MotoGP, Portimao: Miller surprises in free practice. Third time for Bagnaia, serious accident for Pol Espagaro
PORTIMAO - With superstitious generosity, the riders all agree in saying that Bagnaia and his Ducati are huge favorites on this eve of the MotoGP season. Virtually unbeatable. But the first day of testing on the Portuguese track of Portimao, where the sprint race is held tomorrow at 4 pm, waiting for Sunday's GP, gave us a surprise result. Best time and track record for the Australian Miller with the Ktm, who unexpectedly pulled an incredible lap out of the cylinder in front of Vinales' Aprilia, then a Pecco who nonetheless had some formidable moments: overbearing with the soft tyres, the world champion lost the chance to do the final laps because there was no longer a drop of petrol in the tank of his GP23. Among the 10 riders (in half a second!) who immediately go to Q2 scheduled for tomorrow at 11.15 there are also Bastianini, the Rimini rider is 10th at 457 thousandths from Jack, and Quartararo who with Yamaha closes 6th at 3 tenths of a second.
MotoGP, all riders bet on Bagnaia and Ducati: "They're number one"
by our correspondent Massimo Calandri
Marc Marquez is missing, who crashed in the final with the Honda and (11th) is out by 129 thousandths. The Ducatisti did well as usual (Marini 4th despite a sensational tumble; and Martin, 5th, plus Bezzecchi and Zarco): among the bikes that pass directly to qualifying for the best, there are 6 Borgo Panigale Reds and the official RS-GPs of Noale, because even Aleix Espargarò (9th) responds to the appeal. There is no reason to smile, however, after this spectacular start to the season, because the second free practice session is marked by the serious accident of Pol Espargaro, Catalan driver of the Gas Gas team. Aleix's younger brother lost control of his KTM at turn 10: he ended up against the barriers, with the bike not hitting him by a matter of centimetres. He was transported by helicopter to Faro hospital: according to the first indications he would have suffered severe chest and back trauma. He's conscious, he moves his limbs, but what a scare. "Polytraumatized, we have to do other checks," explained the medical director Angel Charte, reassuring the pilot's wife, in tears. Tomorrow at 10.10 the MotoGP is back on track for the third free practice session, then off to qualifying which will determine the starting grid. At four in the afternoon the start of the sprint race.
MotoGp, Morbidelli "A new life begins, I don't want to disappoint Valentino"
by our correspondent Massimo Calandri
