two segment qualifying procedure is already supercharged with unpredictability, but Portimao’s was something else altogether. The up-and-down nature of the track meant that the drying line still had a few “rivers” of wetness running across it, and these patches of dampness caught out those brave enough to risk slicks too early. Preseason Championship favorites Pecco Bagnaia, and two-time pole winner this year Jorge Martin, championship leader Enea Bastianini, and an on-form and second in the championship Alex Rins were the notables who had to get through Q1 (the 10 quickest riders from the first practice sessions advance automatically to Q2, all the others duke it out in Q1 where only the two fastest advance to Q2). Both sessions are a stressful 15 minutes.

Despite cold track temps of about 59 degrees F and the presence of “rivers,” a few ultra-brave souls immediately gambled on slicks in Q1. Rookie Remy Gardner (son of 1987 World Champ Wayne) was the first out, and he didn’t make it very far. He high-sided on his out lap at turn 9. A few minutes later Bagnaia, on the factory Ducati, did the same on his first flying lap - making it only through turn 3 before a vicious high side left him with a worrisome shoulder injury. His ability to start the race was now in serious jeopardy. It looked like riding the world’s fastest race bikes (upwards of 250HP!) on ice. Literally. 25HP Moped’s don’t work on ice, so you can only imagine what this looked like. Honestly, it was nerve wracking and kinda uncomfortable to watch - not exactly a good feeling, knowing what was gonna happen. 

With more of the track drying as the minutes ticked by, more riders gambled. At the end, slicks were the answer, with Alex Marquez and Luca Marini both advancing to Q2 at the last few seconds of the session. But not everyone wins in a casino, and gambling with tire choice is much the same. Rookie Raul Fernandez fell on his last lap, but it was Championship leader Enea Bastianini’s crash with seconds left in the session that possibly would affect the race and the championship points the most. High-side crashes are dangerous, as the name implies, and while none of the fallers (with the exception of Bagnaia) were seriously injured, they were all battered and bruised, and these things can definitely compromise race level fitness. Bastianini would start the race now in 18th position, Alex Rins, a highly disappointed second to last, and factory Ducati star Bagnaia and the preseason championship favorite, dead last in 24th position, if cleared to race. 

Track conditions continued to improve for Q2 - it is a another 15 minute session that determines pole position as well as the top half of the field. It was equally as tense. With track conditions improving every lap, the last five minutes of Q2 were edge-of-your seat racing at its best. Every lap was a shuffle at the top, with the lap times improving by the second. First, it was Alex Marquez on a satellite Honda, who was quickest. Then Johann Zarco on a satellite Ducati. Then Joan Mir on the factory Suzuki. Then Zarco again. Then Jack Miller on the factory Ducati. Then reining World Champ - ultra-quick Fabio Quartararo on a factory Yamaha - entered into the fight with a third-quickest time with only 90secs left, but time enough for one last lap. With only a minute left, all-time MotoGP pole winner (62) Marc Marquez was suddenly setting the quickest first sector time. It was fascinating watching Marquez on the edge of control. No one does it better - the bike sliding, twitching, wheeling crossed up over the Portimao crests at 150 mph, elbows and knees dragging on every corner, the bike leaned over at almost 60 degrees - all on a slightly damp track - just insanely beautiful, if you find such insanity beautiful, as we all do. With only 30 seconds left, Pol Espargaro, Marquez’s teammate on the factory Honda, crashed at high speed in the last corner, bringing out a local yellow flag. Marquez blitzed through the last sector still quickest, but the ill-timed crash and yellow flag cost him the pole. With his quick time canceled, he ended up 8th. It wasn’t over yet, however, with Miller on pole and the checkered flag waving, but with Quartararo, Mir, and Zarco still on course to complete their last laps. Quartararo crossed the line moving into second, but his time was also canceled, regulating him to 4th. Mir and Zarco were further back in the lap, and by the time they got to the last turn, Pol’s crashed bike had been removed, and the yellows were put away. Mir crossed the line quickest - but Zarco was behind and the last to cross the line. He bested Mir by only a few 10th’s for his seventh and maybe best career pole. 

Race day promised even more - Marquez and Quartararo starting mid field, and of course Bagnaia and Rins starting last and second to last, respectively - meant that the entertainment and drama factor would again be high. It was. 

At the start, Rins moved up six places by the exit of turn one - and by mid lap, was up ten spots. He finished the lap up thirteen places, in 10th. It was stunning, and reminiscent of just two weeks ago, when Marc Marquez essentially did the same thing here at Circuit of The Americas. Bagnaia meanwhile, nursing the injured shoulder, was up only a few spots, still mired at the back. Marquez was struggling already as well, having been passed by Rins during lap one, and was down in 11th - three spots from starting 8th. 

At the front, it was Mir, Quartararo, Zarco, and Miller. Quartararo passed Mir for the lead, and quickly pulled away, opening a large gap within just a few laps. Quartararo’s clean style suited the Portimao circuit, and it was truly beautiful to watch his clean flowing lines with the sweet handling Yamaha working perfectly. The drama was behind him, and it was significant. Miller, a very hard braker, tried to out brake Mir, another notorious hard braker, into turn one, and could not get it done. He tried again the next lap, and lost the front-end and crashed. This collected the helpless Mir, who was on the outside. These two have a bad history, but the sportsmanship exhibited by both after this crash was refreshing to see, what with all of the hatred and violence we live with in today’s world. 

Quartararo went on mistake-free for a great win, while the Mir/Miller situation created opportunity for Aleix Espargaro and Zarco to finish on the podium. Early championship contenders Bastianini - the championship leader - and Martin both crashed out, while Bagnaia suffered through and was actually relieved and happy to finish 8th, given his physical state. Marquez raced to finish 6th on a difficult Honda, not pushing it past its narrow limits. It was a good race for him, too, considering, although not surprisingly, he wasn’t content with the result. Rins finished a significant 4th - and is now tied for the championship lead with Quartararo. 

With this first European race done, nothing has changed, and nothing has been answered. The off-track drama (who will go where in 2023, etc.) is overshadowed by the on-track drama - again, as it should be. 

Next week is the Spanish GP in Jerez, one of the most popular of all MotoGP races. Expect 250k - maybe even a record 300k plus - fans to be on the edge of their seats to witness more drama in one weekend than an entire season of Broadway shows in NYC.