MotoGP riders and Team Managers reflect on Thai season opener

5 days ago 9

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Round One – Thailand

Marco Bezzecchi – P1

“After the mistake in the sprint, it was important to stay calm and bounce back. The victory in Buriram is a very pleasing result. We worked well in testing, so it was crucial to confirm our form over the race weekend as well – something we were unable to do last year, despite a good test here. In the race, I tried to give it my all without making mistakes, so I’m very pleased with this victory.”

Pedro Acosta – P2

“We’re not only leading the world championship for a day! The team is working super-good. We struggled so much here last year and this time we made back-to-back podiums. We have to be happy. Thanks to all at KTM; all the people back there must have been pushing for us in the early morning. Thanks to everyone at home who has been supporting me. We made good.”

Raul Fernandez – P3

“Thanks to the team, thanks to Aprilia, thanks to my family, I feel very lucky because I can work with them and they always believe in me. Now, I remember how difficult the start of the season was last year for me and how we managed to change the situation all together. I’m very happy – the race was good, we managed to do well and I feel comfortable with the bike. I still don’t have everything under control, but we are on the way to understand everything. Until the last six laps I tried, but I had to be careful with the rear tire as it was almost done. Anyway, it was a great result and if we have the possibility to fight for the podium, we have to try and we managed to do it here. This weekend was special for us, everything was good, so hopefully we can repeat this.”

Jorge Martin – P4

“A few months ago, I couldn’t even feed myself, and today I finished the race in fourth position. I’m very happy and very grateful to the people who supported and helped me. It has been a winter of great mental preparation to feel ready and to believe in what I’m doing. Today I didn’t have high expectations, but from the very start I felt comfortable and was able to battle with Marc and Pedro.”

Ai Ogura – P5

“I’m disappointed with the performance myself today. If I could have had a better first part of the race, then we could have had a better race overall. But it’s like this and there’s also a few positives to take. In the first part, I didn’t really feel OK with the front tire – the way I approached the corners was not really good. It feels like I destroyed the race with that, but it’s also good to have this kind of experience. I was having such a good second half race pace, that it leaves an even more bitter feeling.”

Fabio Di Giannantonio – P6

“The race plan was to start strong and immediately stay in the front group. Unfortunately, we struggled because the others had an incredibly fast start. So we had to manage the tyres. Then, we had a technical issue from lap six and I couldn’t push the way I wanted. On top of that, there was very little grip on track today and the temperatures were really high. But if we finished sixth despite a problem, we can be optimistic, because today we could have had a really great race. I think we could have fought at least for third place because we were there in terms of pace. Overall, the bike is working very well: it’s only the first race, there are many positives, and I’ve never prepared for a season this well. We’ve worked with calm and confidence. We’re very fast and we had a solid weekend. It’s a pity we couldn’t complete the job with two strong races, but we head to Brazil with a smile and the confidence that we can be competitive.”

Brad Binder – P7

“Happy on one hand but on the other I’d like more than a 7th. We’re going step-by-step and moving forwards because it was good to be in Q2 directly on Friday and both races were pretty good. We’ve made a step with consistency. Today was a lot more challenging than the Sprint. The bike clearly has the potential, so we’ll keep working and try to catch up to Pedro.”

Franco Morbidelli – P8

“Today it felt like there were two races for us: at the start I struggled a lot, and I was nineteenth until lap five. Then I found my rhythm and started gaining many positions. I’d say the first part of the race wasn’t good, but after that it became very strong and solid. I had a bit of a grip issue. In this race the tyres were consuming quickly and the feeling wasn’t at its best, but I managed it well. Overall, it was a weekend of ups and downs. There are some aspects of the new package we still need to work on in depth. But there’s definitely a very good potential.”

Pecco Bagnaia – P9

“It was a tough race. I tried to manage the situation from the beginning, without pushing, in order to get to the end of the race with the best possible grip conditions. In the final laps, when I got closer to the group ahead of me, I started to feel the drop in grip. This weekend, unlike in testing, I had a hard time getting the bike stopped and making it turn the way I would have liked. We need to roll up our sleeves to get back to the front, but I think this race was a bit of a one-off.”

Luca Marini – P10

“I think the race was tough for everyone, not so much from the temperature and the physical side because this is what we train for, but you really had to manage everything with the bike to arrive to the end. After four laps we weren’t able to brake as we’d like, which made the race very long as that is our strongest point normally. I made a really good start but then lost three positions on the straight quite soon after. Everyone from about fifth to 14th has a very similar pace, so if you miss something in Qualifying or early in the race you spend a lot of time catching up. But a good way to start the year, we learned a lot and know what we have to do next.”

Johann Zarco – P11

“I’m happy to finish the race and take some points, it’s a good way to start the championship. We still have many races to go, but starting the season with this level of control is positive. I tried to manage the situation from the beginning and did my best considering the huge tyre drop. I managed to bring it to a close because if I had pushed harder, I probably wouldn’t have finished. I believe in the work we’re doing, the bike is performing well, we have a good base, and we just need to adjust a few small things”.

Enea Bastianini – P12

“It was a difficult race, but we made a small step forward compared to the previous race. The feeling was similar to last year, even if the result was not as strong. In the final laps I was able to manage things quite well and gain some positions, which was encouraging. We’re still working on improving stability and overall feeling, but I’m confident we can make another step soon.”

Diogo Moreira – P13

“It was a good race, I’m super happy. I fought with Enea, and it was fun. The tyre dropped off quite a lot, so I struggled a bit, but overall it was really good. At some point I was alone pushing, because after 12 laps, the tyre degradation was significant, but it was still a positive race for me. We’ve started the season with high motivation, and this is a learning process. I can’t wait to do more races, I’ve had so much fun this weekend!”

Fabio Quartararo – P14

“It was a tough race, but a bit of what we expected. Hopefully in Brazil we will feel better with the bike.”

Alex Rins – P15

“It was a really tough race, and it was very difficult to manage the tyres. I gave my 100% on every lap. We leave Thailand after preseason testing and the race weekend with some good conclusions. Let’s keep going, and let’s keep growing this project, and I’m looking forward to Brazil.”

Maverick Viñales – P16

“It was a challenging race for us. We’re missing some front grip, especially through the corners, which makes it difficult to be consistent and carry the speed we need. On the straight we’re competitive, but we’re not able to maximise the potential when it matters most. We tried different things across the weekend and now it’s about analysing the data to understand where we can improve and how to generate more feeling from the front. The potential is there, so we need to stay focused, respond well and come back stronger at the next round.”

Toprak Razgatlioglu – P17

“It was my first full race in MotoGP and, of course, I was hoping for a better result. But it was a long and very demanding race — 26 laps in that kind of heat is physically tough. We had some clear issues with rear grip, especially as the race went on, but I‘m not looking to put the blame anywhere else. I know I still have a lot to learn, and at the same time we know Yamaha is working hard to improve the package. Grip was quite limited throughout the race, and it seemed to be a common situation for all Yamaha riders, as we were running close together. Now we focus on the next race. I know I will give my best, and I know the whole team will do the same.”

Jack Miller – P18

“Obviously it wasn‘t the race we were hoping for. Overall, the bike itself didn‘t feel bad over the distance and physically I felt fine, but from the very beginning I understood we had an issue with the rear tyre. I tried to manage it as best as I could — short-shifting, being smooth, waiting to pick the bike up on the exits — but as the laps went on it became more and more difficult. In the end the tyre was completely worn in the centre and on the straights I couldn‘t use more than about a quarter throttle. It was a tough situation to manage. Still, it was our first full race with the V4. It didn‘t go the way we wanted, but the important thing is that all four bikes finished and we gathered a lot of information. It‘s a base to build from, and there‘s plenty of room to improve as we head to Brazil.”

Michele Pirro – P19

“I’m a bit disappointed, I thought I could do better by putting together all the pieces of the puzzle from these past few days. Instead, from the start of the race, I immediately felt uncomfortable with the tyres, a feeling I hadn’t had all weekend. I tried to manage the tyre, but it was quite strange. I’m sorry because I wanted a bit more consistency. I gave it my all, and I want to thank Nadia and the whole group for the trust they’ve shown me over these days.”

Marc Márquez – DNF

“It’s true that other riders, even in testing, had jumped the kerb in that spot and nothing happened. I ran wide at turn four, but when I ran over the kerb I felt a strong impact and that the tyre had deflated due to the rim breaking. It was an unfortunate incident, as I was managing the situation. I knew it would have been a long race and my approach was therefore a conservative one, but in the end I saw that I was getting closer to the podium, so I tried to attack. Unfortunately, these things can happen, but we know we’re already at a good level.”

Alex Marquez – DNF

“Starting from the third row didn’t help us, but it was still a race of management until the crash. The others have definitely improved, but we need to keep working and stay calm. My race was about staying behind Mir at a distance so as not to overheat the front tyre, with no real chance to overtake. The crash came when I tried to push a bit more; I didn’t have any feeling with the front end and I lost it with a small mistake.”

Joan Mir – DNF

“A real shame what happened today. I really enjoyed the race, I was riding really well and making some great overtakes. Then something happened which was not in our control and our race finished. We have to check properly what happened. We have to focus on the positives that we have done this race weekend and bring it to Brazil. Normally at new tracks we can be strong, I think I am a quick learner, so we will try and take advantage of that. Focusing on the positives, we showed our speed and the progress Honda have made.”

Team Managers

Massimo Rivola – Aprilia Racing

“It’s great to see Marco pick up from where he finished last year. The dominance of this weekend may seem unusual, but if there is one thing I firmly believe in, it is the work of the Factory in Noale, and I have no doubt that the talent and determination of our riders will continue to come through strongly. However, it’s only the first race, and our competitors won’t sit back and watch. Marc remains the favourite, but Aprilia is right there.”

Aki Ajo – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager

“A win and a podium this weekend means we have to be very happy with the work of factory, the whole staff and the riders, especially Pedro and Brad both had a really solid and strong weekend. We made an obvious improvement from 2025. This race can be difficult for a few factors and I think we approached the event in the right way and showed some good early potential. Of course, there is still work to do and we can see the results for all four riders were quite different but this is the first GP of a long championship. Huge congratulations to Pedro who showed again his high level of speed and professionalism!”

Davide Brivio – Trackhouse Aprilia Team Principal

“What a weekend here in Thailand. We are so happy, we had a solid weekend between both Sprint and race. We had a podium in the Sprint with Raul and a podium in the race with Raul again. Ai finished P4 in the Sprint and P5 in the race. Overall, as a team, it has been a great result and I have to say thank you very much to all the guys in the garage and also thank you very much to all Trackhouse in America supporting us, Justin and all the guys over there. We are so happy to start the season with these results. Gulf colors also bring good luck for us, so we hope to continue. I have to say that Raul had two great races, yesterday and today in the GP, managing very well. Unfortunately, by the end of the race the tire had a lot of wear and he couldn’t defend the second position, but it was enough to secure the podium. Ai had a very, very strong finish. He managed for half of the race and then he started to overtake, recovering from 11th position up to 5th with great lap times at the end of the race. I think Ai only missed a bit on the Qualifying position, starting from eighth, otherwise he could have been even better. But, overall, a great team result. We leave Thailand third and fifth in the rider’s championship, third in the team championship, so let’s keep going. Thanks very much to everybody for a great effort. We enjoy weekends like this and we look forward to repeating it!”

Pablo Nieto – VR46 Team Manager

“I think it’s important to always be among the protagonists. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to be there in the Sprint on Saturday, but that’s racing. Today’s race was really tough – the temperatures and the heat put us to the test. We finished sixth with Fabio and eighth with Franco, which means we had a good weekend. Franco made an incredible comeback: at one point he was nineteenth, but he finished eighth. That shows the speed is there. We need to try to improve the opening laps. Now we go back home to recharge and work ahead of the next race in Brazil.”

Nicolas Goyon – Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager

“Clearly, this opening round in Thailand is a disappointment for Red Bull KTM Tech3. It’s not the result we were aiming for, and we have to take that honestly. Now it’s important that we sit down together, analyse what didn’t work as expected this weekend, and understand where we need to improve. We can see the potential of the package, which makes it even more important for us to find answers quickly. We have two weeks before Brazil, and our focus is to use that time constructively, come back stronger, and ensure we’re fighting where we belong.”

Massimo Meregalli – Monster Energy Yamaha Team Director

“As expected, today’s Race was hugely challenging for us. The heat and humidity made the 26 laps a real test of endurance and an important benchmark for this brand new project. It’s still early on in the timeline, but we are getting to know the bike better lap by lap, learning about every aspect. On top of this, this type of circuit and the construction of the tyres usually assigned to us in very hot conditions made everything more difficult. There’s not much more to say right now except that we will study all the data we were able to gather this weekend to see if we can prepare a bit better for the next GP.”

Gino Borsoi – Prima Pramac Yamaha Team Director

“We knew Sunday was going to be difficult. During the tests we already struggled, and that was confirmed again in the race. On the positive side, the Sprint showed that we are capable of maintaining a fairly competitive rhythm, so that‘s something we can build on. Today the main issue was the high temperature, which affected everyone, but it seemed to impact us a little more. We have to accept that this is our starting point. We‘re confident that we can improve from here as we move into the next races.”

Piero Taramasso – Michelin

“Buriram is always a major test for tyres due to the extreme temperatures and heavy acceleration loads. With track temperatures up to 58°C, thermal management was the key challenge of the weekend. The reinforced rear construction we selected fully met expectations, delivering stability, consistency and temperature control over the entire race distance. The performances achieved from Friday onwards, together with the different strategies between the Tissot Sprint and the Grand Prix, show that our solutions provide grip, consistency and genuine freedom of choice for the teams. Starting the season with records, a very fast race and consistent tyres in such conditions is a very positive signal for the rest of the championship.”

The 2026 FIM MotoGP World Championship now heads to the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia – Ayrton Senna in Brazil, where the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Grand Prix of Brazil will take place from 20 to 22 March.

Thai MotoGP Race Results


Pos	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	M. Bezzecchi	Apr	39m36.270
2	P. Acosta	KTM	+5.543
3	R. Fernandez	Apr	+9.259
4	J. Martin	Apr	+12.182
5	A. Ogura	Apr	+12.411
6	F. Di Giannantonio	Duc	+16.845
7	B. Binder	KTM	+17.363
8	F. Morbidelli	Duc	+18.227
9	F. Bagnaia	Duc	+18.340
10	L. Marini	Hon	+19.101
11	J. Zarco	Hon	+19.903
12	E. Bastianini	KTM	+23.386
13	D. Moreira	Hon	+24.686
14	F. Quartararo	Yam	+30.823
15	A. Rins	Yam	+32.955
16	M. Viñales	KTM	+36.545
17	T. Razgatlioglu	Yam	+39.194
18	J. Miller	Yam	+47.848
19	M. Pirro	Duc	+1m03.598
Not Classified
NC	J. Mir	Hon	3 laps
NC	A. Marquez	Duc	5 laps
NC	M. Marquez	Duc	6 laps

Thai MotoGP Race Top Speeds


Pos	Rider	Bike	Average	Top
1	M. Marquez	Duc	339.6	339.6
2	J. Martin	Apr	336.9	338.5
3	F. Bagnaia	Duc	335.7	337.5
4	L. Marini	Hon	336.0	336.4
5	B. Binder	KTM	334.9	336.4
6	J. Mir	Hon	335.8	336.4
7	P. Acosta	KTM	334.7	336.4
8	M. Bezzecchi	Apr	336.0	336.4
9	A. Ogura	Apr	334.9	336.4
10	E. Bastianini	KTM	335.0	335.4
11	R. Fernandez	Apr	334.1	335.4
12	J. Zarco	Hon	333.7	334.3
13	M. Viñales	KTM	333.4	334.3
14	F. Di Giannantonio	Duc	333.9	334.3
15	A. Marquez	Duc	334.3	334.3
16	T. Razgatlioglu	Yam	329.8	333.3
17	D. Moreira	Hon	332.4	333.3
18	F. Morbidelli	Duc	332.7	333.3
19	F. Quartararo	Yam	330.2	331.2
20	J. Miller	Yam	328.7	331.2
21	A. Rins	Yam	327.9	330.2
22	M. Pirro	Duc	325.3	326.2

2026 MotoGP Championship Standings


Pos	Rider	Points
1	P. Acosta	32
2	M. Bezzecchi	25
3	R. Fernandez	23
4	J. Martin	18
5	A. Ogura	17
6	B. Binder	13
7	F. Di Giannantonio	12
8	M. Márquez (Marc)	9
9	F. Morbidelli	8
10	F. Bagnaia	8
11	L. Marini	6
12	J. Zarco	5
13	E. Bastianini	4
14	D. Moreira	3
15	J. Mir	3
16	F. Quartararo	2
17	A. Rins	1
18	M. Viñales	0
19	T. Razgatlioglu	0
20	J. Miller	0
21	M. Pirro	0
22	A. Márquez (Alex)	0

2026 MotoGP Calendar

GP	Date	Location
1	Mar-01	Thai GP, Chang
2	Mar-22	Brazil GP, Ayrton Senna
3	Mar-29	Americas GP, COTA
4	Apr-12	Qatar GP, Lusail
5	Apr-26	Spanish GP, Jerez
6	May-10	French GP, Le Mans
7	May-17	Catalonia GP, Catalunya
8	May-31	Italian GP, Mugello
9	Jun-07	Hungary GP, Balaton
10	Jun-21	Czech GP, Brno
11	Jun-28	Dutch GP, Assen
12	Jul-12	German GP, Sachsenring
13	Aug-09	British GP, Silverstone
14	Aug-30	Spanish GP, Aragon
15	Sep-13	San Marino GP, Misano
16	Sep-20	Austrian GP, Red Bull Ring
17	Oct-04	Japanese GP, Motegi
18	Oct-11	Indonesian GP, Mandalika
19	Oct-25	Australian GP, Phillip Island
20	Nov-01	Malaysian GP, Sepang
21	Nov-15	Portuguese GP, Portimao
22	Nov-22	Valencian GP, Ricardo Tormo

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