Marco Bezzecchi secured the first MotoGP victory of 2026 in Thailand after leading from pole and pulling clear across the race distance. The Aprilia rider finished over five seconds ahead of KTM’s Pedro Acosta, with Raul Fernandez third. Marc Marquez’s race was compromised late by a tyre puncture, ending his challenge near the finish.
Pedro Acosta secured his first MotoGP sprint victory in Buriram after Marc Marquez received a final-lap penalty. The two fought all race before a last-corner move forced Marquez to hand back the lead. He finished second ahead of Raul Fernandez, while Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi openly criticised race direction’s decision.
Alex Marquez says Ducati should not overreact if Marco Bezzecchi controls the Thai Grand Prix weekend. Aprilia looked strongest after a record lap in practice, with Bezzecchi leading comfortably. Marquez noted the season is long and different tracks will suit different bikes, adding Buriram alone won’t decide the 2026 pecking order. Marc Marquez also named Bezzecchi the early favourite.
Pedro Acosta supported Marc Marquez following their Buriram sprint clash, saying the overtake was part of racing. Marquez was penalised after forcing Acosta wide at the final corner, handing the KTM rider victory. Acosta felt the move was acceptable and said close fights like this are what fans want, while he remained pleased with his first MotoGP win.
Marco Bezzecchi said a small mistake caused his crash while leading the Thailand Sprint at Buriram. The Aprilia rider had taken the lead during an early fight with Marc Marquez but lost the front after touching the inside white line at Turn 8. He apologised to his team and said he will push again in Sunday’s main race.
Marc Marquez finished second in the Thailand MotoGP sprint after a late one-place penalty during his fight with Pedro Acosta. The pair battled for the lead after Marco Bezzecchi crashed early. Stewards ruled Marquez’s final-corner move unfair, handing victory to Acosta. Marquez said he disagreed but accepted the decision. He still starts Sunday’s race from the front row.
Pedro Acosta claimed his maiden MotoGP sprint victory in Thailand after Marc Marquez was ordered to hand back the lead following late contact at Turn 12. The pair had battled throughout the race after Marco Bezzecchi’s early crash. Acosta said he was pleased but felt the win was incomplete, hoping to fight for a full race victory on Sunday.
Marco Bezzecchi secured pole position for the 2026 MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram despite a final-lap fall. His earlier 1m28.652s lap kept him ahead of Marc Marquez by 0.035s, while Raul Fernandez completed an Aprilia-heavy front row. Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio followed as Ducati narrowly missed the top spot in qualifying.
Jorge Martin showed solid pace on Friday at the Thai Grand Prix weekend, placing fifth in pre-qualifying to move directly into Q2. The Aprilia rider said he felt competitive from the opening laps but struggled slightly later due to wind and light rain during his time attack. He added his target was simply to improve after promising test speed.
Marc Marquez finished near the top in Friday running at Buriram, yet attention shifted to his physical condition. Observers noticed limited shoulder movement after last year’s injury, and he chose a less demanding aero package. Ducati stayed calm, but rivals saw a possible weakness. Despite competitive pace, the champion admitted he is adapting his riding style to his body.