The Ducati Lenovo Team riders are ready to return to the track this weekend for the penultimate round of the MotoGP World Championship at the famous Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (Portugal), which already hosted the Portuguese GP last April, the first European round of the 2021 season.
On that occasion, Francesco Bagnaia was the protagonist of an incredible race as he climbed on the podium’s second step despite starting only eleventh on the grid. The Italian rider, who crashed out of the race at his home Grand Prix in Misano while battling for victory, is ready to return to the famous Portuguese track, determined once again to be one of the main protagonists of the weekend. With the riders’ Championship now decided, Bagnaia will be looking to add more points to the overall standings to confirm his second place in the standings, and maintain his lead over third-placed Joan Mir, currently 27 points behind.
Jack Miller, who, like his teammate, suffered a crash in the last Grand Prix in Italy, will also return to action to redeem himself at the Portuguese track. In 2019, the Australian rider had been the protagonist of a heated battle for victory, finishing second. In Portugal’s last GP, Miller had been forced to retire following a crash. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider will aim to return, fighting for a strong result at Portimão.
After the first sixteen rounds of the 2021 season, Miller is fifth in the Championship with 149 points. Ducati leads the manufacturers’ standings, while the Ducati Lenovo Team is second in the teams’ classification.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 2nd (202 points)
“It was nice to have a few days off after Misano to restore energy before heading into the last two races of the season. The riders’ Championship has been decided, but we have to stay focused: our goal is to get the best result every race weekend, so I arrive in Portimão full of energy and keen to do well! In the last GP here, I managed to get on the podium even though I started the race quite far back, and this weekend we will try again to fight for the victory. We must try to bring home as many points as possible to confirm the second position in the Championship and try to secure the teams’ and constructors’ titles. I am optimistic and confident that we can do well here in Portugal.”
Jack Miller (#43 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 5th (149 points)
“I’m happy to be back racing in Portugal! The Autódromo do Algarve is really an incredible track where I always have a lot of fun! Unfortunately, last time that we had a Grand Prix here, I could not finish the weekend as we had hoped: after a crash on the sixth lap of the race, I was forced to retire, so I am back to Portimão determined to redeem myself and fight for a good result! It is the penultimate race of the year, and I want to end my season positively. In addition, we’re still fighting for the manufacturers’ title and the teams’ title, so I’ll do everything I can to help Ducati and the team achieve these two important goals”.
The Grand Prix Brembo of Algarve weekend will begin on Friday morning with the first free practice session at 9:55 am local time, while the race is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 pm local time (2:00 pm in Italy) over a 25-lap distance.
- From Ducati Media House
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