Moto2 Portuguese Grand Prix Overview
The Moto2 Portuguese Grand Prix, the twenty-first round of the championship, saw Diogo Moreira overtake long-time leader Collin Veijer to secure victory, extending his championship lead to 24 points ahead of the crucial final race in Valencia.
Qualifying Highlights
With a nine-point lead at the season’s end of overseas races, Italtrans rider Moreira positioned himself strongly by clinching pole position with an impressive final sector during qualifying. In contrast, his competitor Manuel Gonzalez faced setbacks with a yellow flag incident caused by Aron Canet’s crash, pushing him to eighth on the starting grid after a three-place penalty for Daniel Munoz.
Race Dynamics
After a few initial laps, Veijer, qualifying as the highest rookie in third, took the lead on lap four and maintained it for some time, building a gap. However, Moreira, riding smoothly and conserving his tires, reclaimed the lead on lap nineteen. With only three laps remaining, Veijer challenged strongly, making the competition fierce for both riders, with Moreira ultimately winning by a mere 0.090 seconds, marking Veijer’s first Moto2 podium finish.
Notable Performances
David Alonso from Aspar consistently ran in a strong third position for much of the race, while a revitalized Aron Canet pushed hard to finish a close fourth for Fantic Racing. Meanwhile, Barry Baltus secured fifth place, despite a tough start and a lonely race after advancing from a slow beginning. Gonzalez, who struggled in qualifying, attempted to battle his way up to fifth but ultimately finished sixth after an alarming moment due to tire wear.
Final Standings
Daniel Holgado, a former Moto3 winner in Portugal, finished seventh, having gained a spot after Jake Dixon’s fall late in the race. Albert Arenas and Senna Agius followed behind in eighth and ninth respectively, with Izan Guevara rounding out the top ten for Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha. Dixon faced an unfortunate DNF, while Munoz, replacing Denis Oncu, placed eleventh after a grid penalty.
Crashes and Replacements
Several riders faced crashes, with Jake Dixon and others contributing to a challenging race. Joe Roberts, already injured, missed out following a crash in Malaysia. His replacement, Xabi Zurutuza, fell on lap three. Marcos Ramirez and Ayumu Sasaki also crashed together on lap five, with Sasaki receiving a penalty for the next race. Additionally, Darryn Binder was replaced by Sergio Garcia at Gresini following his crash in Sepang.
Championship Standings
The victory propelled Moreira into a stronger position for the championship, holding 281 points, 24 ahead of Gonzalez’s 257 points. Barry Baltus maintained third place with 323 points, while Canet’s performance improved his position to fourth with 226 points. In the rookie rankings, Alonso ended with 153 points while Holgado secured the rookie title with 188 points, ahead by a notable margin going into the final race.
