Italy’s Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia powered to another superb win at Portimao, the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP season in Portugal and will be hoping to do the same at round two in Argentina this weekend.
Two Ducatis were on the podium in last Sunday’s Portuguese GP with Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team) in third.
The reigning World Champion, who is already at the top of the new standings, will try to repeat himself at the South American track, where Ducati currently has had three podiums, the most recent being the second place of Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) in the past edition of the Argentina GP.
After winning the first sprint race in MotoGP history last weekend, defending world champion Bagnaia dominated once again the Portugal GP, racing at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.
Starting from second on the grid, the world champion could impose himself from the opening stages in Portugal, as he managed to gain the race lead already on the second lap. Thanks to an impressive pace and good tyre management, Bagnaia could fend off Maverick Viñales, who stayed close behind him throughout the race.
Pecco secured his second win of the season, crossing the line with a 687-thousandths advantage over the Spaniard. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider scored his 12th MotoGP victory, bringing his lead in the standings to 12 points. The Ducati of Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team rider, also finished on the podium last weekend, with the Italian protagonist of a remarkable comeback after starting from eighth on the grid.
“This is definitely the best start to the season I have ever had in my career, so I can only be happy,” said Bagnaia.
“My team and I did a great job during testing, so the bike setup was already pretty much defined at the beginning of the weekend. In Argentina, the situation will definitely be different. Still, my feeling with the new bike is incredible, so I think we will be ready to face any condition.”
With Bastianini also forced to sit out the GP of Argentina after suffering a fracture in his right shoulder in the Sprint Race yesterday, it will be only Bagnaia to take part in the next round, scheduled next week, from 31st March to 2nd April, at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit.
Photo courtesy Ducati
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2023 MotoGP World Champs standings after round one:
| Position | Entrant | Wins | Points |
| 1 | Francesco BagnaiaDucati Lenovo Team (GP23) | 2 | 37.00 |
| 2 | Maverick VinalesAprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | 25.00 | |
| 3 | Marco BezzecchiMooney VR46 Racing Team (GP22) | 16.00 | |
| 4 | Jack MillerRed Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) | 15.00 | |
| 5 | Johann ZarcoPrima Pramac Racing (GP23) | 15.00 | |
| 6 | Alex MarquezGresini Racing MotoGP (GP22) | 12.00 | |
| 7 | Aleix EspargaroAprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | 11.00 | |
| 8 | Brad BinderRed Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) | 10.00 | |
| 9 | Jorge MartinPrima Pramac Racing (GP23) | 9.00 | |
| 10 | Fabio QuartararoMonster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) | 8.00 | |
| 11 | Marc MarquezRepsol Honda Team (RC213V) | 7.00 | |
| 12 | Alex RinsLCR Honda CASTROL (RC213V) | 6.00 | |
| 13 | Joan MirRepsol Honda Team (RC213V) | 5.00 | |
| 14 | Takaaki NakagamiLCR Honda IDEMITSU (RC213V) | 4.00 | |
| 15 | Augusto FernandezGASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 (RC16) | 3.00 | |
| 16 | Miguel OliveiraCryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team (RS-GP22) | 3.00 | |
| 17 | Franco MorbidelliMonster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) | 2.00 | |
| 18 | Luca MariniMooney VR46 Racing Team (GP22) | 0.00 | |
| 19 | Pol EspargaroGASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 (RC16) | 0.00 | |
| 20 | Enea BastianiniDucati Lenovo Team (GP23) | 0.00 | |
| 21 | Fabio di GiannantonioGresini Racing MotoGP (GP22) | 0.00 | |
| 22 | Raul FernandezCryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team (RS-GP22) | 0.00 |