Marco Bezzecchi tops practice with a new lap record, edging out Marc Marquez as the MotoGP season begins in Thailand.
MARCO Bezzecchi set a blistering new track record to lead defending champion Marc Marquez in Friday practice for the season-opening Thailand MotoGP.
The Aprilia rider lapped the Buriram circuit in 1 minute 28.526 seconds, finishing 0.421 seconds clear of the Ducati rider.
Bezzecchi’s time, set late in the session, improved his own record from pre-season testing.
He also topped the morning’s free practice session.
VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio was third fastest in the afternoon, followed by KTM’s Pedro Acosta and Aprilia’s Jorge Martin.
Gresini’s Alex Marquez completed the top six.
Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 champion, finished a lowly 15th.
This result forces him into Saturday’s first qualifying session.
His teammate Marc Marquez also struggled early before surging up the timesheets in the final 20 minutes.
The Spaniard begins the season still managing a shoulder injury that ended his 2025 campaign early.
“The injury had forced him to change his riding style until he returns to full fitness,” he said on Thursday.
Turkey’s Toprak Razgatlioglu, making his MotoGP debut, finished 21st out of 22 riders.
Jorge Martin, whose 2025 title defence was wrecked by injuries, crashed early in morning practice.
Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura also fell during the afternoon session.
The top ten riders from practice advance directly to Saturday’s second qualifying session.
They will be joined by the two fastest riders from the first qualifying session.
Qualifying sets the grid for both Saturday’s sprint race and Sunday’s main Grand Prix.