After the start in Qatar, the MotoGP World Championships head to Europe for the first time in 2024 for the Portuguese GP next weekend. Once again, the race will take place at the Algarve International Circuit.
In MotoGP, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) leads the championship after his victory in Losail, but he’s only two points ahead of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and three points ahead of Jorge Martín (Pramac Ducati). In a track with fewer straights and more twists, other manufacturers aim to be closer, such as Aprilia, where Aleix Espargaró showed in Qatar that he can podium under ideal conditions.
There’s also curiosity to see what Marc Márquez (Gresini Ducati) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GasGas Tech3 KTM) do on a new track for both on their current bikes — especially in the case of the younger of the Spaniards, who has never competed in Portimão in the premier class. Franco Morbidelli (Pramac Ducati) returns to the place where he had a spectacular accident at the end of January. As for Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing Aprilia), he’ll be the local hero, eager to improve on his disappointing 15th place in Doha.
The Qatar GP was somewhat surprising in Moto2, with Alonso López (Sync Speed Up Boscoscuro) taking the victory ahead of Barry Baltus (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP Kalex) and Sergio García (MT Helmets-MSi Boscoscuro). The main title contenders finished in lower positions, including Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex), Arón Canet (Fantic Kalex), and Fermín Aldeguer (Sync Speed Up Boscoscuro) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Kalex) failing to score points. All of them will try to bounce back from the less than ideal start to the year.
In Moto3, a tightly contested race in Qatar saw two title contenders, David Alonso (CFMoto Aspar) and Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GasGas), finish at the top. However, there are many more riders who can and will try to shine, including Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), Iván Ortolá (MT Helmets-MSi KTM), or even José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who retired in Qatar and failed to translate his potential into a result.
The Portuguese GP also marks the beginning of the MotoE World Championship season. This is the first time that the electric motorcycle category has a round in Portimão. The grid has several news, including last year’s champion Mattia Casadei moving to LCR E-Team, where he will be teammates with another favorite, Eric Granado. Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar), Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini), or the experienced newcomer Chaz Davies (Aruba Cloud MotoE) are other riders to watch, but not the only ones, in a grid filled with talent.
Below are all the schedules for the Portuguese GP (CET time).
- Friday, March 22
- 09h30-09h45: Practice 1 MotoE
- 10h00-10h35: Free practice Moto3
- 10h50-11h30: Free practice Moto2
- 11h45-12h30: Free practice 1 MotoGP
- 13h35-13h50: Practice 2 MotoE
- 14h15-14h50: Practice 1 Moto3
- 15h05-15h45: Practice 1 Moto2
- 16h00-17h00: Practice MotoGP
- 18h00-18h10: Qualifying Q1 MotoE
- 18h20-18h30: Qualifying Q2 MotoE
- Saturday, March 23
- 09h40-10h10: Practice 2 Moto3
- 10h25-10h55: Practice 2 Moto2
- 11h10-11h40: Free practice 2 MotoGP
- 11h50-12h05: Qualifying Q1 MotoGP
- 12h15-12h30: Qualifying Q2 MotoGP
- 13h15: Race 1 MotoE (7 laps)
- 13h50-14h05: Qualifying Q1 Moto3
- 14h15-14h30: Qualifying Q2 Moto3
- 14h45-15h00: Qualifying Q1 Moto2
- 15h10-15h25: Qualifying Q2 Moto2
- 16h00: Sprint Race MotoGP (12 laps)
- 17h10: Race 2 MotoE (7 laps)
- Sunday, March 24
- 10h40-10h50: Warm-up MotoGP
- 12h00: Race Moto3 (19 laps)
- 13h15: Race Moto2 (21 laps)
- 15h00: Race MotoGP (25 laps)