Filip Salac, racing for Kalex, achieved the second-best time in a highly competitive training session, marking his best Moto2 result yet and clinching pole for the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimão. The stage was set for a dramatic Sunday showpiece on the sunlit circuit by the Atlantic coast.
Salac stopped the clock at 1:42.323, edging out Arón Canet of Kalex by a razor-thin margin of 0.068 seconds. A morning best of 1:42.003 had already announced him as a fast learner on the Portimão layout, a track known for its flowing turns and demanding long straights. The session also highlighted the capable challenge from Darryn Binder, representing South Africa on a Kalex, who tested the limits as the laps wore on, while seasoned rivals pressed hard for the top positions. The field included notable names like Tony Arbolino, Zonta Van der Goorberg, and Jeremy Alcoba, all mounted on Kalex machines and pushing toward the front as minutes dwindled.
In the final order of the session, Borja Gómez, Marcos Ramírez, and David Sanchis—standing in for an injured Alex Escrig—were among those delivering solid pace. Jordi Torres, substituting for Izan Guevara, also showed competitive speed as the top level of talent battled for the best grid spots. The presence of veteran rivals such as Lorenzo dalla Porta and Dennis Foggia added extra spice to the intense, suspense-filled sessions as teams refined setups for the race ahead.
Márquez’s massive return continues to dominate headlines with a pole-dominant performance that signals a strong push for success in Portimão. The team captured attention as the session progressed, underlining the growing anticipation for a memorable race weekend along the Algarve coast.
It did not take long for Canet to assume leadership, with the Spaniard taking a commanding early advantage before the rest of the field settled into the rhythm of the day. The battle for the front row intensified as the clock ticked down. Salac’s move to the top spot came after a compelling sequence in which the order kept shifting, reflecting the tightness of Moto2 competition at Portimão. While Canet led at the outset, Salac seized the initiative, and the crowd watched as the standings evolved lap after lap, inching closer to the ultimate pole time.
Alonso López, racing for Acceleration, started with promise, climbing to twelfth early on, but a fall on day five of the weekend disrupted his momentum. The accident happened during the fifth lap at a slow corner and halted his race in the early phase of the session. With López unable to continue, he settled for a lower placement, while teammate Fermín Aldeguer and Sergio García Dols, both aboard Kalex machines, also found themselves just outside the leaders in the early grid debates.
The middle portion of the session saw a steady procession of fast laps from a host of Spaniards, alongside strong performances from Italian and Czech riders. The field remained densely packed, with close timings that kept the tension high as teams tuned chassis and engine mappings to extract the last fractions of a second. Although the top five slots were contested fiercely, Salac’s late effort proved decisive, earning him a pole position that would set the stage for a dramatic Sunday sprint through the Portimão configuration.
As the clock wound down, the field began to settle with Salac at the front, followed by Canet and a cluster of challengers who had shown consistent pace across the practice sessions. The overall narrative highlighted a grid where multiple riders demonstrated the capability to challenge for a podium. The complexity of the Portimão track, with its mix of high-speed sections and technical corners, rewarded riders who could balance aggression with precision, a balance Salac appeared to master in qualifying.
The session ultimately underscored a recurring theme of the season: the depth of talent across Moto2 and the value of solid practice to find the edge at crucial moments. The day’s results hinted at an exciting race ahead, where strategy, tire wear, and on-track moves would determine the final order as teams continue to refine race setups and riders push toward the podium in Portimão.
In the broader context of the championship, the Portimão pole added another chapter to a season defined by close margins and dramatic accelerations. The Portuguese Grand Prix promises an electrifying display as Salac seeks to convert pole into a strong race result, with Canet, Arbolino, Alcoba, and others prepared to challenge for every position in the points battle. The excitement around every session continues to grow as Moto2 fans anticipate a memorable chapter in the season-long pursuit of glory on the Portuguese circuit.