2026 Thailand MotoGP News—Friday
Marquez still not at 100 percent
Marc Marquez admitted he is still some way from his best as he kicked off his first title defense since 2020 in Thailand. The 33-year admitted he is still struggling for optimum strength in his right shoulder. Hence he opted to run Ducati’s 2024 aerodynamics package as it’s “less physical.”
“I feel well, but still I’m not riding the bike like I want,” he said on Friday. The entry of the corner at the moment, I’m not feeling good, but it’s more my riding style than the bike.”
Asked to specify what doesn’t feel right, Marquez added, “The braking position. I injured the shoulder here in the front area and the operation was here in the pectoral plus deltoid. These front muscles and it’s there, the push is what I need more. And if you don’t brake in a good position, then you are not in the perfect position in the middle of the corner.” Neil Morrison
MotoGP and manufacturers “very close” to agreement
There has been a recent stand-off between MotoGP’s organizers and the five manufacturers of late. Before confirming their place in the series from 2027 to 2031, the factories are keen to receive a percentage of the series’ overall income, rather than a flat fee.
This tension has been bubbling below the surface since last summer. Even though they have begun developing their 850cc machines, as well as making a series of rider signings for next year, there is still no contract signed. Yet MotoGP is confident a deal is “very close.”
“Even above our business growth for the last three decades we have continuously increased our contribution to the teams without being contractually obliged to, like other leagues,” said Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta. “There is a clear ‘under new ownership’ but also a clear idea of what MotoGP wants to do and what its vision is, and we’re very happy that the teams and manufacturers want to be a part of that.”
Part of the deal is MotoGP pushing for a minimum salary for MotoGP riders, believed to be around €500,000 per year. “It is one of the conversations we are having with the teams,” said Ezpeleta. “I do think we are very close.” Neil Morrison
Adelaide ‘could show the world what’s possible’
MotoGP’s controversial decision to leave Phillip Island for a street circuit in Adelaide was justified by its Chief Sporting Officer in Thailand, who said the new event could host 2027’s final race, and be a blueprint for other new races in future years.
Bad weather conditions, poor attendances and a challenging location were all reasons given for leaving Phillip Island. And there are no questions from MotoGP’s side regarding the safety of the proposed track in Adelaide. “We did around 37 simulations of the track and it slowly became obvious that it was possible to hold a race there,” said Carlos Ezpeleta.
He also underlined the undertaking to prepare the track. “To put in the gravel, to take it away [means] it is very unlike an F1 or car circuit where you are just setting up walls and taking them down. That operation will get better and better as we move forward. Adelaide is going to be very special. Does it set a possibility or show the world what is possible? Yes. But it is a special opportunity.” Neil Morrison
Friday MotoGP
It was a strong day for Aprilia Racing’s duo of Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, who were inside the top five. Bezzecchi made it a Friday clean sweep, having topped FP1 and then setting a new lap record on Friday afternoon to hammer home even more swagger. The gap back to Marc Marquez is a whopping four tenths.
Martin, meanwhile, was fifth at the chequered flag. He’d shown speed in testing on his full-time, fully fit return to action but a P5 is a stunner. He also had a small crash on Friday morning, but with no drama at all.
It was very much a session of two halves for Marc Marquez, who spent a fair portion of it outside the top ten before bouncing up to fifth with 20 minutes to go. The early scare was well behind him when he jumped up the order into P2 by the end of the session. Bagnaia was putting in the red sectors but didn’t find that full la, only managing 15th. He’ll want to make a statement on Saturday morning, having been the lap record holder now robbed by Bezzecchi.
More testing form was translated from pre-season to Round 1, this time in the case of Di Giannantonio. He sat pretty at the head of the field for most of Practice before being pushed back to third late on. The #49’s best lap time was set towards the end of a stint, showing that he doesn’t just have one-lap pace but right throughout his runs. He was the same in FP1.
Making it three manufacturers and four teams in the top four, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) set his fastest lap of the session on his penultimate lap, 0.659s off Bezzecchi’s time but that making him pretty close to Diggia and Marc Marquez. Brad Binder took P8 to move directly into Q2, threading a lap together to leap up the timesheets later in the session.
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) clinched sixth, not the position he got used to in 2025, and was just ahead of Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) who was Honda’s top representative after a session with plenty of late turnover in a final shuffle.
Despite looking strong in P4 in the morning and bagging himself P9 and a Q2 spot, Ai Ogura’s (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) session ended early with just over two minutes remaining as he fell at Turn 7. He was all OK and will hope to redeem himself in the pole shootout on Saturday morning, where he’ll definitely also be joined by Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) as the final automatic graduate.
Two more riders will now join them from Q1, with Bagnaia most in the spotlight as qualifying goes green on Saturday morning.
2026 Thailand MotoGP Results—Friday MotoGP
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | 1’28.526s |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) | +0.421s |
| 3 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) | +0.484s |
| 4 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.659s |
| 5 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) | +0.703s |
| 6 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) | +0.850s |
| 7 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +0.991s |
| 8 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.006s |
| 9 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) | +1.053s |
| 10 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) | +1.064s |
Friday Moto2
2025 Thai Grand Prix winner Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) topped the opening Friday of the season in a rain-hit Moto2 Practice session. Pre-season pacesetter Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) and last year’s Valencian GP victor Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) completed a top three split by 0.185s, with Gonzalez setting a new all-time lap record – a 1:34.501. However, it was Day 1 disappointment for Friday morning’s table-topper David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team).
The Colombian ended Practice down in P22 as a quick dose of rain in Sector 1 meant improving times became impossible when it mattered most for some, as Turn 1 unfortunately caught out the unlucky Adrian Huertas (Italtrans Racing Team).
Alonso will be competing in Q1 alongside a whole host of Moto2 race winners, including Alonso Lopez (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team), Tony Arbolino (REDS Fantic Racing), Deniz Öncü (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), and the Turk’s teammate Aron Canet. In other words: a stacked Q1 line-up.
Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) and Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) are two riders who don’t have to worry about Q1 on Saturday afternoon though. The 2025 Rookie of the Year and Indonesian finished P4 and P5 on Day 1 in Thailand, with Australia’s Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) sixth quickest.
Angel Piqueras (QJMOTOR – Pont Grup – MSI) got his rookie Moto2 season off to a great start with a P13 finish on Friday, meaning the Spaniard heads directly into the Moto2 pole position shootout.
2026 Thailand MotoGP Results—Friday Moto2
| 1 | Manuel Gonzalez | SPA | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | 1: 34.501s |
| 2 | Alex Escrig | SPA | KLINT Racing Team (Forward) | +0.124s |
| 3 | Izan Guevara | SPA | BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (Boscoscuro) | +0.185s |
| 4 | Daniel Holgado | SPA | CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (Kalex) | +0.202s |
| 5 | Mario Aji | INA | Idemitsu Honda Team Asia (Kalex) | +0.235s |
| 6 | Senna Agius | AUS | LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP (Kalex) | +0.295s |
| 7 | Ayumu Sasaki | JPN | Momoven Idrofoglia RW Racing Team (Kalex) | +0.329s |
| 8 | Ivan Ortola | SPA | QJMOTOR – PONT GRUP – MSI (Kalex) | +0.344s |
| 9 | Celestino Vietti | ITA | SYNC Group SpeedRS Team (Boscoscuro) | +0.382s |
| 10 | Collin Veijer | NED | Red Bull KTM Ajo (Kalex) | +0.467s |
Friday Moto3
Moto3’s first day is in the books at the Chang International Circuit with plenty of headlines both in and out of the directing seeding to Q2. Leading the way on his debut with his new team, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was the pacesetter on Friday.
Almansa got straight down to business and never found himself too far away from the top of the timesheets. The first and only rider in the 1’40s, he had just under a tenth of a second in his pocket over fellow countryman and Buriram podium finisher from 2025, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The #83 starts his second season in P2 but got very much down to business on day one. He in-turn had over a tenth of a second to the next rider, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3). Watched on by new team CEO Gunther Steiner, it was a positive day for the Argentinean.
Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) secured fourth and was just one place ahead of his teammate Marco Morelli, who likewise made it two Argentinean riders in the top five and both directly into Q2. Scott Ogden (CIP GreenPower) rounded out an all-KTM top six with the Brit less than half a second from Almansa’s top time.
Elsewhere, notable performances consist of Honda’s top finisher and class rookie Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team) and fellow star rookie Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) as both came home in P7 and P8 respectively. Irish star Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was also impressive as he got into Q2 with 13th. The biggest name to miss out was three-time Grand Prix winner from 2025’s season David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), unable to replicate his teammate’s strong start and rooted to 16th place, having to go through Q1.
2026 Thailand MotoGP Results—Friday Moto3
| 1 | David Almansa | SPA | Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (KTM) | 1:40.990s |
| 2 | Alvaro Carpe | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | +0.078s |
| 3 | Valentin Perrone | ARG | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (KTM) | +0.204s |
| 4 | Maximo Quiles | SPA | CFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.236s |
| 5 | Marco Morelli | ARG | CFMOTO Aspar Team (KTM) | +0.380s |
| 6 | Scott Ogden | GBR | CIP Green Power (KTM) | +0.474s |
| 7 | Jesus Rios | SPA | Rivacold Snipers Team (Honda) | +0.498s |
| 8 | Veda Pratama | INA | Honda Team Asia (Honda) | +0.518s |
| 9 | Adrian Fernandez | SPA | Leopard Racing (Honda) | +0.541s |
| 10 | Brian Uriarte | SPA | Red Bull KTM Ajo (KTM) | +0.541s |
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