Pecco Bagnaia is the great winner of the first Grand Prix of 2023 by completing the full, winning the two victories, that of the Sunday race (25 points) and that of the Sprint on Saturday (12). The Italian was able to multiply his gains in Portimão with the involuntary and unfortunate action of Marc Márquez, who on the third lap rammed Jorge Martín and Miguel Oliveira, two of the rivals with the best pace.
At the start there were scares and high tension, as in the Sprint on Saturday. Marc Márquez, on pole, started badly and lost the lead, before the push of Oliveira and Martín, who took command. The Portuguese got rid of the man from Madrid to start commanding. Marc had a major scare when he lost his balance, bumped into Martín and almost fell off his mount, but he was able to save the fall and stay fourth, behind Bagnaia.
He saved her there, but not on the third lap. After Bagnaia took the lead from Martín and Oliveira, the Repsol Honda rider over-accelerated to regain positions. He arrived very late at turn 3, collided with Martín, went straight and hit Oliveira, who ended up hurting on the ground.
Farewell to the race of Márquez, who was retiring with a slight limp, and whistled and insulted by the local public for having shot down the Portuguese driver. The Catalan asked for forgiveness with his hands to the stands when he went to apologize to the RNF garage with Oliveira. It also ruined the race of Martín, who fell to beyond 10th place.
Bagnaia took advantage of the mishap to take the lead, followed by Viñales, Miller and Bezzecchi.
After the nervousness of the first laps -with similar agitation and tension to the Sprint-, the race stabilized with Bagnaia opening the route followed by Viñales, close behind, 1 tenth behind, and a diverse range of rivals, more than 1.4 behind. seconds: Bezzecchi was third, Àlex Márquez fourth, Miller, fifth, Binder, Zarco, Marini, Aleix (9th) and Quartararo.
The distances were widening with the passing of the laps. Bagnaia took a gap of 8 tenths over Viñales (v. 15/25), and in turn the man from Roses moved away from the pursuers, the Bezzecchi-Àlex Márquez-Miller trio, more than 3 seconds behind the champion.
The champion did not let up on his Ducati, he came to distance himself by 1.2 seconds from Viñales, and was able to secure his first win of the year, a double victory of 37 points with the 12 in the Sprint on Saturday.
The crumbs of the podium were shared by Viñales, who achieved his fourth podium with Aprilia, and Bezzecchi, who moved away from his pursuers Zarco, Àlex Márquez, fifth, Binder and Miller, without being threatened by third place.
Four Ducati in the top 5, to prolong the hegemony of the Borgo Panigale machine. And the champion who starts intractable.
