Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) continued to stamp his authority in the Moto3™ class at the Grande Prémio 888 de Portugal on Saturday afternoon. Having set the pace in Free Practice, the Italian converted his form into a first pole position since the 2019 Valencian GP thanks to a 1:47.423, 0.149s ahead of Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing). Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) was third fastest in qualifying but faces a pitlane start, so fourth quickest Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Valresa Aspar Team) will start on the front row in P3.
Kicking off Q2 in fine style was pitlane start bound Alcoba with a 1:48.153 lap time, Garcia and fellow pitlane starter John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) were your provisional top three runners. But of course, the standings were going to change. Migno then took over at the summit, Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) slotted into P2 as the Italian and Argentine dipped into the 1:47s.
Everything settled down then as all of the 18-strong Q2 field, bar Foggia, pulled into pitlane for some fresh rubber. Q1’s fastest rider Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), as he often does, headed out on his own before the classic Moto3™ games began. The riders rumbled out of pitlane together for a one-lap qualifying scrap for pole position. Migno, Rodrigo and Alcoba were the provisional top three.
There was drama for Rodrigo though, he was taken out by Q1 graduate Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) at Turn 3, so the man currently P2 wouldn’t get a final crack at the whip. Meanwhile, Alcoba shot back to P1 but it was short-lived: Migno was immediately back on pole position by 0.149s, with Foggia grabbing P2 on his final lap. Alcoba was demoted to P3 but of course, both he and sixth place McPhee will start from pitlane – and have a 5 and 10-second penalty added too.
This means fourth place Garcia will line up on the front row, with the unfortunate Rodrigo having to settle for P5 in qualifying, P4 on the grid. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) benefits from McPhee’s penalty to go from the front of Row 3 to the middle of Row 2 in P5, that’s the Turkish rider’s best qualifying of 2021 by a country mile. Second in the World Championship Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) set the eighth-best time in Q2 but will launch from P6, he’s ahead of quickest rookie Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) in P7 and Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in P8, the latter coming through Q1 to grab 10th but that turns into eighth on the grid.
That’s a job well done for the Japanese rider, who sits ahead of Red Bull KTM Ajo duo Jaume Masia and World Championship leader Pedro Acosta. Masia’s lap time was cancelled on his final run for running ever so slightly wide on the exit of Turn 4, disappointment for both Ajo riders but top 10s on the grid is far from a disaster.
As always, the Moto3™ race promises to be an absolute cracker. Tune in for Round 3 at 11:20 local time (GMT+1)!
Top 10:
1. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team)
2. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.149
3. Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Team Gresini Moto3) + 0.279*
4. Sergio Garcia (GasGas Valresa Aspar Team) + 0.477
5. Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Team Gresini Moto3) + 0.486
6. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.939**
7. Deniz Oncu (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 1.063
8. Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 1.090
9. Xavier Artigas (Leopard Racing) + 1.123
10. Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) + 1.192
*Pitlane start and five-second penalty
**Pitlane start and 10-second penalty
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