Favorite Bagnaia in Portimao?

While the fight for the title promises to be hotly contested in 2024, Francesco Bagnaia took the lead in the standings by winning the first main race of the championship in Qatar. If the paddock sets down its suitcases in the Algarve this week, to compete in the Portuguese GP, the analyzes of previous editions of the event once again give the Italian a greater chance of winning.

Since 2020 and the five editions – including two in 2021 – which have been held on the Portimao circuit, the Ducati rider has won twice, i.e. as many fabio quartararo who shares with him the title of most victorious driver on this track in the premier category.

Since the reigning world champion's first success on the Portuguese circuit in 2021, he has continued to take turns sharing the top step of the podium with the Frenchman. Yamaha having, however, not shown great form in Qatar, it would be surprising to see the Niçois succeed Bagnaia and thus maintain the statistic in 2024.

The 2021 #AlgarveGP 🏁 was frenetic from the get-go! ⚠️⚡️@PeccoBagnaia triumphed after the race was red-flagged 🏆#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/I7NiB4mK1y

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 20, 2024

Regarding the Italian's direct rivals at Losail, none of Jorge Martín, Brad Binder or Marc Marquez have ever displayed sparkling form in Portugal.

On the one hand, the former crashed in Free Practice 3 at turn 7 in 2021, breaking the bones of his hand, left leg and right ankle. During the second edition held the same year, he finished 7th, while the 2022 and 2023 editions ended in retirements due to various incidents on the track.

The No. 33, for its part, achieved a fine 5th place in 2021 and a 6th place in 2023, after falling in 2020 and 2022. Finally, Marc Marquez – who signed his return to competition in Portimao after the injury that compromised his 2020 season – never did better than 6th, while he missed the 2020 editions and the second of 2021 being injured. However, it is here that the multiple world champion won his last pole position to date.

Last year @marcmarquez93 defied the odds to break the all-time lap record and claim pole at Portimao 💪 Who will do it on Saturday? 🤔

Predict this weekend's pole time 👉 https://t.co/qHOZPFkBwf With #MotoGPPredictor and win cool prizes thanks to @TISSOT 🎁#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/liLvF0jxyv

- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) March 20, 2024

Starting from the front of the grid last year, the points for his third place in the Sprint were the only ones Marquez collected over the weekend, falling in Turn 3 on lap three the following day.

Note that Pedro Acosta is, however, a driver to watch. Although the Gasgas Tech3 rider has not yet ridden in official tests with a MotoGP at Portimao, the young rookie has won there three times since his arrival in the world championship. Twice in Moto3, and once last year in the first race of the Moto2 season.

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