The first day of training in Portugal It was more intense than usual, with extra time on the track for all categories (for example, from the ninety minutes spread over two sessions on a normal Friday in MotoGP, it was increased to 140 also in two shifts). A change to favor the learning of a special and very complicated route and that since it was included in the unique calendar of this 2020 World Cup as the closing of the course, threatened to become a determining element if things arrived open.
This has happened in Moto3 and Moto2. In the smaller displacement the leader, Albert Arenas, He more than fulfilled his work on Friday, and signed the best time of the day, two tenths faster than the second, Alcoba, and more than half a second better than that of his two rivals for the title. Arbolino finished eighth (at 0.580) and Ogura ninth (at 0.614). “Yes, yes, I am clear that a result like this would make me champion, even with the morning training session,” acknowledged the Barcelona native, third in the morning after Masiá and Fenati. “Although it is something that does not make much sense to think about it because it is still training. Yes it is true that training sets the script but in Moto3 everything is very tight. I keep doing what I have to do and I am focused on driving and doing the best I can. Now it is time to collect the fruits of the work of the whole year and we must not do anything new, “he added.
And it is that the pupil of Jorge Martínez Aspar remains in the approach of the last weekends, whatever happens later in the race, of trying not to think more than himself, although it is impossible not to notice the title pressure that you can accomplish this Sunday. «I took advantage of the first free session to go out alone, shoot and find myself. And I have succeeded. I think the key is that we are focused on doing what we are doing all season and that is helping us to stay focused and not stray from the path of work and concentration. It is one more weekend, but with an extra concentration for everyone ».
Also of high intensity the end of Moto2, although in this case the scale is more tilted on Bastianini’s side, which comes fourteen points ahead of Lowes, which implies that a fourth place serves to be champion whatever the rivals do. Be that as it may, the leader will go to bed this Friday knowing that his opponents want to push him to the end. Third overall, Marini (at 18 points), was the fastest on the Algarve International Circuit, ahead of second, Lowes, who was able to overcome the secondary effects of the injury that occurred in his right hand in an accident during the last Grand Prix of the Valencian Community. Bastianini finished fifth, just over three tenths, with fourth in contention (although already far behind in scoring) Bezzecchi in ninth place.
As to MotoGP, with little more than the constructors’ championship to be determined, plus the Drivers runner-up focused on Morbidelli and RinsAlthough there are some more with mathematical options, the day focused on the circuit, which met expectations and which may be the ideal setting for the closing of a spectacular season that seeks to reach ten different winners. The fastest of the day was the French Zarco, although in his case aided by the wake of other riders, with Morbidelli as the most solid in the race pace (the Italian was tenth), on a track that still has to reveal its realities on Saturday.
Among those top ten, between Zarco and Morbidelli, were Viñales (second), Aleix and Pol Espargaró (third and eighth) and the world champion, Mir. “Portimao has very different things, very strong braking, very fast corners, blind corners, which are the most difficult for a rider who has never ridden here. It’s complicated “, he summarized about the new World Cup circuit. More problems had Rins, who suffered a small fall in the afternoon but in which he hit his right shoulder again and did not go beyond 17th place. At the moment a bad advance for his goal of finishing just behind his teammate in the World Cup for close Suzuki’s big year.
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