Moto3: Migno secures Portimao pole as cruising crisis continues

Qualifying for the third round of the 2021 Moto3 World Championship got underway in dry conditions in the Algarve region of Portugal, for the second motorcycle grand prix event to be held at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in the last six months. 

Q1 saw Romano Fenati top the times, ahead of Ayumu Sasaki, Filip Salac and Adrian Fernandez who all moved through to Q2. 

Moving into Q2, and as usual it was tainted by riders waiting around, looking for a tow. While everyone was messing around, though, Andrea Migno was able to make the most of the situation to take his first pole position since the Valencian Grand Prix in 2019. The Italian has certainly adapted well to the Honda this season, and his form from the opening rounds in Qatar has been carried over to Europe. There are promising signs for Migno’s 2021 campaign.

Alongside the #16 on the front row for tomorrow’s race will be Dennis Foggia and Sergio Garcia. Foggia was able to finish on the podium last season in Portimao despite having a double long lap penalty, so it will be interesting to see what the #7 can do tomorrow from the middle of the front row. 

Starting from the head of row two will be Gabriel Rodrigo, ahead of Darryn Binder and Deniz Oncu; while Xavi Artigas will start from the head of the third row in seventh, alongside Ayumu Sasaki and round one winner, Jaume Masia. 

The winner of the Doha Grand Prix, Pedro Acosta, will start from the head of row four in 10th, ahead of Tatsuki Suzuki and Romano Fenati; while Izan Guevara will head up row five from Adrian Fernandez and Niccolo Antonelli. 

Filip Salac will start from the head of row six alongside Andi Izdihar and Yuki Kunii; while Kaito Toba, Ryusei Yamanaka and Maximilian Kofler will comprise the seventh row. 

The eighth row will be fronted by Carlos Tatay, who will have Stefano Nepa and Riccardo Rossi alongside, the three starting from 22nd, 23rd and 24th, respectively; while on the ninth and final row will be Jason Dupasquier and Lorenzo Fellon.

The grid is slightly shorter than usual in Portugal, thanks to the fight between John McPhee and Jeremy Alcoba in Doha which landed McPhee with a pit lane start, plus 10-second penalty; and Alcoba with a pit lane start, plus five-second penalty.