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 so far in 2022. The drops, climbs and cambers of the Algarve International Circuit was the tricky setting for the latest chapter for the world championship as the KTM GP Academy hunted decent results in the Moto3 and Moto2™ classes.
Moto3
Moto3 was back to the opening slot of the Grand Prix agenda in Portugal. Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jaume Masia was flush with confidence after victory at COTA two weeks previously but faced tough opposition from brandmate Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Deniz Öncü and three other riders in a five-way tussle for the win.
The Ajo team have an impressive record at the Algarve International Circuit with both Moto3 and Moto2 victories in the last three editions and 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 Masia: “I’m very happy to be up here on the podium again. It was quite a fast race with the pace but I felt really 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 really want to say thanks to 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 were unable to 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 it was the Dutch youngster who 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