MotoGP, Thailand Practice LIVE: Marc Marquez dominates the GP24 and Zarco in Q2 by 1 thousandth!

Marco Bezzecchi shone in the first free practice session for the 2024 MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix, setting the fastest time with a 1'30.492. The VR46 Racing Team rider narrowly edged out championship leader Jorge Martin by just 38 thousandths of a second. Martin, in contention for the crown, edged out his rival and reigning champion Pecco Bagnaia, who finished with a time of 1'30.692, two tenths behind Bezzecchi. Bagnaia will have to catch Martin in the standings, with a 20-point deficit and just three Grands Prix remaining in the season.

Ducati dominated this session by placing its drivers in the first six places of the classification. Behind bagnaia is indeed found Marc Marquez, the Phillip Island winner, who looks in good form on his Gresini Racing Team Ducati. His brother, Alex Marquez, as well as'Enea Bastianini on the Ducati Factory, complete this all-red top 6 of Ducati.

Peter Acosta, despite a recent injury, climbed to seventh place on his KTM RC16 of Team GASGAS Tech3, breaking the series Ducati with a gap of 0,414 seconds compared to the best time. Jack Miller (KTM Factory), Takaaki Nakagami (Honda LCR), and fabio quartararo (Yamaha) completed the top 10.

Brad Binder came in just outside the top 10, at 11th place, followed by Franco Morbidelli on the Ducati Pramac, Fabio DiGiannantonio (VR46 Ducati), and Luca marini (Honda Repsol). Maverick Vinales, best driver Aprilia, finished 15th with a gap of 0,707 seconds.

Aleix Espargaró suffered a fall, but the manufacturer Aprilia reassured that he only suffered a slight trauma without serious injuries. Lorenzo Savadori, substitute Miguel Oliveira, finished in 22nd position.

What will this Practice have in store for us, which is none other than a prequalification since it is decisive for a direct entry into Q2 on Saturday? Before knowing it, here is the table which summarizes the facts known so far.

MotoGP™ Thailand, Buriram	2023	2024
FP1	1'30.520 Jorge Martin (See here)	1'30.492 Marco Bezzecchi (See here)
Practice	1'29.826 Jorge Martin (See here)	1'29.165 Marc Marquez
FP2	1'30.550 Maverick Vinales (See here)	(See here)
Q1	1'29.743 Alex Marquez (See here)	(See here)
Q2	1'29.287 Jorge Martin (See here)	(See here)
Sprint	Martin, Binder, Marini (See here)	(See here)
Warm Up	Fabio Quartararo (See here)	(See here)
Course	Martin, Bagnaia, Binder (See here)	(See here)
All time lap record	1'29.287 Jorge Martin 2023 (See here)	1'29.165 Marc Marquez

Thailand welcomes us this weekend as the season is in full swing and the big finish draws closer!

It's 35° in the air and 52° on the track!

A session to get your bearings and position yourself for Q2 which will take place tomorrow morning. We are on board for 60 minutes, let's go!

Martin takes the lead in 1.31.045s ahead of Bagnaia and Marini.

MMarquez takes charge in 1.30.537s. He is ahead of Acosta, Morbidelli, Zarco and Bagnaia. 

Acosta regains the lead in 1.30.230s but MMarquez responds and takes the best time in 1.30.105s: Martin, Bagnaia, Quartararo, Bastianini, Miller, Binder, Zarco and Morbidelli complete the top 10

Savadori Falls

Bastianini also makes a mistake...in turn 3

42mi left in this session, the drivers make a first pit stop...only Marini is on track

For the moment, the top10 consists of: MMarquez in 1.30.105s ahead of Bagnaia (1.30.195s), Acosta, Martin, Quartararo, Bastianini, Miller, Binder, Zarco and Bezzecchi

At least the brakes work!!!

Quartararo at work….

With 34 minutes to go, the drivers are back on track! Objective….Q2 and the 10th positions in the standings….

Quartararo makes his effort, he takes the 2nd time in 1.30.193s.

MMarquez is currently untouchable in 1.30.105s. Bagnaia, Acosta, Martin, Morbidelli, Bastianini, RFernandez, Miller and Di Giannantonio complete the top10: there are 26min left in this session

Acosta pushes the Nice player back into 3rd position, he achieves a time of 1.30.168s.

With 19 minutes to go, the top 10 is expanding with our French...MMarquez holds the line ahead of Acosta, Quartararo, Bagnaia, Zarco, Martin, Nakagami, Morbidelli, Bastianini and RFernandez

Binder, takes the best time in 1.30.023s!!! What a lap!!! The next lap, he puts it back on..he signs a time of 1.29.949s!!!

But Acosta...answers him...he takes back the lead in 1.29.840s.

Quartararo hasn't said his last word...he takes the lead in 1.29.822s!!!!

But there are 10 minutes left and the leaders will talk about themselves...Martin takes the lead in 1.29.543s ahead of Bagnaia in 1.29.646s.

Vinales makes his mark and takes the best time in 1.29.506s….he is taken back by Martin who does not give up in 1.29.275s.

3 minutes from the finish, the top10 is made up of: Martin, Bagnaia, Vinales, Bastianini, Zarco, Binder, MMarquez, Bezzecchi, Quartararo, Morbidelli 

MMarquez sets the best time and beats the record in 1.29.165s!!!

End of session…the top10 is as follows: MMarquez, Martin, Bastianini, Bagnaia, Vinales, Morbidelli, Acosta, AMarquez, Bezzecchi and Zarco. Quartararo 12th

 

 

MotoGP, Thailand Practice: chronos