MotoGP Thailand J1: what time are the free practice sessions this Friday?

Before this Thai Grand Prix, there was the Japanese Grand Prix, where Jack Miller took his fourth MotoGP victory and his first since the French Grand Prix last year. With three wins with Ducati, he became the seventh rider with three (or more) wins in MotoGP. This is Ducati's 11th victory since the start of the season, equaling its premier class single-season record set in 2007.

Brad Binder finished second at Motegi for his fourth MotoGP podium, and the second without taking the top step. He is the South African driver with the second most premier class podiums behind Paddy Driver (eight). The podium of Binder is the third for KTM since the start of the season, with second place in Binder at the Qatar GP and the victory of Miguel Oliveira in Indonesia.

George Martin finished third in Japan for his seventh MotoGP podium and his third of the season so far with Argentina and Catalonia where he was second. This is the seventh podium of Martin with Ducati. He is now tied with Andrea Iannone, Jorge Lorenzo et Enea Bastianini in eighth position on the list of drivers Ducati with the most podiums in the premier category, one less than his teammate Johann zarco.

With Miller et Martin, this is the 22nd race MotoGP consecutive with at least one pilot Ducati on the podium, extending the Bologna factory record in the category. In addition, the pilots Ducati are mounted on 26 podiums since the first race of the year in Qatar, setting a new record for the Bologna factory in a single premier class season. With Miller, Binder et Martin, this is the first time that no motorcycle from a Japanese manufacturer has reached the podium of a premier category GP race organized in Japan.

Marc Marquez, who qualified on pole for the first time in 1 days in Japan, finished fourth, equaling his best result since the start of the season at the Spanish GP. This is also the second best result of Honda since the start of the season after P3 of Pol Espargaro in Qatar. In Japan, Marc Marquez scored exactly 1/3 of the points accumulated by all other drivers Honda since his last race before his operation.

*Satisfying* #ThaiGP #ForzaDucati #DucatiLenovoTeam @MotoGP pic.twitter.com/yLmaRYyJs0

- Ducati Corse (@ducaticorse) September 29, 2022

Thailand can be a decisive step in the title race

The leader of the championship, fabio quartararo, finished eighth at the Japanese GP, equaling his second worst finish at the finish line since the start of the season, after the Argentinian and British GPs. After having to change bikes after the warm-up lap and leave the pitlane, Aleix Espargaró ultimately finished the race in 16th position, meaning neither driver scored points in each race.

At the Japanese GP, Francis Bagnaia, who wore number 63, crashed on the final lap of what was his 63rd race in the premier class. This is his fifth retirement since the start of the season, after those of Qatar (fall), France (fall), Catalonia (elimination) and Germany (fall).

Marco Bezzecchi finished 10th and was the only one of this year's five MotoGP rookies to be in the points for the second race in a row. He still leads the fight for the Rookie of the Year title with 80 points ahead By Giannantonio (23 points), Darryn Binder (10) Remy gardner (9) et Raul Fernandez (8). The only rookie to have won or placed on the podium at the Thai GP in one of the small categories is By Giannantonio in Moto3 in 2018. Bezzecchi is the only rookie to have qualified on pole in Thailand, also in Moto3 in 2018. What will this 17th round of a championship which includes 20 have in store for us? To find out, you won't have to miss anything from the program below...