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MotoGP Portimao: Gardner breaks own record for pole, Lowes fifth

Remy Gardner enjoyed a sensational Saturday at the Portimão circuit after securing pole position with his second lap-record of the day. Luca Marini and Fabio Di Giannantonio joined the Australian for Parc Ferme celebrations as title-rivals Enea Bastianini and Sam Lowes qualified narrowly behind on the second row, in fourth and fifth.

The final qualifying of the final weekend did not disappoint as the Portuguese circuit came alive once again to the sound of the Triumph engines. Nicolò Bulega led the way at the start of Q1 before Jorge Martin demoted him to second, Marco Bezzecchi fighting Marcel Schrotter for the final top-four positions as Bo Bendsneyder and Stefano Manzi circulated on the fringes of promotion.

The top-four attempted to advance their impressive pace as the final three minutes counted down, however, it was Manzi who looked to be pushing hardest, the Italian stealing the last promotion place as the concluding minute began. With a number of riders setting red sectors on their last laps, Bezzecchi sealed his elevation with a 1’43.032 from the advancing Dutchman Bendsneyder, Martin and Bulega lucky to retain third and fourth having failed to improve on their early times, Manzi frustrated to finish fifth at the flag.

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Rumours surrounded Lowes’ fitness for competition as Q2 prepared for the green light but the determined Brit once again dug deep for the 15-minute shootout. Joe Roberts and Aron Canet also focusing on the job at hand rather than the circulating Aprilia GP whispers, however, a crash over the crest at turn eight dented the Italian’s early progress.

An early strong performance placed Augusto Fernandez at the head of the times before Marini stormed the line with a 1’43.0, Xavi Vierge and Jorge Martin coming through behind to claim provisional front row positions. Lowes sat sixth after his opening three laps, now just ahead of his teammate, with another personal best advancing the Marc VDS pair to first and second respectively next time around - Lowes’ lap heading the session with an incredible 1’42.759 just three-hundredths shy of lap-record pace.

Five minutes to go saw Marini on a charge but it wasn’t enough to topple Lowes as he split the leading teammates, the Italian, however, wasn’t done yet as red sectors registered on the next lap. Marini took P1 on his seventh lap, Bulega simultaneously demoting Fernandez for third as Di Giannantonio stole second moments later. Martin claimed fourth as Lowes entered the pits, the Brit left hoping he’d done enough to keep hold of the front row but as the final minute fired up Gardner appeared, breaking his own record as the Australian stormed to pole.

The session concluded with three of the four title-challengers in the top-five. Gardner secured pole with a 1’42.592 ahead of Marini and Di Giannantonio as a late-charge from Bastianini gifted the Italtrans man fourth, from Lowes and Martin. Bulega finished seventh ahead of Fernandez and Marcos Ramirez with Tetsuta Nagashima, Hector Garzo and Bezzecchi claiming row four positions. Vierge ended up 13th with Jorge Navarro and Canet for company as Bendsneyder, Lorenzo Baldassari and Roberts rounded out the top-18.

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