The Algarve International Circuit in Portimão, Portugal opens the 2023 season this Friday with the MotoGP world championship. Italian Francesco Bagnaia is considered the favorite on a Ducati, while Spaniards Marc Márquez and the rest of the field aim to challenge in what promises to be a fiercely competitive campaign. Márquez, after recovering a shoulder issue, hopes to be back at the front on a bike that still has room to improve.
Four months after the 2022 season, Bagnaia and Augusto Fernández in Moto2, and Izan Guevara in Moto3, return to action as the calendar expands to a long year with 21 Grand Prizes. The addition of sprint races on Saturdays in MotoGP means more race minutes and more points at stake than ever before.
“We’re in a good position, but rivals like Quartararo and Márquez will be there too,” said one observer, reflecting the cautious optimism ahead of the Portugal GP.
— DAZN Spain
Ducati starts out as a favorite
In the eye-test from preseason, Ducati again looks like the team to beat. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer had a dominant 2022, claiming the riders’, constructors’, and team titles after a long wait, and now it aims to defend that throne with eight Desmosedici bikes on the grid. Bagnaia, who took the championship lead as the season closed, beat Fabio Quartararo by a comfortable margin the second half of the year. Quartararo (Yamaha) is chasing a crown that would mirror the feats of Casey Stoner, who won the title in 2007 before Rossi’s era in the premier class.
The calendar invites fans to a familiar question: can Ducati maintain the pace? The team’s form in Portimão two weeks earlier suggested yes. Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini is stepping up in the official structure to push the Desmosedici further, while other Ducati riders—Jorge Martín (Pramac) and Alex Márquez (Gresini)—will join the fight for podiums. Fabio Quartararo remains a constant threat, even if his practice in Sepang cooled expectations, as Portimão has previously rewarded his M1 in past visits.
Moving through the grid, Aprilia’s Alex Espargaró and Maverick Viñales hope to push deeper into contention after a promising season in Argentina, where the Spaniard secured the brand’s first MotoGP victory. Repsol Honda remains evaluated with Márquez set to prove his form while teammates and rivals press for results.
Márquez confident in his condition
Eight-time world champion Márquez looks energized after a period of recovery and adaptation following shoulder injuries. The early optimism in Jerez and the subsequent tests suggest that his body is responding well, though he acknowledges that the bike still has room to evolve. The goal is simple: land inside the top five and push toward the podiums as his confidence grows and the bike’s package improves.
Fans wonder if a top-five finish at Portimão could signal a strong start to the season for Márquez and Honda, especially with rivals who have shown speed in winter testing around the circuit’s demanding layout.
Another highlight is the ongoing evolution at Honda, including Joan Mir’s transition to a new bike after Suzuki’s departure from the class. Mir, a 2020 world champion, will need to adapt quickly to keep Honda competitive, alongside the likes of Alex Rins in the LCR squad, and Pol Espargaró with KTM, Augusto Fernández with KTM, and Raúl Fernández with Aprilia in a highly contested field.
Acosta, Canet, and Masiá in the press of Moto2 and Moto3
In Moto2 and Moto3, the landscape remains stacked with talent from Spain. Izan Guevara and Augusto Fernández leave their previous classes to chase new glory in Moto2 and MotoGP, respectively. Pedro Acosta, the 2021 Moto3 champion, enters his sophomore season aboard Kalex with renewed confidence after a strong debut showing that included three wins and several podiums. Portimão will reveal whether he can maintain that momentum across a grueling schedule.
On the Moto3 side, Aron Canet returns as a major threat, while Guevara will miss the season start due to a wrist injury. The category is crowded with young riders who have dominated the junior ranks in Spain, and the battle for national bragging rights will be fierce as they look to establish themselves on the global stage. Masiá, in his seventh season in the category, will try to anchor the best Spanish presence and push for podiums in what remains one of the most competitive junior grids in the sport.
The Portimão circuit sets the tone for a season that blends sprint excitement with traditional grand prix drama, testing teams on a track known for its fast sections and technical corners. The first rounds will reveal whether the preseason optimism translates into race-ready speed, especially for Ducati and Márquez, whose success stories continue to captivate fans across Europe and North America.