Portugal MotoGP Free Practice 2 results

Pol Espargaro completes a Repsol Honda Friday practice sweep by taking over the top spot from team-mate Marc Marquez during FP2, as the wet weather worsens in Portimao.

Marquez’s 1m 50.666s morning time came under early threat from Espargaro, who posted what would prove to be the best of the session with a 1m 50.707s on his fifth lap this afternoon.

Marquez was 0.6s slower as the Repsol Honda riders sat first and second for the remainder of the 45-minutes.

RNF Yamaha’s Andrea Dovizioso made a huge leap from 22nd this morning to be the best of the rest behind the RCVs for the majority of the session, as the arrival of heavier rain limited lap times.

Francesco Bagnaia followed in fourth despite an early fall, the Italian raising eyebrows as he scooped up a handful of gravel that he handed to team manager Davide Tardozzi upon his return to the Ducati garage. Tardozzi later explained the gravel is too big and not round enough to best absorb the impacts.

VR46 Academy member Marco Bezzecchi tested the Portimao gravel traps at a much higher speed with a fast highside through Turn 9 on his way to 16th.

Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco then became the third faller, in the closing minutes, on his way to 12th.

Just 18th this morning, Monster Yamaha’s reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo improved his position with 13th this afternoon.

Current title leader Enea Bastianini was directly behind the Frenchman.

Rain is also a threat for Saturday morning when the combined top ten will receive direct access to Qualifying 2, but dry weather is predicted for Sunday.

After four overseas events, the European leg of the 2022 MotoGP season begins at Portimao this weekend with Gresini’s Enea Bastianini leading the world championship standings by five points over Suzuki’s Alex Rins, after victories in two of the opening rounds.

Aleix Espargaro is 11 points from the top for Aprilia, with Rins’ team-mate Joan Mir, Yamaha’s reigning MotoGP champion Fabio Quartararo and KTM’s Brad Binder completing the early top six.

2020 champion Mir, Ducati’s reigning title runner-up Francesco Bagnaia and Repsol Honda’s six-time premier-class champion Marc Marquez (who has missed two races due to diplopia) are among those still seeking a first podium of the season.

The previous Portimao MotoGP rounds, all held since November 2020, have been won by home star Miguel Oliveira (KTM), Quartararo and Bagnaia respectively.