Moto2™ and Moto3™ take on Portimão for pre-season
The only official test for the intermediate and lightweight classes is about to get underway at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
Friday, 18 February 2022
There have been a few private test days for many in the Moto2™ and Moto3™ classes so far, but now it’s time to get down to official business. The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve plays host and the field have three days on track, with each class given three 70-minute sessions per day. Moto3™ start first on Saturday, Moto2™ on Sunday and Moto3™ return to the first slot on Monday.
Action begins at 10:00 (GMT) on each day and finishes at 18:00.
Live Timing is available throughout the test on motogp.com, as well as round ups, interviews and a host of updates to stay on top of the action.
Moto2™
There will be keen interest surrounding Aki Ajo’s new-look Red Bull KTM Ajo, with reigning Moto3™ Champion Pedro Acosta joined by Augusto Fernandez in the Finn’s squad for the forthcoming season. They’ll be hoping they can keep the Moto2™ title within the ranks come the end of the season, but Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez certainly set records that will take some beating. So far though in the circuit timing provided from private testing, Acosta has looked fast.
However, Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) and Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) will have other ideas about another Red Bull KTM Ajo-dominated season, and they’ll be looking to blast out the blocks and maximise track time to get ready to race. The likes of Fermin Aldeguer (Speed Up Racing), already having impressed since he arrived mid-season last year, and Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), looking for a turnaround after a largely tougher 2021, have also looked quick as well.
Cameron Beaubier (American Racing), meanwhile, is looking to consolidate his progress too, and he’s now joined by countryman Sean Dylan Kelly, who’ll be interesting to watch. Romano Fenati (Speed Up Racing) returns to the class, Jorge Navarro moves to Flexbox HP 40, Jake Dixon to GASGAS Aspar… Tony Arbolino will have high hopes for his new era at Elf Marc VDS Racing Team too. And how will the rookies fare? A good few familiar faces from Moto3™ make the move alongside Acosta, so the stage is set for an interesting outing on the Algarve.
Moto3™
In Moto3™, Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Sergio Garcia (GASGAS Aspar Team) and Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) arrive into 2022 as the likely the riders to beat, with all three carrying considerable experience in the class and race-winning, Championship-challenging pedigree.
The experience and speed continues with the likes of Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), John McPhee and teammate Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max), Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing), and they’ll all be gunning for glory in a packed field.
The lightweight class also sees the addition of some exciting names to the grid for 2022. Ana Carrasco (BOE SKX) returns to the class for the first time since 2015, while the likes of 2021 Moto3™ Junior World Champion Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and frontrunners Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power), Scott Ogden (VisionTrack Racing Team) and Mario Aji (Honda Team Asia) bolster the list of rookie riders with burgeoning potential. There’s also Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) to watch out for – he was undefeated on the way to the 2021 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup crown, and won his first ever Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race on a track he’d never ridden before. Can the Japanese rider hit the ground running?
Stay up to date with everything from testing as the Moto2™ and Moto3™ classes get ready to race!
