Overview
- Álex Márquez set a 1:37.974 to top Friday’s timed running at Portimão, edging Francesco Bagnaia by 0.030 and Pedro Acosta by 0.088 to advance directly to Q2.
- Miguel Oliveira finished 22nd and last, 1.907s off the pace, and will contest Q1 after reporting traction loss and planning electronics and setup changes for Saturday.
- Brief showers cooled the Algarve track as all Yamaha riders missed direct Q2 entry — Fabio Quartararo 14th, Jack Miller 16th and Alex Rins 18th — with Niccolò Bulega 17th deputizing during Marc Márquez’s injury absence and Jorge Martín also sidelined.
- In São Paulo, Lando Norris claimed Sprint pole in 1:09.243 ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri, with Max Verstappen set to start sixth for Saturday’s 24‑lap race.
- The drivers’ title remains tight — Norris on 357 points to Piastri’s 356 with Verstappen at 321 — as Sauber hailed rookie Gabriel Bortoleto’s composed home debut in 14th.