Marco Bezzecchi led the opening practice session for the 2026 Thai MotoGP at Buriram, securing the fastest time and placing three Aprilia riders within the top four. This strong start highlights the team’s performance ahead of the race weekend.
Top Performers in Buriram’s First Practice Session
Throughout the 45-minute collection of times, Bezzecchi maintained his position atop the leaderboard, followed closely by his teammate Jorge Martin in third place. Ai Ogura, riding for Trackhouse Aprilia, impressed by climbing to fourth in the latter stages of the session. Fabio di Giannantonio, representing VR46, was the highest-ranked Ducati rider.
Pedro Acosta led the KTM contingent, finishing just ahead of the reigning champion Marc Marquez. The session experienced one fall, with Jorge Martin sliding out at the final corner early on. Rookies Diogo Moreira and Toprak Razgatlioglu completed their debut official MotoGP practice by placing 16th and 21st respectively.
Current Lap Records and Recent Test Highlights
Bezzecchi’s fastest lap during the Buriram test, timed at 1 minute 28.668 seconds, remains quicker than the official track record set by Francesco Bagnaia’s 1 minute 28.700 seconds in 2024. Meanwhile, Marc Marquez holds the race lap record at 1 minute 30.637 seconds from last year.
What This Means for the Weekend Ahead
With three Aprilias dominating the opening practice and Bezzecchi setting impressive times, the team appears poised to challenge strongly during the race. The positions of rookies and established riders alike provide insight into potential contest dynamics as the event progresses at Buriram.
