The Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal brought MotoGP™ together for round five and the first European date after sojourns to Qatar, Indonesia, Argentina and the USA in 2022.
The drops climb and cambers of the Algarve International Circuit were the tricky settings for the latest chapter for the world championship as the KTM GP Academy hunted decent results in the Moto3 and Moto2™ classes.
- Masia makes second consecutive Moto3 podium appearance with 2nd place
- Öncü 4th after starting from Pole and fighting for victory
- Fernandez and Acosta were counted out of Moto2™ after a freak multi-rider crash
- Rueda and Veijer were winners in the first two races of the ’22 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Moto3
Moto3 was back to the opening slot of the Grand Prix schedule in Portugal. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia was flush with confidence after victory at COTA two weeks previously but faced harsh opposition from bandmate Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü and three other riders in a five-way tussle for the win.
The Ajo team has an impressive record at the Algarve International Circuit, with both Moto3 and Moto2 victories in the last three editions. Masia was just six-hundredths of a second from adding to that tally behind Sergio Garcia. The dash to the line decided a gripping 21-lap affair. Öncü was just two-tenths of a second from Garcia.
Daniel Holgado crashed and did not classify, and Adrian Fernandez was out of action after breaking two fingers on his left hand on Friday.
Jaume
Jaume Masia: “I’m thrilled to be up here on the podium again. It was quite a fast race with the pace, but I felt comfortable with the bike. It was a hard weekend with the rainy conditions, but I’m happy with the podium and the points for the championship. I want to thank my team and those who have been pushing me every day.”
Moto2
Moto2 was the final showpiece at the 17th Grand Prix of Portugal, and eyes were on Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Augusto Fernandez and Pedro Acosta. The Spanish duo has qualified 5th and 20th respectively for the 23-lap chase that was sensationally red-flagged early on due to falling rain and a multi-rider crash through turns 2 and 3. Both riders were caught up in the melee and could not make the restart.
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Collin Veijer took the second checkered flag at the opening round of the 2022 series for the best and brightest ‘next generation’ of riders hoping to join the Moto3 world championship. Spain’s Jose Rueda had won on Saturday in the rain, but the Dutch youngster triumphed with the KTM RC 250 R at the Algarve International Circuit on Sunday.
MotoGP marches on and heads a short distance west, across the border with Spain and to the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the Gran Premio Red Bull de España next week.
Results Moto3 Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal 2022
- 1. Sergio Garcia, (ESP), GASGAS 38:17.725
- 2. Jaume Masia (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.069
- 3. Ayumu Sasaki, (JPN), Husqvarna +0.110
- 4. Deniz Öncü, (TUR), Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.210
- 5. Izan Guevara, (ESP), GASGAS +0.373
- DNF. Daniel Holgado (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo
Results Moto2 Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal 2022
- 1. Joe Roberts (USA) 12:09.757
- 2. Celestino Vietti (ITA) +2.818
- 3. Jorge Navarro (ESP) +2.991
- DNF. Augusto Fernandez (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo
- DNF. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Ajo
via KTM Press
