KTM 'salad box' and Aprilia 'rabbit ears' among tech innovations in Buriram

Ducati

The big news at Ducati was the factory team's decision to stick with last year's GP24 engine for 2025 and 2026. Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez will also start the year on the 'old' chassis and fairing.

Here is Marc Marquez, who was in a league of his own during a Grand Prix race simulation run, with the old fairing:

Compare Marquez's fairing with Bagnaia on the new fairing (bigger lower duct, smaller side winglets) during day one:

Ducati again tried some new rear seat aero at Buriram. But as this isn't part of the Aero Body restrictions it can be added or removed at any time:

Ducati's carbon fibre swingarm doesn't feature the kind of aero tweaks seen on some other bikes:

A 'squashed' factory Ducati in holeshot mode:

Aprilia

With Jorge Martin out injured, Marco Bezzecchi did an impressive job at Buriram, being fastest during a Sprint simulation and third on the overall timesheets (behind only the Marquez brothers) during his time attack.

Here, the evening light shows the details of Bezzecchi's Aprilia, including front fork wings, fairing design and swingarm. The Italian said the bike he finished the test with would be the bike homologated to start the season:

A close up of the 'rabbit ear' Aprilia aero on the back of a Trackhouse machine:

Raul Fernandez rode despite recent hand surgery. Note the vent (arrow) directing air from the front of the bike to an area under the seat. Is it for cooling, or aero purposes?

An Aprilia carbon fibre swingarm with protection from the exhaust heat. Aprilia is the only manufacturer not to use Akrapovic, choosing SC Project exhausts:

Bezzecchi was among the riders who suffered wheelspin during a practice start at Buriram, probably from the front holeshot device being set too low for the grip available:

KTM

KTM finished the test fourth on the timesheets with Pedro Acosta, who was second best to Marc Marquez (but an average of 0.6s per lap slower) during his 20-lap race simulation.

As at Sepang, the factory team of Acosta and Brad Binder continued with the larger rear seat 'salad box' (perhaps housing the electronics):

However, here is Tech3's Enea Bastianini still using the standard rear seat unit, albeit with the revised one-on-top-of-the-other exhaust position:

The KTM swingarm remains the most radical in MotoGP thanks to the saw-tooth aero:

Close-up showing the front wing, fender wing, fork wings and radiator vanes on the RC16:

A front view, highlighting the fender wing, fork wings and fairing aero shapes:

Acosta's RC16 in holeshot mode for a practice start:

Yamaha

After challenging for best-of-the-rest behind Ducati at Sepang, Yamaha had a more modest showing at Buriram with Fabio Quartararo (8th) and Jack Miller (10th) its only riders in the top ten.

The Monster bikes of Quartararo and Alex Rins were again in full livery:

However, the latest M1 aero sculpting was much easier to spot on the unpainted Pramac bikes of Miller and Miguel Oliveira:

Yamaha frames are normally black (see Rins above), so a silver frame usually means a new design...

The M1 swingarm is officially described as being made from a mix of 'Aluminium/CFRP (carbon fibre)':

Yamaha's latest version of the lower fairing duct, directing air under the bike during cornering:

While side fairing design is merging in a similar direction, there remains a split between the rectangle box-shaped front wings of Ducati and Honda, with the drooping curves of Yamaha and Aprilia (and KTM in the middle):

Quartararo's Yamaha as low as it can go during a practice start:

Honda

Engine power remains a concern but Honda finished the pre-season on a positive note with Joan Mir posting the sixth fastest lap at Buriram as well as a Sprint simulation beaten only by Marco Bezzecchi.

Luca Marini preferred the new Honda fairing at Sepang, when Mir and Johann Zarco picked the standard design. Marini appeared to switch back to the older version at Buriram, running the same aero as the other RCVs:

The Buriram light highlights the Honda fairing on Zarco's LCR bike:

A close-up of the Honda front fairing shape and fork wings:

The all-aluminium Honda swingarm. The ride height device can also be seen poking out of the lower fairing:

The ride-height device in maximum 'holeshot' lowering configuration, during a practice start by Zarco: