Miguel Oliveira wins Portuguese GP - MotorSportsTalk

Rocketing from the pole and leading every circuit of the 25-lap race, Miguel Oliveira dominated the MotoGP field in the Portuguese GP to become only the third rider in 2020 with multiple victories. Oliveira’s first win in the Styrian GP required a dramatic last lap pass on the first and second-place riders in the final turn of the race. There was no question of Sunday’s victory. Oliveira won by more than three seconds over Jack Miller and Franco Morbidelli.

In 13 previous races this season, nine different riders have won, which tied the record for the most in a season.

“It’s unreal,” Oliveira said from the top of the podium. “You dream about these kinds of races and to finally be able to do it, it’s incredible. I have no words to describe my gratitude to all the people; to the crowd watching at home that could not be here today.

“It’s a great day I could give this victory for Tech3 and KTM is a huge accomplishment for me. It’s extra special because my family did not get to see live my first win. And now they get to see it live. … Just glad to finish this season with a high and a strong performance like today.”

This was the final race for Oliveira with Tech3. He will join the factory KTM team in 2021.

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WHAT A VICTORY! 👏👏👏#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/V88B3jEG06

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 22, 2020

Miller’s second-place finish locked up the constructors’ championship for Ducati. It is their first since 2007.

With his third-place finish in the Portuguese GP, Morbidelli secured second in the championship. Miller and Morbidelli were locked in a tight battle for the runner-up position for the entire race with Miller grabbing second on the final lap.

Joan Mir was denied the opportunity to close his 2020 championship run in style. On the opening lap, Mir banged shoulders with Francesco Bagnaia. One lap later, he made contact with Johann Zarco’s Ducati and sustained enough damage to eventually drop him from the race. Mir retired on Lap 16 of the 25-lap event.

Pol Espargaro finished fourth with Takaaki Nakagami rounding out the top five.

In his last race as a full-time rider, Valentino Rossi finished 12th.

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IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship contender Tom Blomqvist put the Meyer Shank Racing Acura at the front of the starting lineup for the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Road Atlanta.

Blomqvist turned a 1-minute, 8.55-second lap on the 2.54-mile circuit Friday to capture his third pole position for MSR this season. Earl Bamber qualified second in the No. 02 Cadillac for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Ricky Taylor was third in the No. 10 Acura of Wayne Taylor Racing, which enters Saturday’s season finale with a 19-point lead over the No. 60 of Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis (who will be joined by Helio Castroneves) for the 10-hour race.

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With the pole, MSR sliced the deficit to 14 points behind WTR, which will field the trio of Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque and Brendon Hartley in Saturday’s race.

“We really needed to put the car in this kind of position,” Blomqvist said. “It makes our life a little less stressful tomorrow. It would have given the No. 10 a bit more breathing space. It’s going to be a proper dogfight tomorrow. The guys gave me such a great car. It’s been fantastic this week so far, and it really came alive. I’m hugely thankful to the boys and girls at MSR for giving me the wagon today to execute my job.

“That was a big effort from me. I knew how important it was. It’s just awesome for the guys to give them some sort of reward as well. It’s always nice to be quick. If you do the pole, you know you’ve got a quick car.”

Though WTR has a series-leading four victories with the No. 10, MSR won the Rolex 24 at Daytona and has five runner-up finishes along with its three poles.

The strong performances of the ARX-05s ensure that an Acura will win the final championship in IMSA’s premier Daytona Prototype international (DPi) division, which is being rebranded as Grand Touring Prototype in the move to LMDh cars next season.

Taylor qualified third despite sliding into the Turn 5 gravel during the closing minutes of qualifying while pushing to gain points.

“Qualifying was important for points,” Taylor said. “Going into it, if we outqualified the No. 60 Meyer Shank Acura, they had a lot to lose in terms of championship points. So, we were trying to increase the gap over 20 points which would’ve made a big difference for tomorrow. We would have loved to get the pole and qualify ahead of the No. 60, but in the scheme of the points, it didn’t change a whole lot. I’m feeling good since it’s such a long race, and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura team does such a good job strategizing and putting us in a good position.

“I’m very confident in our lineup and our team compared to them over the course of 10 hours. I’d put my two teammates up against those guys any day. I think we are all feeling optimistic and strong for tomorrow.”

In other divisions, PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports (LMP2), Riley Motorsports (LMP3), VasserSullivan (GTD Pro) and Paul Miller Racing (GTD) captured pole positions.

The broadcast of the 10-hour race will begin Saturday at 12:10 p.m. ET on NBC, moving at 3 p.m. to USA Network.

QUALIFYING

Results

Results by class

Fastest lap by driver

Fastest lap by driver after qualifying

Fastest lap by driver and class after qualifying

Fastest lap sequence in qualifying

Best sector times in qualifying

Time cards in qualifying

PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II l Session III