Pecco Bagnaia secured his third victory of the year at Portimao after dominating from the start of the Algarve GP.
The Ducati Lenovo rider took the pole to flag win over two seconds clear of second-placed Joan Mir with Jack Miller completing the subdued celebrations after a red flag halted the action two laps from the end.
An earlier start time saw MotoGP get under way as the middle race of the Algarve weekend. Bagnaia launching from his fifth pole position in as many races, his sixth of the year, and his ninth front row start in a row. Miller lined up alongside his Ducati Lenovo teammate once again, with Suzuki’s Mir in third and Fabio Quartararo down in seventh.
The lights released as the trio maintained their advantage out front. Mir immediately pushing for second as he bettered the Australian with Danilo Petrucci crashing out at turn four - for his second opening lap exit in a row.
Jorge Martin sat fourth from a hard-charging Alex Marquez with Quartararo regrouping from 10th to sixth by the start of lap two. Iker Lecuona promoted himself to seventh ahead of a diminished Johann Zarco - from fifth on the grid - and Pol Espargaro. Miguel Oliveira hoping for a strong home race result in 10th after advancing from 17th.
Marquez was the man on the move - and the highest placed rider on Michelin’s hard rear - after the opening laps as he tried to find a way through Martin and Miller, the Ducati’s proving a challenge as Bagnaia and Mir broke free out front. The LCR Honda briefly got the better of the Pramac before Martin struck back, Quartararo looking to capitalise on the battle ahead as Miller gained a gap.
Bagnaia suffered a moment on the exit of turn 15, Mir too far behind to take advantage but remaining in touch, just three-tenths back.
Aleix Espargaro becoming the second victim of the rollercoaster layout as the Aprilia crashed out at turn one, his brother the fastest man on track, in eighth, as Lecuona dropped to 12th.
Alex Rins made his way into the top 10 as the Suzuki found his rhythm but with three seconds to bridge to the Repsol ahead and 15 laps to go. Franky Morbidelli fading on the technical layout as he fell into the clutches of Valentino Rossi on the edge of the points.
Quartararo bickered with Martin for fifth as Marquez reeled in Miller for third. The Honda dispatching the Ducati as lap 12 began with Zarco bettering his countryman at its conclusion as the world champion suffered a moment at turn 13.
Bagnaia held a two-second advantage as lap 15 prepared, Mir a further second ahead of Marquez with Miller regrouping in his bid for the final podium place.
The Australian pushed the pace with nine laps to go, three-tenths now the task to the Marquez ahead and dropping quickly. Quartararo remaining stuck behind the Pramac pair, in seventh before he finally got the better of Zarco two laps later.
Miller continued to hassle the LCR Honda as the race counted down, a brief look at turn one was ultimately denied as he failed to stop the Desmosedici, before he tried again with five to go.
Quartararo crashed out for the first time this season losing the front end of his M1 at turn five with Espargaro immediately capitalising to pick off Martin for sixth. Morbidelli fading to the back of the pack to complete a miserable afternoon for the Monster Energy outfit.
Three to go and Oliveira was demoted out of the top 10 by his Red Bull KM teammate Brad Binder, Lecuona now on his tail from 12th with heartbreak finding the pair crashing out at turn 13 and bringing out the red flag.
Bagnaia claimed the win to secure the Constructors Championship for Ducati with Mir and Miller completing the podium celebrations.
Marquez finished fourth, and as top independent, from Zarco, Espargaro Martin and Rins with Enea Bastianini and Binder completing the top 10. Takaaki Nakagami, Luca Marini, Rossi, Andrea Dovizioso and Stefan Bradl collected the final points positions.
