After the first four Grands Prix of the 2022 season held outside Europe, the MotoGP World Championship arrives in Portugal, at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, near Portimão, for its first round of the year in the Old Continent.
The circuit, located in the Algarve region and introduced to the calendar in 2020, has hosted the World Championship on three occasions already. In the most recent, the Algarve GP last October, both Ducati Lenovo Team riders took the podium. Francesco Bagnaia, who started from pole position thanks to the new circuit record signed in qualifying, secured his third success of the season by also signing the fastest race lap, while Jack Miller, who started second behind his teammate, crossed the finish line third, bringing the podiums obtained by Ducati on the Portuguese track to 4.
After a good weekend in America, which saw him finish fifth and find positive sensations on his Desmosedici GP, Pecco is aiming for an important result in Portimão. The Italian driver currently occupies the 12th position in the general classification with a gap of 38 points on the leader Bastianini.
“After the break of the last few days, I am now energized and ready to face the first European appointment of the season! Both in Argentina and in America we are back to work as last year, finally managing to take steps forward and rediscover the sensations to which I was used to riding my Desmosedici GP, “said Bagnaia.
“Unfortunately in Austin we were unable to go beyond a fifth position, because we lacked a bit of speed in the race. This weekend we will be racing in Portimão, a circuit where last year we were able to go fast in both races. on this track: it is a very positive fact, because it will allow us to take stock of the work done so far and understand where we still need to improve. I can’t wait to get on track! “, he added.
Miller, seventh in the standings after securing his first podium of the season in Austin by finishing third in the race, wants to be among the protagonists of the Grand Prix scheduled for this weekend again.
“I’m really excited to get back to racing in Europe, where I think the World Championship will really get underway. Being on the podium in the last GP in America gives me the confidence to face this important part of the Championship. get on track in Portimão, a track that I really like! Last year I finished third in the last race held here and I think there are all the conditions to be able to do well again this year “, said Miller.
Jack Miller, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
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