GP of Portugal – GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) –

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Portuguese GP: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and rankings)

GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira offers a superb starting gift to his Tech3 team: a clear and flawless victory on his RC16, his second with the Var team after his success at the Styrian GP ! The future official KTM rider wins ahead of Jack Miller and Franco Morbidelli. Report, analysis of highlights and final rankings.

The start of this unprecedented final in Portimaõ is given under a clear autumnal sun with 22.2 ° in the air and 28.5 ° C on the track: ideal conditions to enjoy this track with the "Russian-Esque mountains", that many pilots would now like to walk every year: the Portuguese track is to date a reserve circuit, used only in the event of unavailability of an official circuit (unfortunately often the case this year because of the Covid-19 … ).

  • Portuguese GP – Qualifying:
  • MNC file :

The majority of tire choice revolves around the hard rear tire due to the abrasiveness of this recently resurfaced track and its long, fast curves that are demanding on the sidewalls (see below). At the front, the medium is preferred to the hardest mix … with the exception in particular of the local Miguel Oliveira (hard-hard), who signs the holeshot at home from his pole position on his KTM-Tech3 !

The promising n ° 88 goes belly down in front of Franco Morbidelli and Jack Miller, who have a score to settle since their fantastic duel at the Valencia GP: the Ducati rider is determined to take revenge on his rival Yamaha who had won. last sunday in spain…

On the French side, Fabio Quartararo lost a few positions to find himself in front of Joahnn Zarco, who almost got hit by Joan Mir. Valentino Rossi – anonymous 17th on the grid – gains a position, while a collision between Joan Mir and Francesco Bagnaia precipitates the end of the race for the Pramac driver, who seems to be suffering both from shoulder contact and from a technical concern.

Oli-ne-le-veira-plus !

At the head of the race, the suspense was very short-lived: Oliveira paraded like a parade on this circuit that he knew perfectly well, chaining a series of laps under 1’40 to place himself definitely out of reach of his pursuers. The KTM-Tech3 rider forges himself up to 4 full seconds ahead at the start of the 15th lap ! 

Morbidelli and Miller follow, while Pol Espargaro whips his KTM for the last time to settle in 4th place far behind this Yamaha-Ducati duo. Fabio Quartararo, for his part, is struggling to stay in the Top 10: "El Diablo" retrogrades lap after lap to finally finish 14th 24 sec from the winner … Worse: the Nice cross the finish line 21 sec from his teammate Morbidelli, yet on a less advanced Yamaha.

A mixed finish also for Andrea Dovizioso, who has difficulty navigating a very compact Top 10 for his last appearance on Ducati. The Italian will put the final push necessary to climb back up to 6th place, far from his ambitions: "Dovi" is certainly the second Ducati rider at the finish, but more than 12 seconds behind Miller…

A race to be forgotten also for the new world champion Joan Mir, who is scared with a big high side at the end of a curve to the right. The Mallorcan, taken aback, is visibly plagued by a technical problem (electronics?): The n ° 36 returns to the pits and gives up. 

Rossi 12th at 19 sec for his last GP in the official colors

The Suzuki official will never have been in the game at Portimaõ: after ups and downs tests, the n ° 36 quickly qualified 20th (!) That is three places behind Valentino Rossi who is also in difficulty by this new route. The Italian finishes his last race as a factory driver in 12th position, behind Maverick Viñales and ahead of Cal Crutchlow.

Johann Zarco signs for his part a 10th position on his Ducati-Avinia, before joining the Pramac team alongside the beginner Jorge Martin. The Cannes finish in the seat back of Alex Marquez, fired from the HRC in favor of Pol Espararo and relocated at LCR to the detriment of Cal Crutchlow.

  • MNC point : Which rider on which motorcycle in 2021 ?

Aprilia recorded a last interesting performance for this final with the 8th place of Aleix Espargaro, the only rider to have been able to discover the Portimaõ track with his MotoGP during testing at the beginning of October. Something to console the Italian brand for the fall of Lorenzo Savadori three laps from the finish on the second RS-GP, to this day still vacant following the 4-year suspension for doping by Iannone.

MotoGP 2020 championship point (s): constructor title for Ducati, Binder "Rookie of the year"

Two titles remained to be awarded before this final in Portimaõ: the builder’s coronation and the nomination of the rookie of the year between Brad Binder and Alex Marquez. Recall that Joan Mir and the Suzuki Ecstar team have been world champions "driver and" team "since the GP of Valencia.

GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

Thanks to Miller’s second place, Ducati won the constructor crown – for the first time since 2007 – with 17 units ahead of Yamaha, 19 over Suzuki, 21 over KTM and 77 (!) Over Honda, the last manufacturer without regulatory advantage . Aprilia, the only brand still helped by concessions, brings up the rear at 170 pts from Ducati.

The "title" of rookie of the year goes to Brad Binder, author of a splendid victory on his official KTM in the Czech Republic. The talented South African finished with 87 points, 13 more than Alex Marquez (74 pts). Small snub for Honda, whose best representative overall is Takaaki Nakagami in 10th position – behind the winner of the day Oliveira. 

The fall of Marc Marquez from the opening round in Jerez (Spain) was decidedly painful for the HRC, dropped all season in the absence of its leader. And the news is not necessarily reassuring for 2021 since the Spanish would consider a third operation … but not with Doctor Mir, this time !

Morbidelli "vice-champion" of the world 2020

Franco Morbidelli won for his part the courted second place in the general classification with only 13 points of difference on the champion Joan Mir, whose counter remains blocked at 171 points following his retirement this Sunday. "Franky" is rewarded for his strong end to the season with two wins and a third place in four races.

Nice development for the future teammate of Valentino Rossi, who explains having found a click by putting the glove on appropriate settings on a new Ohlins shock absorber … yet put aside by Viñales! The Italian-Brazilian finished ahead of Alex Rins, who gave Suzuki a double on the final podium despite a last race finished 15th.

Rins, who fell on his injured shoulder at the start of the season on Friday, also plans to undergo surgery during the offseason to relieve the pain felt the rest of the weekend in Portimaõ. 2020 will remain marked by injuries.

GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

The fourth place of this final classification goes to Andrea Dovizioso, who very little misses the third place since only 4 units separate him from Rins! Surely frustrating for the n ° 4, about which some Italian colleagues assure that a bonus of one million dollars was foreseen in his contract with Ducati if he finished in the Top 3…

Marc Marquez’s future teammate, Pol Espargaro, for his part achieved his best performance in MotoGP with a solid 5th place in the final – first KTM – ahead of Maverick Viñales, who is ironic (?) By asking Yamaha for the M1 … 2016! "The latest homogeneous version on all tracks," assures "Mack", who joined Yamaha in 2017. Find the error !

Quartararo, possible champion in 8th place

Seventh place goes to Jack Miller, future official Ducati rider alongside Francesco Bagnaia. The Australian precedes Fabio Quartararo, passed from favorite for the title to eighth place in the general classification: the disappointment is inevitably huge for the talented driver from Nice, who is down three positions compared to his first season (5th place in 2019).

 GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

"I am not completely satisfied with this year," he confides to our colleagues at Canal +. "Of course I am delighted to have won both races in Jerez and then in Barcelona, ​​but unfortunately we were unable to maintain consistency".

Fabio consoles himself with the title "", which rewards the fastest driver in qualifying: the n ° 20 dethrones Marc Marquez, undefeated since 2013 in this exercise. "I would still have won something", he puts into perspective, while his father will receive for Christmas the sumptuous BMW CS2 won by his swift son. !

 GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

The future Viñales teammate plans to intensify his work with a psychologist to better channel his emotions, but urges Yamaha to improve the base of the M1: the young Nice – author of three superb victories this year – admits to no longer recognizing his motorcycle and much prefer the earlier version…

"We also had a number of problems with the bike: in particular, we were removed a lot of electronics just after Jerez (to restrain the engines, following breakages and the concern of non-compliant valves that will harm Yamaha by more, Editor’s note).

GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

"It was very difficult because 2019 had been a perfect season: whatever circuit we went to, we hadn’t had the slightest problem. But this year, we haven’t had that consistency: so I’m satisfied. on one side, but sad on the other ", recognizes the talented n ° 20, who has the necessary time in front of him to continue to make us dream.

His compatriot Johann Zarco ends his first and last year at Avintia in 13th place overall, a result that could have been even better in view of the Frenchman’s rise to power in the 2019 Ducati: promising for his future performance on the 2020 Desmosedici next year at Pramac !

Rossi far from the score for his 255th race as Yamaha official

The official driver that Fabio replaces is hardly more satisfied: Valentino Rossi ends his season in an anonymous 15th position, penalized by his three consecutive falls followed by his two forfeits due to the Covid-19! A season to forget for the transalpine star, who disappointingly ends his career as a Yamaha factory rider…

GP of Portugal - GP of Portugal: Oliveira flies over the final in Portimao (report and standings) -

Too bad considering the richness of their fifteen-season long collaboration: Rossi has won four titles with Yamaha, 142 podiums including 49 victories! The Doctor will have known the era of tobacco sponsors (Gaul … ses, Cam .. l), then automobile (Fiat), then telephone (Movistar) and, finally, energy (Monster) !

Sacred course for the n ° 46 who joins the private Yamaha Petronas-SRT team, where the "Doctor" will continue to receive treatment and factory equipment: Rossi becomes semi-official rider on a 2020 M1 (development is frozen for all next year), while Morbidelli continues his career with an M1 halfway between 2019 and 2020. Not sure that "Franky" is complaining. !

"Our story is divided into two parts (2004 to 2010 then 2013 to 2020, editor’s note)", recalls Rossi. "And I have to thank Yamaha for giving me another chance after my two years with Ducati: I was pretty desperate, so for me it was crucial to get back to the factory team," recalls the star honestly..

Crutchlow in the development of the M1? Yamaha turns gold into bronze according to Lorenzo !

Another page that turns: that concerning Cal Crutchlow, who left MotoGP after ten years among the elite to become test rider at Yamaha in place of Jorge Lorenzo. The Mallorcan, stung by this choice, believes that "Yamaha is changing gold into bronze" by replacing it with the British, who according to him will be especially effective in testing "the resistance of the parts" with regard to the frequency of his falls ! 

Needless to say, Lorenzo and Crutchlow will not be spending their next vacation together, with the No. 35 believing that Lorenzo must "be bored at home" to make such remarks. Also knowing that the Mallorcan is far from having sparked the development of Yamaha, even if the manufacturer has underexploited it by limiting its runs for unconvincing reasons…

  • MNC point : 

Note also the end of the course for Esteve "Tito" Rabat, landed from Avintia despite his contract for 2021 to place Luca Marini, half-brother of Valentino Rossi. The Spaniard closes his MotoGP career in last place 48.4 seconds behind the winner: the former Moto2 world champion, a huge hard worker, also assures that he will no longer "pay a penny to ride".

The 2020 Moto3 and Moto2 world champions

A word finally on the world champions Moto3 and Moto2, crowned this Sunday in Portugal: Enea Bastianini wins the Moto2 title with nine points ahead of Luca Marini, alongside whom this young Italian rider of 22 years old will team up next year. at Ducati-Avintia.

In Moto3, Albert Arenas takes down the timpani in Portimaõ with four points ahead of Tony Arbolino. The Spaniard won three times at the start of the season, before enjoying a second game with less success but enough big points for the title. Bravo champions !

Portuguese GP 2020 results (MotoGP final race)

  1. Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 41’48.163
  2. Jack MILLER Ducati +3.193
  3. Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha +3.298
  4. Pol ESPARGARO KTM +12.626
  5. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda +13.318
  6. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati +15.578
  7. Stefan BRADL Honda +15.738
  8. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia +16.034
  9. Alex MARQUEZ Honda +18.325
  10. Johann ZARCO Ducati +18.596
  11. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha +18.685
  12. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha +18.946
  13. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda +19.159
  14. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha +24.376
  15. Alex RINS Suzuki +27.776
  16. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati +34.266
  17. Mika KALLIO KTM +48.410
  18. Tito RABAT Ducati +48.411

Not classified

  • Lorenzo SAVADORI Aprilia 3 Tours
  • Joan MIR Suzuki 10 Tours
  • Brad BINDER KTM 23 Laps
  • Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 0 Lap

MotoGP riders general classification 2020 

  1. Joan MIR Suzuki 171
  2. Franco MORBIDELLI Yamaha 158
  3. Alex RINS Suzuki 139
  4. Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 135
  5. Pol ESPARGARO KTM 135
  6. Maverick VIÑALES Yamaha 132
  7. Jack MILLER Ducati 132
  8. Fabio QUARTARARO Yamaha 127
  9. Miguel OLIVEIRA KTM 125
  10. Takaaki NAKAGAMI Honda 116
  11. Brad BINDER KTM 87
  12. Danilo PETRUCCI Ducati 78
  13. Johann ZARCO Ducati 77
  14. Alex MARQUEZ Honda 74
  15. Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 66
  16. Francesco BAGNAIA Ducati 47
  17. Aleix ESPARGARO Aprilia 42
  18. Cal CRUTCHLOW Honda 32
  19. Stefan BRADL Honda 27
  20. Iker LECUONA KTM 27
  21. Bradley SMITH Aprilia 12
  22. Tito RABAT Ducati 10
  23. Michele PIRRO Ducati 4

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