Portimao MotoGP: Bagnaia claims pole with new lap record, leads Ducati 1-2

Francesco Bagnaia has taken his fifth consecutive MotoGP pole after setting a new lap record at Portimao. The Italian will line-up ahead of team-mate Jack Miller and Joan Mir.
Francesco Bagnaia, Algarve MotoGP, 6 November 2021
Francesco Bagnaia, Algarve MotoGP, 6 November 2021
© Gold and Goose

Francesco Bagnaia has set a new Ducati record after🐟 taking his fifth co🦩nsecutive MotoGP pole at Portimao. 

The I꧒talian, who has been first or second in every session so far this weekend, also set a ne🏅w lap record around the Algarve International Circuit. 

Following the opening Q2 run, it was team-mate Jack Miller who provisionally sat on pole after setting what was t💮hen a new lap record too.

The Australian rider’s second effort was the first sub 1m 39s lap of the weekend, while Joan Mir joined Miller in doing so - half a tenth o𝐆ff the Ducati rider.

However, Bagnaia’s final th🍌ree laps🦩 were all improvements as he went on the claim pole with a 1:38.725s. 

It was a disappointing qualifying session for 2021 World Champion Fabio 💫Quartararo as he could only manage sev𒁏enth. 

Quartararo had matched Bagnaia for pace throughout the weekend, but the Yamaha man was ꦬunable to hook up the perfect lap. 

Behind the front row of Bagnaia, Miller and Mir is Pramac duo ✤Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco, while Pol Espargaro will line-up for tomorrow’s race in 🦄sixth. 

There was one crasher during Q2 as Luca Marini went down at tur🙈n 14 early on. The Italian evenᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚtually finished 12th.

Qualifying One

KTM rider Brad Binder had a disastrous start to Q1 after cras🎃hing at turn three, while team-mate Miguel Oliveira was third following his opening run. 

The home favorite initially went second behind Aleix Espaꦛrga﷽ro, however, Zarco who did an extra quick lap managed to go from ninth to first on his final flying lap before returning to pit lane. 

At the be✨ginning of stint number two, Iker Lecuona went quickest thanks to setting the wꦐeekend’s fastest lap. 

Rookie Enea Bastiainini momentarily went P2 behind the Tech 3 man, but Zaꦚrco then relegated the Italian to th🌟ird on his penultimate lap. 

The Pramac rider went even quicker on his next effort to pip Lecuona - both ri🐭ders advanced to Q2, while Bastianini was the first to miss out.

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