Mattia Casadei won FIM MotoE World Championship Race Two Saturday at Algarve International Circuit, in Portugal. The LCR E-Team rider won the seven-lap race by just 0.066 second over Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE’s Hector Garzo. Oscar Gutierrez was a very close third, just 0.198 second behind Casadei, on his Axxis-MSI Ducati electric racebike.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Spinelli takes the spoils in dramatic first MotoE™ race of 2024

The Italian picks up where he left off to beat Garzo and Casadei in a close final lap – with drama aplenty for some fellow big hitters

Saturday, 23 March 2024

Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing) finished 2023 on the top step and that’s exactly how he’s started the 2024 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship: with victory. The Italian held off a hard-charging Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) and Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) on a close final lap as the top three escaped at the front following some drama for key names in the first showdown of the season.

Garzo took the holeshot after a storming start from Row 2, with Spinelli and Casadei on his tail as polesitter Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) dropped a few positions initially. Over the line for the first time Garzo had held onto it too, denying a Spinelli attack and the Italian also ceding to Casadei and Granado. Next time round Granado then grabbed a 2-for-1 into Turn 1 to take the lead, but not long after the first big drama hit as he slid out. Not long after that there was even more, with Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) crashing out.

A close top four of Casadei, Spinelli, Garzo and Zaccone were then in the lead, with Openbank Aspar Team’s Jordi Torres in touch too. But another huge twist was yet to come. On the penultimate lap down into Turn 5, Zaccone was just that bit too close to Torres and tagged the back of the number 81, sending both sliding out across the run off. The Italian was later also given a Long Lap penalty for the incident.

And then there were three. Onto the final lap, it was close. Spinelli attacked and took the lead at Turn 1, keeping it tidy. Another big opportunity for Garzo and Casadei to try and hit back, Turn 5, was off the table too as yellow flags remained out following the Zaccone-Torres crash. As the final sector dawned, Garzo was tagged on to the Tech3 rider in the lead, but there was no way through. Spinelli kept it perfect to the line for the first win of 2024, with Garzo and Casadei completing the podium.

Fourth goes to the returning Lukas Tulovic (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™), with Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) completing the top five. Massimo Roccoli (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) beat Andrea Mantovani (Klint Forward Factory Team) to sixth. Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) was just ahead of a solid debut for Chaz Davies (Aruba Cloud MotoE™ Racing Team), with his fellow rookie and teammate Armando Pontone completing the top ten in touch too.

 
Casadei strikes back in stunning Race 2 showdown

The reigning Champion takes to the top to pip Garzo and a spectacular charge from Gutierrez to complete the podium

Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) is back on top of the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship standings after a stunning charge to victory in Race 2 in Portugal. The Italian got his elbows out and held off Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) on the drag to the line, with rookie Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) charging through to take third and his first MotoE™ podium.

Race 1 winner Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing) got the holeshot, holding off Garzo on take 2, but the Italian had already had some bad luck – judging his starting position ever so slightly wrong in the slot and given a double Long Lap not long after. Still, Garzo had to get it done on track before that, and the Spaniard shot past at Turn 1 on Lap 2 as Casadei overhauled teammate Eric Granado. Then, before Spinelli could take his penalty, the Italian suddenly slid out at Turn 10.

That left a gaggle of riders in a tight front group, and Casadei first struck for the front with four to go. Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team), Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing) and Gutierrez were charging into contention too, and the latter didn’t even wait for Zaccone to serve his LLP given for his Race 1 incident, slicing past the Italian on his charge.

Garzo made the next move at the front, taking the lead back from Casadei as Gutierrez pipped past Torres, the rookie then onto the tail of Granado. But Granado’s elbows were also out and the Brazilian attacked his teammate at Turn 11, setting his sights on race leader Garzo. 

But the main straight saw another shuffle as the slipstream came into play, and as the field fanned out Garzo kept his grip on the lead, with Gutierrez able to bag a two for one and slice up into second. Casadei headed teammate Granado, and it was going down to the wire. 

Into Turn 1 for the final time, Gutierrez attacked Garzo as Casadei then shot past both, the Italian keeping a twitch under control to take over at the front. Garzo grabbed second again on the cutback too, and the top four locked into a tense push to the flag. But the reigning Champion just held on to take his first victory of the year, with Garzo’s second place putting him only a point behind on the way to Round 2. For Gutierrez, meanwhile, it’s a first ever MotoE™ podium in his first round as a full timer, having done two replacement rides in 2023.

Granado was forced to settle for fourth ahead of Torres and Lukas Tulovic (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™), with Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team), Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™), Andrea Mantovani (KLINT Forward Factory Team) and Massimo Roccoli (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing the top ten. 

That’s a wrap on Round 2 of the 2024 FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship, with Casadei back on top on track and in the standings. But it’s by a single point as MotoE™ prepares to return at le Mans –with another 14 races still to play for in 2024.

Manuel Gonzalez took pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Algarve International Circuit, in Portimao, Portugal. Riding his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex, the Spaniard turned a 1:41.514 to top the 27-rider field.

Fermin Aldeguer was second-quickest with a 1:41.648 on his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro, and Aron Canet claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:41.713 on his Fantic Racing Kalex.

American Joe Roberts qualified fifth with a 1:42.031 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

Jose Antonio Rueda captured pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Algarve International Circuit, in Portugal. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider turned a lap time of 1:46.379, which not only topped the field of 26 but it also broke the All-Time Lap Record, a 1:46.798 set by Ayumu Sasaki in 2023.

BOE Motorsports KTM’s Joel Kelso (1:46.438) was second-best, and David Alonso (1:46.497) claimed the third and final spot on the front row on his CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team machine.

Enea Bastianini claimed pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Algarve International Circuit, in Portimao, Portugal. Riding his Ducati Lenovo Team Desmosedici GP24, the Italian racer covered the undulating course in 1:37.706 to lead the field of 22 riders.

Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales was second-fastest with a 1:37.788, and Jorge Martin earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:37.812 on his Prima Pramac Ducati.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Beast mode engaged: Bastianini edges out Viñales for pole

A front row split by a tenth, Bagnaia P4 and Marc Marquez P8 after a dramatic Q2 sets the stage for a spectacle in Portugal

Saturday, 23 March 2024

Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) continued his statement weekend at the Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal with pole position on Saturday morning, Beast mode most definitely engaged. It’s close at the top, however, with Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) getting to within less than a tenth of the number 23 after a late charge. Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) completes the front row only a further 0.024 behind, setting the stage for some serious fireworks on the Algarve.

Q1 was a hard-fought battle to move through. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and home hero Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing) were just some of those with more than a shout of moving through, and it went down to the wire. Acosta was leading the way until a late overhaul from AM73, with the Gresini taking over on top by an infinitesimal 0.005. No one could overhaul that or split the two, so Acosta and Alex Marquez moved through, leaving Espargaro P13 on the grids ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Oliveira..

Q2 began with sheer expectation and the field piled out of pitlane ready to deliver. The first drama came almost immediately as Marc Marquez slid out, the number 93 losing the rear round Turn 15 and sliding across the run off. The race was on to get back to the box and get back out. Then Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) went down, rider also ok, making it two big hitters looking to reset quick.

Meanwhile, the red sectors were coming in on the first runs. The first pacesetter was reigning Champion Bagnaia, who held the top by less than a tenth ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and FP2 pacesetter Viñales.

From there, the first mover was Martin as he took over on top, but Bastianini had a near instant riposte to cut another tenth off, making it #23-#89-#1 on the provisional front row. Then the red sectors starting coming in from Bagnaia again, but the final part of the lap put paid to that. One final lap was going to challenge Bastianini, and despite Marc Marquez being back out, it’s wasn’t his – it was Viñales’. 

The Aprilia was up and had already proven plenty with that new FP2 lap record, but it wasn’t quite enough to take pole over the line, coming up short by just 0.082. So it’s the Beast of Bastianini back on top, ahead of Viñales and Martin relegated to P3 on the outside of the front row.

Bagnaia heads up Row 2, with Miller starting from P5 as his speed continues to impress in Portugal. Sixth goes to Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) whose Round 2 continues to be a big leap forward from a tough Round 1.

The apprentice edges out the master on Row 3. Acosta is P7 at the head of it, just hundredths ahead of Marc Marquez as the number 93 didn’t quite find the fireworks on his second run. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) takes P9, ahead of Binder who, like MM93, couldn’t quite bring the noise on his final attempt after that early crash.

And so the grids are decided, and they set quite a stage. The Tissot Sprint promises much on Saturday afternoon, and that’s just the first serving of the world’s most exciting sport at full throttle on the rollercoaster. Tune in for two stunning showdowns, with lights out on Saturday at 15:00 (UTC) and Sunday at 14:00.