Red Bull KTM Ajo riders Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez are set for a fierce battle as the Moto2 title fight nears climax at Portimao.
2021’s second trip to the Algarve comes off the back of a dramatic Misano, which saw the Australian struggle and his Spanish teammate fall from the lead of the race. Both riders have won at the Autódromo do Algarve, with the Moto2 rookie claiming the most recent victory, back in April while Gardner claimed the top step in 2020.
With 18 points now separating the pair, Gardner is in the driving seat for the penultimate round of the year and eager to get the job done, but the gap leaves him breathing room in terms of strategy for the weekend ahead.
“We have two very important races ahead of us,” Gardner said ahead of the second visit to Portimao. “However, we have to face them in the same way that we have faced the previous rounds, without thinking too much about what is at stake.
“We have to continue on the same path as up to now, working hard and trying not to make mistakes. It will be important to take a step forward in qualifying compared to Misano. Let’s hope that this time the weather will be a little better for us. Portugal is a circuit that I really like - in fact, it is one of my favourites, since its layout is spectacular and unique,” he concluded.
Fernandez, however, needs to keep the pressure on, preferably with a win, after seeing 25 valuable points go up in smoke at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli’s turn eight last time out. The rookie has a 100% win record at the Portuguese track so far, both in Moto3 and Moto2, and his hoping for more of the same come Sunday.
“I face these last two rounds with the desire to enjoy myself to the fullest,” Fernandez countered. “I want to give one hundred percent to try to finish the year as we want, which is to achieve another good result.
“It was a shame about the crash that we suffered in Misano two weeks ago, but I think we did what we had to do and this is part of the sport. Now we return to Portugal, which is a circuit that I like a lot, where I feel very solid and where my riding style has always served me well. I will give my all and we will look, above all, to have fun on the bike.”
