One of the biggest surprises in racing gaming this year is the incredible MotoGP 22. The official game of the 2022 MotoGP season has been a breath of fresh air for the series, and you can read our full review right here!
Round five of the 2022 season brings us to Europe for the first time. The Portuguese GP at Portimao kick-starts the European leg of the campaign. Portugal has been a popular re-addition to the calendar since returning in 2020.
Portimao is far from an easy track to master, but don't worry, we're here to help. This is our guide to set you up for success in MotoGP 22!
Tyres
The road surface at Portugal is grippy, but that also means tyres wear is pretty high. However, a medium tyre on both the front and rear axles will last the whole race distance.
Suspension
Front pre-load needs to be low at 2 to allow for more consistent steering around the long corners at Portugal. Oil quality is best at 3, with the front spring hardness up at 4.
The front swingarm compression is better down at 2, with the extension at 3.
On the rear, the rear pre-load has to be around 5 with the Swingarm connector up at 4. Spring hardness should be around 3, with shock absorber compression and extension also at 3 to help the bike's overall grip.
Vehicle geometry
For your Vehicle Geometry, steering head inclination is required to be up at 5 to make the bike's steering more cosnsistent and stable.
The trail has to be up to 4, with the steering plate position down at 3. Lastly, the rear swingarm length needs to be set slightly higher at 4.
Transmission
All of the gear should be set slightly low at 3 for Portugal. This includes the top gear, despite the long pit straight. The slipper clutch should be down at 2 to help the stability of the ride.
Brake System
In Portimao, there aren't many big braking zones. However, there are numerous smaller zones, back-to-back, can lead to overheating. So, a 340mm high mass brake on the front and a 220mm on the rear are best in Portugal.
ECU
The electronic aids that are available to you in MotoGP definitely come in handy here. You'll need to turn all of them up quite high to keep your bike on the road. Traction Control is at 3 to help prevent excess wheelspin.
Engine Braking also should be cranked up to 4, in order to help aid shaving speed through the first and final sectors. Anti-wheelie has to be at around 4 to prevent the front wheel from flying off the ground.
Power mapping is best at 3 for a flying lap, but you'll need to turn this around during some points in the race. This is to save fuel and the engine.
All of these can be adjusted out on track using the HUD in the bottom-right of the screen.