PTT Thailand Grand Prix

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Chang International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 6, 2018

Qualifying Results (all on Michelin tires):

From Qualifying Two:

1. Marc Marquez, Spain (Honda), 1:30.088

2. Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yamaha), 1:30.099

3. Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Ducati), 1:30.227

4. Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yamaha), 1:30.328

5. Cal Crutchlow, UK (Honda), 1:30.356

6. Andrea Iannone, Italy (Suzuki), 1:30.419

7. Dani Pedrosa, Spain (Honda), 1:30.458

8. Johann Zarco, France (Yamaha), 1:30.471

9. Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Ducati), 1:30.599

10. Jack Miller, Australia (Ducati), 1:30.660

11. Alex Rins, Spain (Suzuki), 1:30.738

12. Alvaro Bautista, Spain (Ducati), 1:30.976

From Qualifying One:

13. Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Honda), 1:30.923

14. Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Honda), 1:30.995

15. Bradley Smith, UK (KTM), 1:31.207

16. Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Aprilia), 1:31.243

17. Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Ducati), 1:31.374

18. Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (Yamaha), 1:31.389

19. Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM), 1:31.399

20. Xavier Simeon, Belgium (Ducati), 1:31.686

21. Jordi Torres, Spain (Ducati), 1:31.819

22. Thomas Luthi, Switzerland (Honda), 1:31.830

23. Scott Redding, UK (Aprilia), 1:31.835

24. Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Ducati), no lap time recorded

More, from a press release issued by Monster Yamaha Tech 3:

Zarco and Syahrin to launch Thai GP from third and sixth row

Monster Yamaha Tech3 star Johann Zarco displayed a strong performance in today’s third Free Practice and progressed to ninth on his last lap to clinch a direct Q2 entry at the Chang International Circuit. In Qualifying the fast Frenchman cut off 0.95 seconds from his fastest lap on Friday and ensured a start from the third row for the first ever Thailand Grand Prix at 14.00 local time (9.00 CET) on Sunday.

Likewise Hafizh Syahrin made a huge step in FP3 this this morning, braking the 1:32’ mark to improve by 1.042 seconds compared to the first session on Friday. In Qualifying this afternoon, he lowered his lap time by further 0.330 seconds and eventually found himself in eighth place, missing out on Q2 by only 0.478 seconds. The Malaysian rookie aims to work further towards the race in Warm Up tomorrow morning in order to bring home some important championship points again.

Johann Zarco

Position: 8th – Time: 1:30.471 – Laps: 8

“P8 is ok. Again, I’m just three tenths from the top guys. It’s super close! Maybe I could do one tenth better in Qualifying, the bike was responding well and an even better lap would have been possible, but it’s always difficult. About the race, it’s a track I like, so I hope I can enjoy. I wish that I can be competitive with used tyres, because that’s our weak point at the moment, but anyway, my feeling here is better than in the last two races. We have to take it easy. With the heat it’s going to be a difficult race, so I want to keep good energy and fight until the end to have a good result.”

Hafizh Syahrin

Position: 18th – Time: 1:31.398 – Laps: 8

“I was able to improve my lap time from the winter test, but it was still not enough today. We keep working hard and we’re definitely on a positive way, I just need to work step by step, as it’s not easy in this category. So, I try to keep pushing hard and work even better and I hope we can do something for tomorrow’s race.”

More, from a press release issued by Angel Nieto Team:

BAUTISTA STAKES HIS CLAIM AMONGST THE BEST

Ángel Nieto Team rider to start Grand Prix of Thailand from row four after fifth Q2 appearance of the season

Marc Márquez continues to write history and on a weekend that could see him place a hand on his fifth MotoGP World Championship title, he became the first rider ever to progress from Q1 and go on to take pole position. Márquez himself came closest to it in the past, having gone from Q1 qualification to take second in Barcelona, but today he went one better to head up the front row from Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso. Rossi, who qualified eighteenth in Aragón, and his teammate Maverick Viñales have been back amongst the frontrunners again all weekend here.

Álvaro Bautista staked his claim in Q2 in Thailand, securing a place on the front four rows for the fifth time this season. The Ángel Nieto Team rider was tenth fastest in free practice but could progress no higher than twelfth in the decisive qualifying session, after running wide in the final corner of his final flying lap. His teammate Karel Abraham secured his best position of the weekend so far, qualifying seventeenth to equal his grid position at Aragón. The Czech rider is confident that he has the set-up to take advantage of his grid position and fight for the points in the first ever Grand Prix of Thailand.

12th Álvaro Bautista 1’30.976: “Today we managed to qualify directly for Q2, which was one of our objectives. We tried the hard rear tyre in FP4 after going with the soft in the morning, which in the end it was sliding a little. Generally, I am not too keen on the hard option but with the conditions we have here in Thailand the feeling wasn’t so bad. In any case, we will try the medium in the warm-up tomorrow and see if it gives us more grip and stability than the other two. In Q2 I struggled a little more than I expected to set a fast lap and on my final lap I ran wide in the last corner when I was set to improve by a couple of tenths. Even so, our race pace is better than our one-lap pace. I am not setting a target because many things can happen, like at Aragón where we were in good shape and I crashed. We will just try to give our maximum.”

17th Karel Abraham 1’32.374: “I am happy because in qualifying we achieved our best position of the weekend. It is the same grid position that we had in Aragón and I think it gives us a good chance tomorrow to fight for the points. In FP4 I had a little crash but managed to escape any major damage to myself or the bike. Tomorrow I am expecting a difficult race because of the temperatures but I think we start from a good base.”

More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Gresini Racing:

MOTOGP IN THAILAND

SIXTH ROW FOR ESPARGARÓ, EIGHTH FOR REDDING

The final practice sessions on the Buriram circuit also had the riders and teams working on race settings, with particular attention on tyre wear which promises to be the critical element of the boiling hot Thai weekend. If, on one hand, the hardest compound seems to guarantee more consistency, the performance demonstrated by the soft tyre could allow a more sustained race pace.

The final decisions will be taken in the warm up session tomorrow morning, where Aleix Espargaró will continue assessments, aiming to further improve his feeling with the RS-GP. The Italian bike demonstrated good form on the second part of the track, the more flowing section, whereas it leaves a few tenths behind on the initial section, made up of abrupt accelerations and long straights. Despite his sixteenth spot on the grid, Aleix showed a race pace that places him in the running for the top 10.

For Scott Redding, the biggest difficulties arrived in qualifying. Rather consistent in his practice sessions, the British rider had problems braking when trying to increase his pace for the flying lap. This is a limitation that kept him from moving any farther forward than the eighth row on the starting grid.

ALEIX ESPARGARO’

“The results are in line with what we expected. We knew that it would not be an easy track for us. Grip and acceleration are our weak points and, given the characteristics of the circuit, we struggle. To be honest, in terms of race pace, we are not far from the top 10. What we have trouble with is pushing on the flying lap because we do not have much margin. We saw that the gaps are rather close and rear tyre choice will be fundamental tomorrow. With the hard compound, you have better duration but lack performance, whereas with the soft tyre you can risk with some doubts on how it will hold up in the race. I think that, in light of our starting position, it makes sense to take the riskier path, managing tyre wear during the race.”

SCOTT REDDING

“At the start of qualifying something must have happened with the saddle, because it was particularly slippery and on these bikes, you need grip to be able to ride. We also had some problems in braking. When pushing for the fast lap, the lever had to be adjusted practically on every braking section because the temperatures rise too high. Because of these two problems, I lost the first part of the session and then I was able to improve my time, but it wasn’t enough. I am focusing on the ride. The bike is performing well, but we are simply lacking a few tenths, especially when we try to push to lower the time.”

More, from a press release issued by Alma Pramac Racing:

Thailand Grand Prix – Qualifying

#ThaiGP Quali. Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller to start from row 3 and 4 on the grid tomorrow

Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller ended the qualifying of the Thailand Grand Prix with a double Top 10 (P9 and P10 respectively) after clinching Q2s at the end of a fantastic FP3.

After the fifth place in Friday’s free practice, Petrux confirms to have a good feeling with his Ducati Desmosedici GP both in FP3 (P5) and FP4 thanks to a strong race pace. In qualifying for pole position, however, the Italian rider makes a couple of mistakes that do not allow him to achieve the goal of the first two rows.

Jack is amazing in FP3 that ends in second position behind Andrea Dovizioso. Also for the Australian rider the race pace is interesting but in Q2 he is not able to improve the lap-time set in FP3 that would have allowed him to start at least from the third row.

P9 – Danilo Petrucci

“I can’t be satisfied with this qualifying session. If I have to be honest I expected to get the second row and, why not, fight for the front one. I pushed hard but I didn’t have a lot of feeling in braking. Then I made a few mistakes. Tomorrow it will be tough because of the temperature but the race pace is positive”.

P10 – Jack Miller

“It’s a pity. I wasn’t able to give my best in Q2 and I’m really sorry because with the team we did a great job both in FP3 and FP4. In qualifying I made a mistake: I should have taken my own pace and instead I looked for someone to follow. I’m sure I could have done better. It will be a difficult race but there is still confidence”.

More, from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM:

BRADLEY SMITH TO START HOT THAI GRAND PRIX FROM THE FIFTH ROW OF THE GRID

Red Bull KTM saw Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro capture slots on the fifth and seventh rows of the MotoGP grid respectively after Qualification at a sweltering Grand Prix of Thailand and a first visit to the Chang International Circuit in Buriram.

MotoGP

The first of four overseas events for 2018 MotoGP saw the series arrive in Thailand and the flat and twisty layout of the Chang International Circuit provided the latest challenge for the FIM World Championship and for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team in just their second term in the premier class.

The facility in Buriram has been on the WorldSBK calendar for four years and the course was not completely unknown to the MotoGP pack thanks to their pre-season test at the venue in February. The slick asphalt baked in predictably high temperatures as the fans flocked in droves for the fifteenth GP of nineteen.

Bradley Smith hovered mid-pack through FP3 and FP4 and was agonisingly close to pushing his way towards the top half of the field. The Brit was just three tenths of a second from making the cut to Q2 and rested in 15th.

Pol Espargaro made his third ‘comeback’ from injury in 2018. The Spaniard remounted the KTM RC16 after collarbone surgery and after a painful crash in practice at Motorland Aragon almost two weeks previously. Pol missed the pre-season test and therefore had to adapt as quickly as possible, and work on bike set-up in the relatively short time available. At the end of the day he was 17th.

Smith: “Another good day and it felt like we were close to the Q2. This track is quite narrow in a few places and I got held up. We are on that cusp of almost making it into Q2 (regularly), we’re around that middle group and it would be nice to crack that next step. We certainly have some ideas and WP will have some suggestions for Motegi. I think it is a set-up thing. It’s something we haven’t touched in quite a while…but it’s complicated. As for tomorrow I’m pleased that the track is in better shape and it is bizarre how the Hard tyre is working better than all the Mediums and I don’t know why or how. I was able to do a run with the Hard at the end of FP4 and my pace is what I would expect. I’ll hope for a good start tomorrow and try to push for a top twelve; no one has done twenty-five laps here in the hunt so let’s see what happens.”

Espargaro: “A mixed day. When we have cool conditions and grip then I don’t have to be so smooth and it is better for me. When the temperature rises and the grip or the tyre drops then I am struggling, especially with feeling a bit weak on the bike after the last few weeks and dealing with a new track. The morning went well but I made a mistake in the afternoon in my second run by changing my bike and using a front tyre that was too soft. I wasn’t braking so well and went wide in a couple of corners. It is not easy. There are a lot of different braking points. We have processed a lot of information in a short time and we are trying.”

Sebastian Risse (Technical Director MotoGP): “It has not been an easy weekend and this was to be expected, even more for Pol because of his return from injury again and having missed the test and the last phase of development for the bike. It is not easy to catch up. Both riders had to deal with the conditions, together with the tyre allocation and we still have not really got our heads around it. Special conditions means special tyres and they are different to what we had at the test so we are ‘starting from zero’ in a sense. Despite being the same spec not all of them felt the same. We tried looking into other areas to improve this and it will be essential tomorrow to get the tyre choice right; it will be the key to end up with a good spot in the race.”

Moto2 & Moto3

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder, winner in the Moto2 class last time out in Aragon, were 5th and 7th fastest on their KTM Moto2 bike after Qualifying Practice in the intermediate category. Amazingly the first 21 riders in the final chrono were split by less than one second.

Oliveira: “Qualifying for the Thai GP was quite good for us, as we were able to improve on our FP3 time. The lap times are very tight and being able to complete my best lap at the beginning of the session gave me a break. In the rest of the session we were able to try things out with the rear shock absorber, but that didn’t help us to improve our time on the last run. The important thing is that I feel very comfortable ahead of the race; all weekend we have been in the top positions, with a good pace, so we are ready to have a good race. It will be a physically tough race but I hope to hold up as well as possible, to finish as high up as possible.”

In Moto3 an all-KTM front row by headed by Marco Bezzecchi, ahead of Jaume Masia and Kazuki Masaki; again only one second was the difference between Pole Position and a lot on seventh row of the starting grid. Darryn Binder equaled his best qualifying this season and will start the race tomorrow on his KTM RC250 GP bike from sixth place on the grid.

D. Binder: “I am very happy with how this second day has gone here in Thailand. Yesterday afternoon I felt very comfortable and since this morning the feeling has been just as good. I felt strong and in qualifying I knew I just needed a great hot lap -and knew I could do it. This sixth position matches also my best ever result in a Grand Prix qualifying session. I feel ready for tomorrow’s race. I think we’ve worked hard enough over the weekend so far to get a great result.”

Races: October 7, 2018 – Moto3 11:00 | Moto2 12:20 | MotoGP 14:00 GMT +7h

Results Qualifying MotoGP Chang International Circuit 2018

1. Marc Marquez (ESP), Honda, 1:30.088 min

2. Valentino Rossi (ITA), Yamaha, +0.011 sec

3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA), Ducati, +0.139

4. Maverick Vinales (ESP), Yamaha, +0.240

5. Cal Crutchlow (GBR), Honda, +0.268

KTM

15. Bradley Smith (GBR), KTM, +1.119

19. Pol Espargaro (ESP), KTM, +1.311

Results Qualifying Moto2 Chang International Circuit 2018

1. Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA), Kalex, 1:36.374 min

2. Alex Marquez (ESP), Kalex, +0.026 sec

3. Luca Marini (ITA), Kalex, +0.034

4. Mattia Pasini (ITA), Kalex, +0.153

5. Miguel Oliveira (POR), KTM, +0.155

7. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.171

Results Qualifying Moto3 Chang International Circuit 2018

1. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA), KTM, 1:42.235 min

2. Jaume Masia (ESP), KTM, +0.462 sec

3. Kazuki Masaki (JAP), KTM, +0.481

4. Tony Arbolino (ITA), Honda, +0.485

5. Niccolo Antonelli (ITA), Honda, +0.541

KTM

6. Darryn Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.564

7. Nicolo Bulega (ITA), KTM, +0.580

More, from a press release issued by Movistar Yamaha:

MOVISTAR YAMAHA CHARGE TO FIRST AND SECOND ROW IN HOT THAI QUALIFYING

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP’s Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales continued their form at the Chang International Circuit today, featuring at the top end of the timesheets ahead of the PTT Thailand Grand Prix. The teammates qualified in second and fourth place respectively and will be starting tomorrow’s race from the first and second row.

GRAND PRIX OF THAILAND

Buriram, Thailand – 6th October 2018

QUALIFYING

14:35 LOCAL TIME GMTAIR 31°C / TRACK 50°CSUNNY / HUMIDITY 54%

2nd

VALENTINO ROSSI

1’30.099 / 8 LAPS

4th

MAVERICK VIÑALES

1’30.328 / 9 LAPS

Buriram (Thailand), 6th October 2018

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi and Maverick Viñales delighted the Thai fans at the Chang International Circuit with their speed on the second day of the PTT Thailand Grand Prix. After two solid practice sessions the teammates put their head down again in qualifying to score second and fourth position on tomorrow‘s starting grid.

Rossi left pit lane as one of the last riders, along with the majority of the field. Due to the traffic on track his first lap put him in tenth place, but he quickly climbed up to fifth on his next try. With eight minutes remaining he returned to the box.

After a quick stop the Doctor resumed his time attack, and he was in the zone. He set a 1‘30.099s to take provisional pole, but it wasn‘t to last. The Italian was in second position when he had two more tries left. Pushing hard, he was especially strong in sector 3 and 4 but couldn‘t further improve on his fastest time. He held on to second place on the grid for tomorrow‘s race, just 0.011s from pole.

Viñales followed the opposite strategy from his teammate. The Spaniard waited for the light to turn green at the exit of pit lane to make sure he was the very first rider out on track. His benchmark lap, a 1‘30.871s, put him in third place after all riders got in their first flyer.

As the pace picked up the youngster dropped back to sixth place on entering the pits. He changed to a second soft rear tyre but was unable to find the same confidence out on track. Luckily, the Spaniard was on a two-stop strategy and could hurry back to the team to switch to his second bike.

The pressure was on in the final three minutes of the session, however, that‘s when the number 25 rider thrives. He set a fastest first sector and three personal best sectors on his very last attempt and clocked a 1‘30.328s. The lap boosted him to fourth position, 0.240s from first.

MASSIMO MEREGALLI

TEAM DIRECTOR

Today we made another good step. It was a very strong qualifying from Valentino. He already showed he had an impressive pace here in the free practice sessions, especially in FP4, and he set some really great times, two very low 1’30s laps, during Q2. It’s unfortunate that Maverick didn’t have good confidence on his second tyre, because his speed in all free practice sessions made him also a contender for the front row. Nevertheless, having our riders start the race from second and fourth position is a good result. They have a good pace and both are satisfied with their bike and the tyres, so we are optimistic for tomorrow’s race. We still have some room for improvement and we‘ll try to finalise the set-up for the race in the warm-up. The conditions are quite extreme and tyre management will be fundamental.

VALENTINO ROSSI

I felt good with the bike already from yesterday, but today we did some modifications and we went in the right direction. I’m happy because the bike improved a lot. It looks like, at this track, we can make the tyre work in a good way, so I can ride on the limit. The bike is good and I’m also very happy because in FP4, with the race tyre, I had a good pace. I hope that we can do a good race and fight for the podium.

MAVERICK VIÑALES

I thought I could be on the front row, but I made some mistakes on my best lap, especially concerning the front tyre. I should have chosen the hard, but I picked the medium to be safe, but on the hard I’m feeling much better. I’m actually really happy that in FP4, with the used tyre, we made a good improvement. We changed the bike a little and it was better, so I think that maybe tomorrow we can do another step. I feel much better. Improving the small details will make tomorrow’s race a little bit easier and will for sure make us more competitive.

More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:

CRUTCHLOW BEST INDEPENDENT RIDER IN BURIRAM Q2

LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow secured a place on the second row of the grid for Sunday’s inaugural Thailand Grand Prix. The Briton performed impressively on another scorching hot day in the Asian kingdom and emerged with fifth place after a hotly-contested Q2 session at the Buriram International Circuit.

Crutchlow – whose RC213V is carrying the famous Castrol green and red livery this weekend – was once again the fastest Honda rider in the morning’s FP3 session as he finished fourth. That ensured he comfortably progressed to Q2 and he was in a front row position with just over a minute of the qualifying session left. However, he lost a couple of spots in the closing moments, but remains happy with the team’s efforts heading into Sunday’s race.

Cal Crutchlow – 5th

(1’30.356 – lap 8 of 8)

“Today was a positive qualifying session. My aim was to get on the front two rows, obviously I would have preferred to be on the front row, but I tried my best. The bike and the team is working well, I think tomorrow is going to be a very long race but we look forward to it. Hopefully we can have a good battle and get a good position”.

“To be starting quite close to the front is always important, especially at a track like this that we don’t know. We’ll need to fight hard, but I think our pace is fast enough for a good result tomorrow.”

More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:

FIFTH ROW FOR NAKAGAMI IN THAILAND

LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami narrowly missed out on a spot in Q2 during qualifying for the first-ever Thailand Grand Prix. On another very hot and humid day at the Buriram International Circuit in the east of the country, the Japanese rookie claimed 14th position on the grid for Sunday’s MotoGP showpiece.

Nakagami was 17th fastest in FP3, although less than four tenths outside the top ten who went through to Q2. His chances of securing one of the two places on offer in Q1 were complicated by the presence of world champion Marc Marquez, who eventually went on to become the first rider to claim pole from Q1. Taka was in the battle for the second spot, but just fell short and will now start from the fifth row of the grid tomorrow.

Takaaki Nakagami – 14th

(1’30.995 – lap 9 of 9)

“Qualifying was a little bit tough because Marc (Marquez) was there so obviously one position was already gone. So it was very difficult, but in the last few minutes of the session I did my best to get the last position in Q2 and it was really close, less than one tenth”.

“Of course I’m a little bit disappointed, but session by session we have a better feeling with the bike and we’re focusing on the race pace. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow, it will be a very tough and long race and tyre management will be very important.”

More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki ECSTAR:

SECOND ROW START FOR IANNONE, RINS IN 11th PLACE

Andrea Iannone: 6th – 1:30.419 (+ 0.331)

Alex Rins: 11th – 1:30.738 (+ 0.650)

• Andrea Iannone strong on second row.

•Alex Rins works hard to go through Q1.

•Team SUZUKI ECSTAR ready for first ever Thai race.

After an opening day of reacquainting themselves with Buriram circuit and working on setup, it was down to business on Saturday at Chang International. Friday had been marked by very high pace and close margins between riders, and this theme continued.

In FP3, despite both riders showing strong pace, the drama filled session saw Alex Rins pushed out of the Top 10. FP4 was used to finalise settings and tyre options in the boiling conditions.

Alex Rins worked hard to ensure his way through Q1 and into final qualifying, he placed himself 2nd early on and fought to keep hold of the position.

For Q2 the track temperatures were back to a sizzling 50°c and despite the short lap the strategy would be crucial. Andrea Iannone was looking on course for a front row start and was on a provisional pole lap when he ran wide. Despite being just 0.331 seconds from the top he finished in 6th place. The Italian will therefore start from the second row for tomorrow’s 26 lap race. Alex Rins worked well during Q2 and took 11th place, just 0.650 seconds from pole.

Davide Brivio – Team Manager

“Andrea did a good job, managing to get second row for tomorrow’s race. He has good pace, although we still have some improvements to make with the bike. But we’ll try for a good race and hope to follow the top group. Alex managed well to go from Q1 to Q2 but then he could only take 11th place, he also has good pace but he’ll need to work very hard at the start. Both riders have the possibility to have a good race, but for Alex it will be much more difficult. Of course, tyre management will be an important element, so we will try to help our riders as much as we can setting up the bikes and then they will try to fight in the race.”

Andrea Iannone

“It was a really difficult qualifying because the temperature was so high and also I was struggling a lot with grip. But in the end we were able to get 6th position, second row is really important for us, especially at this track. Tomorrow morning we’ll try to look for some improvements, especially on the braking points, because at the moment I’m not managing that really well and lap-by-lap the feeling gets worse. Anyway, 6th position is good and I’ll give my best for a strong race, although I think there are one or two riders who could get away.”

Alex Rins

“We did a good job today with the race pace in FP4. Then we had to get from Q1 to Q2. The target was to try and improve the lap time from Q1 to Q2 and I was able to do that. So tomorrow morning in Warm-Up we need to try the tyres again, because today the grip level was higher than yesterday and with the soft tyre the feeling was good, but we don’t know if that will be an option tomorrow. Although I was consistent with the hard tyre too. Usually I’m able to get good starts but at this track it’s difficult, anyway, I’ll give 100% to be as near the top as possible.”

More, from a press release issued by Reale Avintia Racing:

Reale Avintia Racing riders ready for the Thai GP

MotoGP GP of Thailand– Chang International Circuit

Reale Avintia Racing team riders Xavier Simeon and Jordi Torres improved their lap times on the second day of practice for the Thai Grand Prix and qualified in 20th and 21st position for the race on Sunday.

Once again, the extreme heat was tough on everybody on the Chang International Circuit, challenging riders and their bikes to the extreme.

Nevertheless, Xavier Simeon kept pushing and managed to improve his Friday lap times in FP3 on Saturday morning. After this succesful step, he delivered in qualifying and secured 20th position for a start from seventh row of the grid.

His teammate Jordi Torres, will start right behind the Belgian rider. He also took a massive step in his adaptation to the Ducati MotoGP bike and the Michelin tyres and was just fractions of a second slower than Simeon in only his second Grand Prix with Reale Avintia Racing.

The MotoGP race on Sunday will start at 14:00h local time (9:00h Spanish time).

Xavier Simeon | 1’31.686 | P20

“It has been a very, very positive day. We made a big change to the bike that allowed me to take a good step forward for the first time ever. I did not expect that and it felt great to be able to improve our lap times by so much. We are now on the heels of the riders in front of me, which makes me very happy. If we compare to the test, I improved my best time by four tenths of a second, and this in completely different conditions, with the track being nowhere near as fast as it was back in February. I am also very happy with the work of the team because today the guys gave me a very competitive bike and I had fun riding, even though it is obvious that it is still not enough and we must do more. For the race, we have tried to get a good pace with the rear hard tyre and it has gone quite well. But races are always another story, so we’ll see.”

Jordi Torres | 1’31.819 | P21

“We changed my riding position yesterday so I would be less tense on the bike, position, and this change really paid off today. A very big step in our overall performance became obvious as soon as I went out in FP3. Then in FP4, we concentrated on working for the race, trying to maintain the pace lap after lap, which is still difficult for me. In Q1 I tried to go for an all-out attack, but I still lack the knowledge and experience to find that extra speed, because it’s not about braking harder or accelerating earlier. Instead, it is all about preparing the corner entry better and getting the maximum lean angle as fast as possible… It is a puzzle of many things and there are still pieces missing before I can ride the bike in a way that is natural for me. In the race tomorrow, I hope I can put up a fight with some other riders, in order to learn everything I possibly can. My intention is to show the others my front wheel as often as possible”.

More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:

Marquez makes history in Thailand as the first rider to take pole from Q1; Pedrosa in close seventh

Never one to take the easy route, Marc Marquez today scored the first MotoGP pole ever at the Buriram Circuit, at the same time becoming the first rider to earn pole position from Q1! His umpteenth historic result is also his 50th pole in the Premier class, the 78th in his career.

Marc had to go trough Q1 after suffering a crash at Turn 4 during his final flying lap of FP3, in which he finished just outside the top 10, in P11.

Dani Pedrosa was sixth in FP3, and although he was able to improve in qualifying, he was just 0.039” away from the second row and 0.370” from pole.

Tomorrow’s Grand Prix of Thailand will get underway at 2 p.m. local time, 9 a.m. Central Europe Time.

Marc Marquez 93

POLE 1’30.088

“It’s fantastic to be on pole, and it seems it’s a record to have done so going trough Q1 but I honestly would have preferred to pass directly to Q2! This morning we were very unlucky because when we fitted the new rear tyre at the end of FP3, we had a little issue and had to quickly swap to the other bike. It wasn’t the same, and I lost the front while I was improving my lap time. Anyway, after that we managed everything in a good way, and in QP1 I was able to ride very well. We’re very happy because a front-row start was our target. Now we have a very important race tomorrow, and a very long one. I’m happy with my race pace but we must wait and see what the conditions are like and where we and our opponents are. On paper, at the moment there are a few riders who should be able to be fast. It will be important to manage the tyres and the physical conditions well. Our target will be the podium.”

Dani Pedrosa 26

7TH 1’30.458

“Today in qualifying I lacked a couple of tenths on my flying lap, and that was enough to be just off of the two first rows. Our first tyre wasn’t as good as the second one, and we had to play all our cards in our final run. I managed to improve my performance, and that was actually my best lap of the weekend, but it still wasn’t enough. Anyway, we’re closing the gap to the top, and that’s the positive part. For the race, we’ll see. I think the rear-tyre choice is still open, so we need to analyse everything very well before making our decision for tomorrow.”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Andrea Dovizioso to start the Thailand GP at Buriram from the front row after qualifying third. Jorge Lorenzo, injured yesterday, opts to miss the race and will return for the GP of Japan

It will be a front row start for Andrea Dovizioso in the inaugural Thailand Grand Prix, which is being held this weekend at the Buriram circuit. The Ducati Team rider, fastest in both the morning’s FP3 session and FP4 in the afternoon, then went third quickest in the all-important Q2 run with a best time of 1’30.227, just a fraction behind poleman Marquez and Rossi.

Following yesterday’s crash in FP2 his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo on the other hand did not go out on track today. The results of the scan he underwent in Buriram hospital revealed that the Spanish rider, as well as the bruising to his right ankle and his left wrist, also suffered a hairline fracture of the distal radius of his left arm. In agreement with medical staff and his team, Jorge decided not to take part in today’s sessions and tomorrow’s race so as not to incur any further risks and to try and recover with the aim of being 100% fit for the GP of Japan in two weeks’ time.

The Thailand GP, which will be run over a distance of 26 laps, will get underway tomorrow at 09.00 CET (14.00 local time).

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 3rd (1’30.227)

“Qualifying went really well: my goal was to start from the front row and on this type of track that’s never easy. I knew that we were quick enough, but putting in a clean lap when there are many riders out there is always complicated and so I’m satisfied with that. We have worked very well over these last two days: yesterday morning in FP1 I didn’t have a good feeling and instead now we’re amongst the riders with the best pace, even though tomorrow in the race we won’t be able to push that hard because we have to try and manage the tyre wear in the best way.”

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99)

“After my crash and the results of yesterday’s final tests, I decided in agreement with the team and the doctors to not take part anymore in this weekend’s race at Buriram. The CT scan revealed a hairline fracture in my left wrist and, in view of the condition I was when I arrived and the way I’m feeling now, I think it’s better I don’t race here in Thailand and try and recover as much as possible for the next GP in Japan. I feel really bad for the team but, also in consideration of my situation in the championship, it wouldn’t make sense to take any further risks so I think I’ve made the right decision.”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Marquez vs Rossi: the fight for pole gets tight in Thailand

Just 0.011 separate the two as the battle heats up in Buriram – with Dovi in hot pursuit

What’s a decade between rivals? Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) made it to premier class pole number 50 at Chang International Circuit as he beat nemesis Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) to P1, and the Spaniard did it almost a decade younger as he continues to rack up the milestones. That wasn’t really the big draw at Buriram, however, with the two split by only 0.011 on the timesheets – and Yamaha making a serious dent in the front positions on the grid. After a difficult period for the Iwata marque, it’s a welcome boost in the Thai heat and sets up a mouthwatering Sunday. Adding to that is a man with serious race pace completing the front row, with Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) less than a tenth and a half off the battle for pole as he took P3.

The headlines didn’t stop there. They began early as Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) was forced to forfeit his chance to fight for a fourth consecutive pole and another win, with the Spaniard withdrawing from the event following his huge crash in FP2. Then another crash made waves as Marquez fell at the end of FP3 and in doing so lost his chance to move through to Q2…the number 93 made the most of that, however, to make another record and become the first rider to come through Q1 and subsequently take pole.

Just off the tantalising trio on the front row, Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) took fourth and is well within striking distance of the win if Yamaha’s form continues on to Sunday, and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) is top Independent Team rider once again in P5. The second row is completed by Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), whose improved form at Buriram after a more difficult preseason test at the venue saw him take sixth.

Seventh on the grid is Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who took his second top eight qualifying since last being on the front row in Jerez. Pedrosa was also fastest at the Thai test, which bodes well for race day. He edged Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) by a tiny margin of 0.013, with Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) completing Row 3 in P9 – just ahead of teammate Jack Miller, who has plenty of home fans who have made the trip up from Australia.

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) starts 11th after joining Marquez in graduating from Q1, with Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) completing the Q2 classification in 12th – and just 0.888 separating the top 12 in qualifying.

Franco Morbidelli (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) beat Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to P13 as they battle over the honour of top rookie, with Bradley Smith (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) completing the fastest fifteen on Saturday.

Records, drama and mere thousandths of a second characterised Saturday at Buriram. On Sunday, things heat up even further in the race – with pace a different matter over a long run of laps in the Thai heat. Will Marquez extend his lead as he hones in on the crown? Can Dovizioso make a last ditch effort to still the tide? Or will Yamaha leap back on to the top step in Thailand…

Tune in from 14:00 (GMT +7) local time for the first ever MotoGP™ race at Buriram in the inaugural PTT Thailand Grand Prix.

MotoGP™ Qualifying Results

1 – Marc Marquez (SPA) HONDA 1’30.088

2 – Valentino Rossi (ITA) YAMAHA +0.011

3 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI +0.139

–

First Independent Team Rider:

5 – Cal Crutchlow (GBR) HONDA +0.268

Baldassarri bests Marquez and Marini at Buriram

Italian edges out Marquez and Marini – but it’s less than half a tenth covering the front row…

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pons HP 40) earned his second pole position of the season at the PTT Thailand Grand Prix after laying down a 1:36.374 early in the session to eventually take Saturday honours by 0.026 seconds from second place Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS). The front row is incredibly tight, with third place Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) also threatening pole as he ended qualifying just 0.034 in arrears.

Baldassarri was able to set his fastest lap on his third flying lap as the intermediate class got down to business in Buriram and it proved unbeatable, but both Marquez and Marini were on the prowl as the session entered its latter stages. First, it was the Italian who threatened his fellow countryman, missing out by less than half a tenth on the line before Marquez put in his personal best time to push Marini down to third. The duo narrowly missed out on pole, but it was a welcome return to the front row for both riders – Brno was the last time for Marquez and Marini. Meanwhile, Baldassarri lands his first top three since Le Mans and his first pole since Mugello.

Despite a late crash in qualifying, Mattia Pasini (Italtrans Racing Team) was able to hold on to P4 and the Italian is joined on the second row by the two title contenders – Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Francesco Bagnaia (Sky Racing Team VR46). The former was another rider to set his best time at the beginning of qualifying, finishing just 0.002 behind Pasini in P5, with Championship leader Bagnaia jumping up to sixth from eighth on his last lap – another tiny 0.002 in arrears.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo), winner last time out in Aragon, qualifies seventh ahead of FP3 leader Fabio Quartararo (MB Conveyors – Speed Up), who will go in search of his third podium of the season from P8 after showing good pace throughout the weekend. Augusto Fernandez (Pons HP40) took his best qualifying in ninth and Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) completed a top ten covered by 0.315 seconds.

So it’s brilliant Baldassarri who will lead the intermediate class off the line as they go racing in Buriram for the first time, but it’s looking almost impossible to predict who will triumph in Thailand. It’s another important race for the Moto2™ Championship and with Bagnaia and Oliveira starting alongside each other, expect there to be fireworks…the lights go out at 12:20 local time (GMT +7).

Moto2™ Qualifying Results

1 – Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA) KALEX 1’36.374

2 – Alex Marquez (SPA) KALEX +0.026

3 – Luca Marini (ITA) KALEX +0.034

Bezzecchi pounces for Buriram pole, Martin suffers with injury on Saturday

Championship challenger joined by Masia and Masaki on the front row as points leader Martin ends qualifying in P13

Marco Bezzecchi (Redox PruestelGP) took pole position at the PTT Thailand Grand Prix after blitzing the final lap dash, going 0.462 faster than second place Jaume Masia (Bester Capital Dubai) to take his second career pole. The first? That came at the similar layout of the Red Bull Ring in Austria, where the Italian went on to take the win. For Masia, meanwhile, it’s a second consecutive P2 in qualifying as the Spaniard just pushed Kazuki Masaki (RBA BOE Skull Rider) down to third late on. Nevertheless, it’s a milestone for the Japanese rider as he takes his first front row start.

It all went down to a final lap dash at Chang International Circuit, and there was drama at the final corner on that lap as frontrunner Enea Bastianini (Leopard Racing) crashed out and collected wildcard Somkiat Chantra (AP Honda Racing Thailand). But that wasn’t even the biggest headline of the session, with that written courtesy of some fitness troubles for Championship leader Jorge Martin (Del Conca Gresini Moto3).

The Spaniard didn’t set the timesheets alight on Friday but was feeling fit after his injury struggles a few races ago. That changed by Saturday, however, as Martin suffered a problem with a nerve in his left arm, causing him trouble opening and closing his left hand. Determined to race on despite the difficulties, the Del Conca Gresini rider headed out in qualifying for some damage control and will start P13.

Ahead of him it’s Tony Arbolino (Marinelli Snipers Team) in fourth and only 0.004 off the front row, with Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing the top five. Just behind the two Italians it was a positive session for Darryn Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as he had his best ever qualifying in P6, with Nicolo Bulega (Sky Racing Team VR46) 0.016 in arrears for seventh. Bastianini, despite his final corner crash, took P8.

Fabio Di Giannantonio (Del Conca Gresini Moto3) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) complete the top ten, with Ayumu Sasaki (Petronas Sprinta Racing) in P11 after setting the early pace – something he also did in FP2. Rookie Vicente Perez (Reale Avintia Academy 77) took 12th to impress.

The stage is set for what promises to be another spectacular lightweight class race on Sunday. Can Bezzecchi claw back points on Martin? Or can the Spaniard make up some ground? Tune in at 11:00 local time (GMT +7) to find out.