Algarve MotoGP Qualifying Results | High five for form man Pecco Bagnaia

Pecco Bagnaia maintained his superb run of qualifying form to secure a fifth consecutive pole position for the Algarve MotoGP at Portimao, the penultimate round of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship season.

The Italian has been in tremendous single lap form ever since the Aragon MotoGP, with his performance in Portugal earning him a sixth top spot of the year, taking him ahead of perceived qualifying specialist Fabio Quartararo in terms of numbers.

Indeed, the result will redeem what should have been a similar result at the same venue earlier in the year when he set the fastest time, only to have it deleted due to having yellow flags deployed on his lap.

Another Ducati 1-2, Jack Miller’s wait for a first pole since Argentina 2018 lingers on even if he did his hopes of cracking the top three in the standings some good in second. 

However, his rivals for that overall rostrum sit right behind him on the grid with outgoing champion Joan Mir landing third, with Johann Zarco in fifth position.

Despite an altercation with Alex Marquez, one that led to some animated debating on the cool down lap between the pair, third place incredibly marks Mir’s first-ever front row start in MotoGP despite his title-winning status. 

Jorge Martin and Zarco added to Ducati’s joy as they ensured four GP21s inside the top five, the latter doing so having come through Q1.

Pol Espargaro led the Repsol Honda challenge in Marc Marquez’s absence in sixth position, while new champion Fabio Quartararo could only manage seventh on the grid after seeing his first lap cancelled due to yellow flags before making a mistake on his second flyer.

Alex Marquez secured his best starting position of the season in eighth, ahead of Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli, while forthcoming WorldSBK racer Iker Lecuona impressed in Q1 to grab his second top ten start in succession in tenth.

Alex Rins and Luca Marini - who crashed at Turn 14 - complete the front four rows.

With Zarco and surprise package Lecuona battling their way through Q1, there was disappointment for form man Enea Bastianini, who will be targeting his fifth straight top six finish in a row from 13th, comfortably behind his ‘Rookie of the Year’ rival Martin.

Aprilia failed to get a rider on the front four rows with Aleix Espargaro only able to manage 14th with Maverick Vinales 18th, the pair split by Danilo Petrucci, Valentino Rossi - 16th for his penultimate outing - and home hope Miguel Oliveira.

The runaway race winner in Portimao 12 months ago, the local hero was again struggling on the factory KTM as he laboured down in 17th, even if he did fare better than team-mate Brad Binder who suffered a fall en route to 19th.

Stefan Bradl, Andrea Dovizioso and Takaaki Nakagami brought up the rear, the latter crashing at Turn 5 to bring a premature end to his session. 

2021 Algarve MotoGP | Portimao | Qualifying RESULTS