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.
Francesco Bagnaia accepted responsibility after failing to secure a direct Q2 spot during Friday practice at Buriram. The Ducati rider said setup changes went the wrong way and he rushed a lap as rain threatened the session. He now faces Q1 to recover his weekend, repeating last year’s situation at the Thai Grand Prix.
Fabio Quartararo admitted he expected more from Yamaha’s new V4 bike after pre-season testing. The 2021 champion said the machine remains far behind rivals, with long-run pace still lacking. Changing weather in Buriram also disrupted his programme after early tyre use. Despite the difficulties, Quartararo said he continues pushing to help development ahead of the season.
Francesco Bagnaia struggled for pace throughout Friday at Buriram. The Ducati rider ended the session 15th and missed automatic Q2 qualification. He will now have to progress through Q1 on Saturday. Compared with his teammate’s strong result, Bagnaia’s opening day was one of the biggest surprises in the field.
Marc Marquez spent much of the session outside the top ten but improved late to finish second. The Ducati rider steadily built speed as the track evolved and secured direct entry into Q2. It marked a solid start to his title defence weekend despite an earlier difficult run during the session.