Quartararo stayed in Portugal, won the first of the year and became the leader of MotoGP

Current MotoGP champion Fabio Quartaro dominated the stage in Portugal on Sunday, in Portimão, and finally celebrated his first win of the year, on the podium joined by compatriot Johann Zarco and the Spaniard. Alex Espargaro. More than the end of the fast, this weekend’s result puts Monster Energy’s Frenchman Yamaha at the top of the championship for the riders.

Quartararo has not won a stage since August last year, when he was first at Silverstone in the UK. He was out of the podium in the last six rounds, but scored enough points to confirm the title. In the first four races of the season, before the controversy in Portugal, the best place was second in Indonesia. In addition, it ranked ninth in Qatar, eighth in Argentina and seventh in the United States.

MotoGP’s lead came because Enea Bastianini, who had held first place until then, did not finish the race in Portimao and fell back to fourth. Spaniard Alex Rins, who came fourth in Sunday’s feud, was second, and Espargaro went to third. Reigns and Quartararo are tied on 69 points, but the victory in the Portugal stage leaves the Frenchman in the lead.

On the track, this weekend’s race started with first place Johann Zarco, who lost his position early to Joan Mir. A short time later, on the fourth lap, Fabio Quartararo, who started in fifth, met the Spanish Suzuki and finished first. From there, he tested his dominance from start to finish as the main battles raged behind him.

In addition to Quartararo, Zarco, Aleix Espargaró and Rins, lead race rider Miguel Oliveira took fifth place, followed by Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia, Paul Espargaro and Maverick Vinales. Watch how the full classification for the Portugal stage ended:

1. Fabio Quartaro

2. Johann Zarko

3. Alex Espargaro

4. Alex Rains

5. Miguel Oliveira

6. Marc Marquez

7. Alex Marquez

8. Francesco Bagnaia

9. Paul Espargaro

10. Maverick Vinales

11. Andrea Dovizioso

12. Luca Marini

13. Franco Morbidelli

14. Remy Gardner

15. Marco Besecki

16. Takaki Nakagami

17. Darren Pender

Unfinished: Lorenzo Savadore, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Joanne Meyer, Jack Miller, Brad Bender, Ina Bastianini, George Martin.