Pecco Bagnaia dominated Friday’s free practice as the only rider to set 1’39 pace at Portimao this afternoon. 

The Italian’s 1’39.866 lap held off Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo and a fast-charging pair of Suzuki’s to top the times, with the returning Marc Marquez making his presence firmly felt in sixth place after just 32 laps back on track. 

Rain clouds threatened overhead for Friday’s second practice as MotoGP wasted no time in getting up to speed for the final 45-minute session. Fabio Quartararo set the pace with a 1’41.399 on his third lap, Alex Rins and Joan Mir the next to challenge on their following revolutions, with the two Suzuki charges sitting second and third as the first 10 minutes of action concluded. 

Miguel Oliveira showcased his comfort with being back on home soil as he circulated in fourth, just 0.057s off the current pace, with Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco heading Franky Morbidelli as the afternoon practice warmed up. Takaaki Nakagami’s fortunes, however, took an unfavourable turn after a dramatic crash at turn one put paid to the Japanese rider’s session on just his opening flying lap, with the LCR man taken directly to the medical centre for check ups. 

20 minutes gone and the majority of the class sat in the pits, the Yamaha’s of Maverick Viñales and Franky Morbidelli cutting solitary shapes before the field once again began to filter out. The action resumed in earnest five minutes later as Oliveira hit the top, still just inside the 1’41 bubble, from Pecco Bagnaia, Mir, Quartararo and Viñales with Marc Marquez sliding into third on his 10th lap. Alex Rins was the next on the move, shaving further hundredths from the benchmark pace - now 1’41.020 - before Quartararo finally broke through with a ’40.990. 

As the session clicked down the sun began to shine once again. Bagnaia looked to make his mark on the standings before losing out in the final sector and settling for fourth with Aleix Espargaro matching the Ducati to take fifth, just 0.002 behind. The pack returned to the pits once again in preparation for their final runs with the Aprilia left to circulate alone. One lap and a 1’40.907 later and Espargaro sat top, with 10 minutes left to play out. 

Cleared by the medical team, Nakagami was back on track in the closing stages, albeit in a somewhat tentative state thanks to his previous battering. Oliveira was on a charge in demanding style as he secured the standings with a 1’40.703 but as the rest of the field began to fire up for time attack mode, it was anyone’s guess where this would end. 

Mir was the first to strike, four-tenths ahead of the Portuguese talent, as Pol Espargaro advanced on his brother to steal third. Jack Miller and Zarco utilised their Ducati power for second and fourth before Bagnaia outpaced them all with a 1’39.866. Less than two minutes to go saw Quartararo challenge, finding second with a ’40.2 ahead of a pair of Suzuki’s, as Espargaro’s Aprilia found the limit at turn 11. While a moment for Marquez saw the returning Honda man terrify his team on a personal best as the chequered flag flew, the number 93 ultimately securing sixth as the session drew to a close. 

Bagnaia maintained his dominance thanks to his 16th lap, Quartararo initially coming within 0.38s of the Italian’s effort as the only other rider inside the 1’40 barrier before the lap time was deleted due to a yellow-flag infringement. The Frenchman’s final lap, however, was still enough to secure second from Mir and Rins with Miller sitting fifth at the flag. Viñales concluded Friday in seventh from Zarco - although the Pramac rider ended his afternoon on the sidelines, with his machine in flames and an Australian taxi waiting to take him back to the pits. Oliveira took top-KTM honours with a ninth place finish while an impressive late effort from Nakagami saw his Friday recovered, to 10th. Alex Marquez followed his teammate in 11th from Pol Espargaro, Luca Marini, Aleix Espargaro and Valentino Rossi. Lorenzo Savadori sat 16th ahead of Brad Binder, Danilo Petrucci, Morbidelli, Enea Bastianini, Iker Lecuona and a disappointing start for last-race standout, Jorge Martin.