Marc Márquez Joins the Martín-Bagnaia Duel

Marc Márquez showed at the start of the Thailand Grand Prix that he is still in great form. The rider from Lleida shattered the circuit record in the final moments of practice to surpass Jorge Martín, who had been leading the session until then. Although he is not in the title fight, Márquez will play a crucial role in the last three races of the season, as demonstrated this Friday at the Buriram circuit.

In the final minutes of the afternoon practice, with all riders on soft tires and aiming for a fast lap to secure their place in Saturday's Q2, Márquez unleashed a phenomenal lap in the closing stages. After losing time in the first two sectors, he managed to recover everything in sectors 3 and 4, positioning himself at the top of the timesheet, achieving the fastest lap ever recorded at the Thai track.

"It's somewhat the concept of the bike we have this year, because all the 2023 Ducatis lose a bit on the long straights and then there are points to recover in the braking," explained the Cervera rider. With his bike from last year, Márquez beat the 2024 Ducatis that followed: Jorge Martín second, Enea Bastianini third, Pecco Bagnaia fourth, and Franco Morbidelli sixth.

Apart from Márquez's magic, the first day clearly showed the parity at the top of MotoGP, with Martín and Bagnaia riding within less than a tenth. The Madrid rider was second in both practice sessions of the day, and the Italian was always close behind, third and fourth in the two sessions, sending a warning, as he usually takes Fridays calmly and improves over the weekend. "Without making a great fast lap and without being entirely precise, I was fast," said Bagnaia afterward, reiterating that he feels like the favorite in Thailand, where he hopes to close the gap to the leader.

For now, the 20-point cushion that Martín has allows the Spaniard to manage the weekend much more, knowing that the first major goal will come on Saturday with Q2. "It's very important to qualify on the front row because on this circuit we suffer a lot with the temperature if you're behind someone. I feel very fast, but I also see Pecco and Marc ahead. We'll see, but the goal is to try to gain a few more points," also asserted the current championship leader.

The other MotoGP duel is for the third position in the championship between Márquez and Bastianini, with a 14-point lead for the Spaniard, although the Italian has not said his last word, as demonstrated by the third position achieved at the start of this Thailand GP.

Once again, highlight the level of Maverick Viñales, fifth among the Ducatis, confirming once again as the best of the rest. And exceptional Pedro Acosta, seventh, who had to undergo a medical check before hitting the track due to a left shoulder injury, which did not slow him down at all. The 'top 10' that gave direct access to Saturday's Q2 was completed by Álex Márquez, Marco Bezzecchi, and Johann Zarco, who once again places a Honda at the top of the standings, surpassing his compatriot Fabio Quartararo, 12th with the Yamaha.

Aleix Espargaró had a tough time on the opening day, suffering a hard crash in the morning's free practice. The Catalan was taken to Buriram hospital for several tests that revealed no serious injuries, but he missed much of the afternoon session, and his continuation in the grand prix is uncertain.

In the smaller categories, Spanish dominance in Moto2, with Arón Canet setting the fastest time, ahead of Arbolino and Ramírez; and with leader Ogura in sixth position. A combination of results that would not be enough for the Japanese rider to clinch the title on Sunday, while in Moto3, David Alonso continues his form, leading another Friday despite two harmless crashes.