Vinales tops opening MotoGP practice in Portugal
Marc Marquez is back. Third fastest already after missing so many MotoGP races due to a severe fracture of his arm in a racing accident last year.
However, the story of the first morning at Portimao was Maverick Vinales who set a time of 1m42.127s in FP1 at the Grande Prémio 888 de Portugal to claim top spot in the opening 45-minute session of the weekend.
The Spaniard beat second place Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) by 0.151s with Marquez just 0.251s away in P3 – incredibly impressive from the number 93.
Easing himself in? 🤔
That’s not the @marcmarquez93 way!!! 🔥#MarcReturns | #PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/izlTtBRgc7
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 16, 2021
Practice 1 Results
| POS | RIDER | NAT | TEAM | TIME/DIFF |
| 1 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | 1m42.127s |
| 2 | Alex Rins | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.151s |
| 3 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.251s |
| 4 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.255s |
| 5 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP21) | +0.316s |
| 6 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.337s |
| 7 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.401s |
| 8 | Jack Miller | AUS | Ducati Team (GP21) | +0.409s |
| 9 | Alex Marquez | SPA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.654s |
| 10 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.830s |
| 11 | Valentino Rossi | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.886s |
| 12 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.909s |
| 13 | Joan Mir | SPA | Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) | +0.933s |
| 14 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.116s |
| 15 | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)* | +1.412s |
| 16 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP21)* | +1.575s |
| 17 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.873s |
| 18 | Luca Marini | ITA | Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +2.475s |
| 19 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +2.840s |
| 20 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Avintia Ducati (GP19)* | +3.198s |
| 21 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) | +3.208s |
| 22 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +5.647s |