The Portuguese GP starting grid is set, however, no Ducati riders will be on the front row. That honour has gone to Marco Bezzecchi, Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo. Bezzecchi became the seventh different polesitter at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. It was a long-awaited celebration for Acosta as he finally claimed his first start on the front row for the 2025 season, while Quartarao slogged through Q1 to finish in third. Find out where the rest of the MotoGP riders qualified at Portimão.
Yamaha Overcomes Top Speed Issues and a Rider Withdrawal in Q1
After Friday’s Practice session, all Yamaha riders found themselves battling it out in Q1 with a mix of replacement riders, podium finishers, and 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix winners. The fifteen minutes got underway quickly after the morning’s Free Practice 2 session, the track now a lot drier but not without damp spots to avoid. Quartararo was the first to set time attacks, but that horsepower and grip were clearly compromising top speed. Raúl Fernández decided to miss the session altogether after his crash on Friday and ultimately withdrew from the rest of the weekend at Portimão.
The home hero, Miguel Oliveira, seemed to be the target of some aggressive moves, having come under fire from Nicoló Bulega at the end of the earlier session. The #88 then had an incident with Franco Morbidelli. With only two spots available for Q2 advancement and a few minutes remaining, riders started building in pace. Bulega was on a promising run before coming unstuck. Fellow Yamaha constructor rider, Jack Miller, joined Quartararo in graduating into Q2. Both riders were the only two with laps in the 1:38s.
Super Shootout in Q2 with Late Stage Crash
With conditions almost bone dry for Q2, another fifteen minutes started counting down as riders made their first runs in the lead up to some spectacular time attacks. Quartararo, once again, was the first to set the benchmark with a lap of 1:38.518, with Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta coming behind him to take provisional front row positions. However, hot laps were inbound from Francesco Bagnaia and Álex Márquez.
With opening attacks complete, the MotoGP pack returned to their respective pit boxes to prepare for the final shootout. Johann Zarco and Miller showed surprise late pace, but were knocked down. Someone who also won’t be on the front row is the recently crowned 2025 MotoGP Championship runner-up. The #73 crashed on Turn 3 with ninety-seconds to go. He still secured a start on the second row in the middle of Bagnaia and Zarco.
The Penultimate Tissot Sprint and Race of 2025
WIth Bezzecchi back on form after his blip in Sepang, the #72 has set himself wonderfully to secure that third place in the championship standings. But now all riders are well-prepared for the Tissot Sprint on Saturday afternoon and the Sunday race. Will we see Bezzecchi claim another win, or could we expect another surprise entrant into the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix winners list? Stay tuned for the remainder of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal.