A frustrated Inde GasGas Aspar’s Jake Dixon is set for a fourth row start in Sunday’s Moto2 Portuguese GP opener.

Having showcased impressive pace from the outset of 2023’s inaugural weekend, Dixon was straight into the Q2 shootout on Saturday afternoon.

As qualifying played out, the British rider set the fifth fastest time of the session, but waved yellow flags in the final sector due to another rider’s crash meant the lap was deleted. Dixon’s next best effort - a 1’43.062 - left him in twelfth position.

“On the first run I felt really good and I was under my best time of the weekend,” Dixon said on Saturday. “I came into the box to change the rear tyre, because I knew I still had margin to improve, however, with the second tyre it wasn’t the same.

“I managed to set a time that put me fifth on the grid, but they cancelled my lap due to the crash of another rider and the yellow flags on the track. It’s not the ideal situation, but tomorrow we’ll fight again.”