Jaume Masia and Dani Holgado travel to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, where the Portuguese GP will be held this weekend.

The Moto3 World Championship continues this weekend with a return to Europe for the fifth round of the campaign: the Portuguese Grand Prix. The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve will host the first event of a double header in the Iberian Peninsula, which Red Bull KTM Ajo face with great enthusiasm and motivation. Jaume Masia and Dani Holgado go back to the track where they both completed a positive three-day test two months ago in pre-season.

Masia arrives in Portugal in top form after the victory he achieved in Austin. The Spaniard also proved to be one of the fastest riders in practice along the way. This weekend, he will be looking to get another good result at a circuit that he knows well and will use all the information acquired from the three-day test he undertook there with the team back in February. Masia is sixth in the overall standings, with 34 points.

Holgado continued to demonstrate a speedy adaptation to the team and to the class at the Americas GP and, despite the fact that he was unable to finish the race due to a crash, managed to fight for the podium. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rookie was also a pacesetter in every practice session, at a track that he had not previously visited. This weekend Holgado returns to Portimao, where he placed second last year during his time in the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship. The Spaniard occupies 14th in the Moto3 World Championship, with 16 points.

The Moto3 Portuguese Grand Prix will take place on Sunday at 11:20 AM local time and is scheduled for 21 laps. Red Bull KTM Ajo Moto3 hold three wins at the Portuguese track, thanks to the two victories achieved for Acosta last year and Raul Fernandez’ success in 2020.

Circuit information – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve

Length: 4.600 metres / 2,85 miles
Width: 18 metres / 59,06 ft
Left corners: 6
Right corners: 9
Longest straight: 969 metres / 3179,13 ft.
Constructed: 2008

#5 JAUME MASIA

“Now that the season returns to Europe, we will see what our state of play really is. Last year, we were competitive in these races, so we will try to stay on that path. I am looking forward to this part of the campaign, starting with the Portuguese Grand Prix this weekend. After the victory in Austin, we will work hard to achieve further good results.”

#96 DANI HOLGADO

“We are returning to Europe, I know many of the circuits that we will visit in the coming months, and that is a point in our favour of which we must take advantage. I am going to Portimao very motivated since I wasn’t able to finish the weekend in Austin as I wanted. Having done a test there, we have our setup dialled in and it will be a great help to us. In addition, during the first practice sessions the adaptation will be a little easier and we will be able to work better with the team. In each contest, we are improving, and I’m pleased about that. Things were complicated by my injury to start with, but little by little we have been taking steps forward. As always, our objective will be to learn and keep progressing, and if we can fight for the top positions then we will do it.”