MotoGP Thailand, Buriram - Friday Practice Results
| 2023 MotoGP Thailand, Buriram - Practice (2) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | 1'29.826s | 22/22 | 335k |
| 2 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.098s | 21/25 | 336k |
| 3 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.160s | 24/26 | 336k |
| 4 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +0.180s | 20/22 | 334k |
| 5 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.199s | 26/27 | 333k |
| 6 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +0.208s | 21/26 | 335k |
| 7 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.243s | 22/23 | 334k |
| 8 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.248s | 25/26 | 333k |
| 9 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.295s | 18/23 | 335k |
| 10 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +0.304s | 22/24 | 333k |
| 11 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.369s | 24/26 | 335k |
| 12 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.391s | 19/24 | 334k |
| 13 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.398s | 23/27 | 334k |
| 14 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.436s | 24/26 | 333k |
| 15 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +0.442s | 20/21 | 336k |
| 16 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.469s | 21/23 | 333k |
| 17 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.517s | 18/23 | 332k |
| 18 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.541s | 18/20 | 332k |
| 19 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +1.089s | 22/24 | 334k |
| 20 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.164s | 17/27 | 331k |
| 21 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.278s | 18/23 | 334k |
* Rookie
Official Buriram MotoGP records
Best lap: Marco Bezzecchi 1m 29.671s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Marc Marquez 1m 30.904s (2019)
MotoGP title contender Jorge Martin completed a Friday practice double at the Thai Grand Prix, ahead of the factory Aprilias, but finished the session on the back of a scooter after sliding off at Turn 3.
Maverick Vinales had been fastest from Fabio di Giannantonio, Alex Marquez, Brad Binder, Aleix Espargaro and Fabio Quartararo when the time attacks began with 15 minutes remaining, with the top ten covered by just 0.382s and the whole field by 0.924s!
Binder and Vinales then featured on top with new medium rear tyres (the softest option this weekend) before Martin delivered a 1m 29.826s on his 22nd lap.
Title leader Bagnaia, 14th before fitting new rubber, broke into the top ten on his penultimate run and avoided a repeat of his recent high pressure Q1 appearances by confirming direct Q2 access.
Marc Marquez was hit on the shoulder by what looked like a piece of carbon fibre aero, which broke off Martin's bike (just ahead of Marquez) as the Pramac rider cut the kerb while pulling off track and into pit lane, at the midway stage.
Marquez was again following Martin in the closing stages when he briefly broke into the top ten. But the Repsol Honda rider was down in 13th and again looking over his shoulder as he went out for his final run.
This time Marquez chased the Gresini Ducati of Fabio di Giannantonio, now hotly tipped to swap places with the #93 and ride for Repsol Honda next season. But it was Tech3 rookie Augusto Fernandez, behind both of them, who enjoyed the biggest tow and secured the final top ten place, just ahead of Marquez.
With Fabio Quartararo eighth for Yamaha, Honda was the only manufacturer without a rider in the top ten.
| 2023 MotoGP Thailand, Buriram - Practice (1) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | 1'30.520s | 18/22 | 334k |
| 2 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.238s | 18/20 | 333k |
| 3 | Pol Espargaro | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16) | +0.492s | 18/18 | 333k |
| 4 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP23) | +0.651s | 16/19 | 333k |
| 5 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.750s | 18/22 | 332k |
| 6 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Tech3 GASGAS (RC16)* | +0.823s | 21/21 | 330k |
| 7 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.962s | 18/19 | 330k |
| 8 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +0.962s | 20/20 | 330k |
| 9 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP22) | +0.966s | 6/19 | 331k |
| 10 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +0.987s | 19/21 | 334k |
| 11 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.079s | 16/22 | 328k |
| 12 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.130s | 19/20 | 332k |
| 13 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.162s | 18/20 | 332k |
| 14 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +1.235s | 17/21 | 332k |
| 15 | Luca Marini | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +1.269s | 19/22 | 332k |
| 16 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Mooney VR46 Ducati (GP22) | +1.304s | 13/19 | 332k |
| 17 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP23) | +1.333s | 19/20 | 332k |
| 18 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.337s | 8/21 | 332k |
| 19 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Pramac Ducati (GP23) | +1.393s | 7/20 | 333k |
| 20 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.477s | 21/21 | 331k |
| 21 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | RNF Aprilia (RS-GP22) | +1.601s | 6/18 | 333k |
*Rookie.
Official Buriram MotoGP records
Best lap: Marco Bezzecchi 1m 29.671s (2022)
Fastest race lap: Marc Marquez 1m 30.904s (2019)
Jorge Martin fits new medium tyres to top opening practice for the 2023 Thai MotoGP at Buriram ahead of Maverick Vinales, Pol Espargaro (new mediums) and Aleix Espargaro.
Franco Morbidelli was a promising fifth for Yamaha, with Takaaki Nakagami the top Honda in 11th and Jack Miller the lead KTM in 13th.
Martin's title rival and world championship leader Francesco Bagnaia, like most riders, remained on old rubber at the end and finished in tenth place.
At one stage, before some riders fitted new tyres, the entire 21-rider was covered by just 0.7s.
Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia holds a 27-point lead over Jorge Martin heading into the Thai MotoGP, after the Pramac Ducati rider’s costly soft tyre gamble backfired on the final lap at Phillip Island.
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. But it had been VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi who took pole position from Martin and Bagnaia in the dry.
Wet weather is again a threat for all three days of this year’s grand prix weekend.
Alex Rins, who withdrew from Phillip Island due to ongoing pain from his Mugello leg fractures, will miss Thailand after undergoing further surgery.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
