A dramatic first Grand Prix weekend of the year concluded with Joan Mir recovering to 11th place. An apologetic Marc Marquez was left to lament his mistake which took out home hero Miguel Oliveira.
Joan Mir approached Sunday’s 25-lap Portuguese Grand Prix with an open mind, aiming to gather as much data as possible after his efforts on Saturday were cut short. A solid start saw the #36 maintain his grid position as the field settled into their early rhythm in Portugal. After serving his long-lap penalty for his contact with Quartararo the day before, Mir rejoined in 15th and was able to progress through the field to finally cross the line in 11th. His first points as a Repsol Honda Team rider, Mir is satisfied with the information he and the team were able to gather as there are now clear areas to work on in the coming races.
From pole position, Marc Marquez did his best to stay with the front group. Unfortunately at the start of the third lap, Marquez made a mistake and locked the front – releasing the brakes to avoid contact with Jorge Martin. This resulted in Marquez colliding with Miguel Oliveira, ending both of their races. Marquez immediately apologised to the RNF Team before heading to the medical centre to check the condition of Oliveira and his own injuries.
Marquez was diagnosed with a potential fracture in the first metacarpal of the right hand and will travel to Spain to assess the injury further. He also received a double long-lap penalty for the Argentina GP.
The MotoGP World Championship will now head directly for Termas de Rio Hondo for the second round of the 2023 season.