Algarve MotoGP, Portimao - Full Qualifying Results

Full Qualifying results and grid line-up for the Algarve MotoGP at Portimao, round 17 of 18 in the 2021 world championship.
Francesco Bagnaia , Algarve MotoGP, 6 November 2021
Francesco Bagnaia , Algarve MotoGP, 6 November 2021
© Gold and Goose Photography

Francesco Bagnaia takes pole position ahead of team-mate Jack Miller for the Algarve MotoGP at Portimao, as Joan Mir takes his first front-row start and new world champion Fabio Quartararo is left down in seventh place.

Miller made an instant impact with a new all-time lap record on his opening run, keeping him on what would have been a first pole of the season until beaten by Bagnaia with two minutes to go.

Bagnaia improved again to confirm his sixth pole of the year and fifth in a row by 0.1s from Miller, with Mir - angry with Alex Marquez at the end of the session - just 0.168s adrift for Suzuki.

Rookie Luca Marini was an early faller, the resulting yellow flags causing the likes of Quartararo to lose a fast lap, leaving the new world champion just ninth at the start of the final run.

The Frenchman was still down in seventh as he began his last lap, and surprisingly failed to improve after losing time in the final sector.

Marc Marquez, winner of the past two MotoGP rounds, is missing the event after still feeling 'unwell' several days after sustaining a 'slight concussion' while training on an off-road bike. Marquez is replaced by test rider Stefan Bradl.

The hard front tyre option has been changed from the disliked asymmetric version selected for April's Portimao round, to a symmetric hard compound.

Home star Oliveira, winner of last November's inaugural Portimao race while using a symmetric hard front, was one of those to struggle badly with the revised tyre allocation in April, when Quartararo dominated the race from Bagnaia and Mir.

But the temperatures have been too cold for the hard front and Oliveira could only manage 17th on the grid.

Although Quartararo has already wrapped up the 2021 riders' title, with Bagnaia and Mir on course for second and third, Ducati and Yamaha remain locked in a close battle for victory in the teams' and constructors' championships.

Algarve MotoGP, Portimao - Full Qualifying Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Francesco BagnaiaITADucati Team (GP21)1'38.725s7/8335k
2Jack MillerAUSDucati Team (GP21)+0.104s7/8342k
3Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.168s3/7332k
4Jorge MartinSPAPramac Ducati (GP21)*+0.191s7/8342k
5Johann ZarcoFRAPramac Ducati (GP21)+0.193s6/8342k
6Pol EspargaroSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.333s6/7341k
7Fabio QuartararoFRAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.406s7/7331k
8Alex MarquezSPALCR Honda (RC213V)+0.466s6/7338k
9Franco MorbidelliITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.596s3/7329k
10Iker LecuonaSPAKTM Tech3 (RC16)+0.662s7/8333k
11Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.924s3/7332k
12Luca MariniITASky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)*+1.103s5/6331k
 Qualifying 1:     
13Enea BastianiniITAAvintia Ducati (GP19)*1'39.283s7/8338k
14Aleix EspargaroSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)1'39.389s7/8335k
15Danilo PetrucciITAKTM Tech3 (RC16)1'39.595s7/8328k
16Valentino RossiITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)1'39.604s7/8333k
17Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM (RC16)1'39.624s3/8330k
18Maverick ViñalesSPAAprilia Gresini (RS-GP)1'39.738s3/7331k
19Brad BinderRSARed Bull KTM (RC16)1'39.859s6/7336k
20Stefan BradlGERRepsol Honda (RC213V)1'39.907s7/8335k
21Andrea DoviziosoITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)1'39.918s7/8331k
22Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)1'40.009s5/5334k

* Rookie
Official Portimao MotoGP records:
Best lap:
Fabio Quartararo FRA Yamaha 1m 38.862s (2021)
Fastest race lap:
Alex Rins SPA Suzuki 1m 39.450s (2021)

By Peter McLaren

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