2024 Thailand Moto3 Grand Prix - Qualifying Results

Joel Kelso positioned himself perfectly to benefit from a messy end to in qualifying for round eighteen, the Moto3 Thailand Grand Prix, and claim pole.

Buriram remained hot and humid, but had clouded over and looked ready to rain when Moto3 hit the track to qualify.

Angel Piqueras had set the best benchmark, chasing around David Alonso, who was not willing to do the same for a second time, so left the pits so late that neither he, nor the riders that tried to leave at the same time for a tow, could reach the start/finish line in time for a final flying lap.

That left only the six riders who had already gone out able to improve - Collin Veijer, Scott Ogden, Taiyo Furusato, David Almansa, Filippo Farioli and Kelso.

Coming into the final attempt 13th, The BOE Motorsports rider was just off the back of the group on track, using the riders ahead as a marker, and despite a small error in the final corner where he started to lose the front, the Australian was still able to set the best lap of the day - a 1m 40.603s - for his first ever Moto3 pole.

• Casey Stoner back on track for a ‘Champions Charity Race’
• Set-up experiment fails for Pecco Bagnaia in Thailand practice

Veijer had been happy running solo so was comfortable at the front of the group. Seventh after his solo banker, the Liqui Moly Intact GP rider moved into second, a slim 0.073s slower.

Piqueras saw his provisional lead time hold to complete the front row as the top rookie in qualifying for Leopard Racing.

P2 saw Taiyo Furusato go fastest in a timed session, just short of Alonso’s new record, to move into qualifying with the best time. The Honda Team Asia rider placed fourth in the frantic end to the session.

After dominating Friday, 2024 champion David Alonso, who won in Thailand last season, sailed into Q2 with his Friday time his best effort, not needing to go faster to progress, the only rider not to do so.

After being comfortable his banker lap would see him in a reasonable way up the grid, he was fifth after his late pit exit from the CFMoto Gaviota Aspar garage.

Ogden was looking to improve but needed to pass Farioli to do so, that move didn’t allow as much progress as the MLav rider saw his rivals in the same pack achieve, but the  British rider still picked up two more places to start sixth on Sunday.

Daniel Holgado saw his time pushed back to seventh as he rolled around slowly for Red Bull KTM Tech3, almost beaten by the late run of Almansa who moved up to eighth for the Snipers Team.

Australian pole sitter Ivan Ortola built into the weekend after a slow start, and was second fastest after P2. His pace was not able to shine after he too chose the late exit, leaving the MT Helmets - MSI rider down in ninth.

Luca Lunetta completed the top ten fastest rider for  SIC58 Squadra Corse.

Adrian Fernandez has been a top three finisher and strong qualifier over the last three rounds, but getting caught up in the pit antics sees him line up down in eleventh on the second Leopard entry.

Q1  - Farioli on top, slipstream providers miss out

Matteo Bertelle (13th) lead the early part of Q1 and held on for third. The Snipers rider was joined by session leader Filippo Farioli(15th), who made the most of his tow at the front of the first pack on track, behind Tatsuki Suzuki.

Joel Esteban (18th)and Stefano Nepa (14th) were in the same group on track and took the remainder of the progression places.

That saw tow provider Suzuki miss out in sixth in the session, for 20th on the grid. The rider at the head of the other group circulating, Jacob Roulstone suffered the same fate, so lines up 19th on Sunday.

Eddie O’Shea briefly lead the session on his way to 22nd on his MLav Racing bike
.
Home rider Tatchakorn Buasri starts 25th for Honda Team Asia.

Crashes, injuries and replacements

The final practice session saw a fall for David Munoz, but the BOE rider had done enough to go straight to Q2, 13th fastest going on to qualify 17th. There were no crashes in either the Q1 or Q2 session.

Noah Dettwiler missed P1 but was back on track in P2 but under the weather and well of the pace in 26th by the end of qualifying.