Dovi: Marquez fast, but not like Aragon

Andrea Dovizioso believes Sunday's Thai MotoGP could produce another big group battle for the lead.

And the Ducati rider, who lost out to Marc Marquez in a final turn victory showdown one year ago, feels he can again be among the contenders, despite qualifying in seventh.

Dovizioso is the only person that can delay Marquez's 2019 title celebrations, if he loses no more than a point to the Repsol Honda rider in the Buriram race.

"A lot of riders have really good pace, so it could be a big group in the race, because Marc is really fast, but not like in Aragon," said the Italian, referring to the Honda rider's lights-to-flag dominance last time out.

"I think Maverick and all four Yamahas are also very fast in the pace and Jack [Miller] can be there, like in Aragon and I have a good pace, so we are there.

"The third row is not the best, but we have our chance I think. But we are all very close and it's impossible to know how much everyone pushed, or if they will be a bit slower in the race.

"I'm quite relaxed, I am going to try to be on the podium, this is our goal. We will see."

Unlike at Aragon, where the Yamaha riders were among those to regret their rear tyre choice, Dovizioso thinks it'll be a simpler scenario on Sunday.

"I think [the soft tyre] for more-or-less everybody. The consumption is not too high."

Pramac's Jack Miller qualified just ahead of Dovizioso in sixth, whose team-mate Danilo Petrucci was top Ducati in fifth.