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The recent winner of the season's inaugural Grand Prix in Qatar, Francesco Bagnaia arrived in Algarve as the leader of the World Championship and the big favorite for a victory. The Lenovo Ducati team rider from Piedmont had already managed to get the better of his rivals on the Portuguese circuit last year, clinching a win in both the Sprint Race and the Sunday GP. A result he aims to repeat this season as well, even if he knows his rivals won’t just be sitting there watching.
"I’m happy to be racing in Portugal again! Portimão is a track I really like and where we’ve always been fast in the past," Pecco recalled. "Last year, we won both the Sprint and the Sunday GP. Also, we have the potential to do well this year, but it won’t be easy. I expect many opponents will fight for the victory and are very fierce competition. In any case, we’re ready. As always, we’ll work, starting on Friday, to try to arrive as ready as possible for the two races."
Instead, his teammate Enea Bastianini will be seeking redemption, as he's eager to return to battle it out for top positions after his fifth place in Losail. Returning to the track, where he was the victim of an accident in the short race last year, which forced him to skip the first races of the season, the rider from Rimini is counting on sealing the deal on Portuguese "roller coaster", recording a prominent result in this first round of the year in the Old Continent.
"I'm happy to return to Portimão for the first European race of the season. It's a very special track. We trained here with the Panigale V4S at the end of January," Bastianini said. "I have a score to settle with Portimão. I didn't race last year because of my injury after the fall in the Sprint. The first GP of the season in Qatar went well but, honestly, I expected to get something more. So, I'll try to redeem myself this weekend."
