Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia holds a 27-point lead over Jorge Martin heading into today's Sprint race at the Thai MotoGP, after the Pramac Ducati rider’s costly soft tyre gamble backfired on the final lap at Phillip Island last weekend.
Martin was back on top of the timesheets during Friday practice at Buriram, but only after 2022 pole qualifier Marco Bezzecchi had a faster lap cancelled due to yellow flags brought out by Martin's late fall.
Miguel Oliveira took his final victory for KTM in last year’s wet Buriram race, ahead of Ducati team-mates Jack Miller and Bagnaia, with Martin just ninth.
Wet weather is again a threat for all three days of this year’s grand prix weekend, but Friday was dry throughout and Saturday also dawned hot and sunny.
Alex Rins, who withdrew from Phillip Island due to ongoing pain from his Mugello leg fractures, will miss Thailand after undergoing further surgery.
And that's all from the short and snappy sprint - Jorge Martin dominates after quickly making up for a slow start to lead every lap and dominate out front. Behind Brad Binder took second after holding his pass on Luca Marini who completes the top three.
An error from Aleix Espargaro sees him into Marc Marquez clutches - the former world champion didn't need to be asked twice, a final corner move up the inside now close enough saw him up to fourth!
Last lap time - Martin takes his fifth sprint win!
Maverick Vinales has a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits, he's currently 13th.
Jorge Martin is still streets ahead with two laps remaining, his gap is moving from between two seconds to 1.5 as the trio behind - Brad Binder, Luca Marini and Aleix Espargaro try to reel him in.
It's lap ten of thirteen and Fabio Di Giananntonio has pulled into the pits.
Further back in the race Francesco Bagnaia remains seventh on lap nine. He has a gap of 0.8s to make up to try for sixth, currently held by Marc Marquez.
The battle for second is ON - Binder sees his opportunity and slides ahead, Marini tries to lean on his rival but Binder still takes the place. Marini has not given up on second yet.
Crash!: Augusto Fernandez is next to exit , also at turn twelve.
Jorge Martin is well away out fron on lap six, now 1.376s ahead. Marini, Binder Aleix Espargaro and Bezzecchi complete the top five.
A gift for Bagnaia - Zarco and Alex Marquez fight for seventh swapping places, so the big red Ducati sails past the pair, taking two places in one go!
We're now four laps in and Martin is maintaining his advantage out front back to Marini. Bagnaia is still ninth but cutting his gap to Zarco ahead.
It's an early exit for Taka Nakagami , sliding out on the last corner on lap two
That's an early advantage of almost half a second already for Martin as Bagnaia slips further back to ninth after an overtake from Zarco
And Martin swoops into the lead at turn one and is already trying to stretch the pack - Bagnaia is down to eighth!
Martin, however, has won the last four sprint races on the bounce...
There was no sprint in Australia last weekend, swapped and then cancelled due to the weather. Last Saturday saw Bagnaia move up to second behind Zarco as Martin's tyre gamble failed to pay off and he faded to fifth - will tyre choice come into play again in Thailand?
Martin is joined on the front row by Luca Marini and Aleix Espargaro.
Further down the grid championship leader Francesco Bagnaia is in sixth. Australia race winner Johann Zarco is back in eleventh!
Welcome back to coverage of the MotoGP sprint race in Thailand - after qualifying earlier it's Jorge Martin on pole for the race, which is due to start at 9am uk time.
A disappointing qualifying for Vinales and Quartararo, given their race pace, as they are left 9th and 10th.
Jorge Martin takes pole position for the Thai MotoGP ahead of Luca Marini and Aleix Espargaro.
Marco Bezzecchi is pushed to 4th and will be joined on the second row by Brad Binder and Francesco Bagnaia.
Luca Marini and Aleix Espargaro leap to 2nd and 3rd!
Espargaro then runs wide.
