Marco Bezzecchi takes lights-to-flag victory and puts one hand on third place in the championship

It was a slightly cool but sunny Sunday at Portimao, Marco Bezzecchi started from pole position ahead of Pedro Acosta and Fabio Quartararo. Francesco Bagnaia started from fourth with Tissot Sprint winner Alex Marquez starting from fifth.

The lights went out and Bezzecchi lead ahead of Acosta and Marquez. Franky Morbidelli crashed out at turn five as his front connected with the rear of Pol Espargaro.

Bezzecchi was trying to bolt away, Marquez overtook Acosta into turn one for second place and Pecco Bagnaia did the same against Quartararo for fourth.

Joan Mir and Bastianini retired at the end of lap two. Bezzecchi meanwhile had a 0.8 second lead over Marquez was the fastest rider on track.

The front three had dropped Bagnaia who was two seconds behind in fourth. Brad Binder was right behind Quartararo trying to move inside the top five.

Fermin Aldeguer was on the back of Binder and looked up the inside at turn three but Binder had in the inside for turn four. Aldeguer had a look up the inside for turn five and made contact with Binder and was into sixth place with Binder losing the left part of his stegosaurus wing.

Aldeguer then overtook Quartararo into turn one on lap 11 and Binder hadn’t been dropped.

Bagnaia lost the front at turn ten and was out of the race, with Bezzecchi in the lead and pulling away from Marquez, Pecco’s chances of finishing third in the championship looked very bleak.

Binder was stuck behind Quartararo due to the Frenchman’s late braking, but the former world champion ran wide into turn five and that allowed Binder take fifth place.

With three laps to go Acosta was hunting down Marquez for second place, the gap was shrinking by over six tenths a lap.

Marco Bezzecchi crossed the line to win the Portuguese Grand Prix, his second Grand Prix win of the season. Marquez held off the charging Acosta for second place. Aldeguer was fourth ahead of Binder rounding out the top five.

Marco Bezzecchi is 35 points ahead of Bagnaia so third place is nearly secured for the Aprilia rider, just three points separate Bagnaia and Acosta for fourth.

Featured Image: Ksc Photography Services.