2024 Thai MotoGP, Buriram - Friday Practice Results
Friday practice results from the Thai MotoGP at Buriram, round 18 (of 20) in the 2024 world championship.
| 2024 Thai MotoGP, Buriram - Practice Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP23) | 1'29.165s | 24/26 | 330k |
| 2 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP24) | +0.110s | 23/27 | 339k |
| 3 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP24) | +0.162s | 24/24 | 338k |
| 4 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP24) | +0.195s | 20/22 | 335k |
| 5 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +0.341s | 20/25 | 333k |
| 6 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pramac Ducati (GP24) | +0.384s | 23/25 | 334k |
| 7 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (RC16)* | +0.437s | 25/25 | 336k |
| 8 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP23) | +0.448s | 23/24 | 330k |
| 9 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP23) | +0.455s | 27/28 | 332k |
| 10 | Johann Zarco | FRA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.517s | 20/24 | 332k |
| 11 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.518s | 23/25 | 333k |
| 12 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.591s | 24/25 | 334k |
| 13 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.672s | 20/24 | 332k |
| 14 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP24) | +0.692s | 20/25 | 332k |
| 15 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.831s | 26/26 | 330k |
| 16 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP23) | +0.834s | 20/22 | 330k |
| 17 | Luca Marini | ITA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.973s | 25/26 | 332k |
| 18 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.033s | 25/27 | 334k |
| 19 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +1.052s | 21/25 | 334k |
| 20 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (RC16) | +1.264s | 21/23 | 333k |
| 21 | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +1.847s | 21/21 | 333k |
| 22 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +2.218s | 10/12 | 333k |
* Rookie
Official Buriram MotoGP Records:
Best lap: Jorge Martin 1m 29.287s (2023)
Fastest race lap: Marco Bezzecchi 1m 30.896s (2023)
Phillip Island winner Marc Marquez finishes Friday practice for the 2024 Thai MotoGP on top of the timesheets, setting a new all-time Buriram lap record of 1m 29.165s.
The Gresini GP23 rider was fastest for much of the hour, returning to P1 by 0.110s from title leader Jorge Martin after the time attacks.
Factory Ducati riders Enea Bastianini and reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia were third and fourth, with Maverick Vinales the top non-Desmosedici rider in fifth.
Martin holds a 20-point title lead over Bagnaia, with 111 points still up for grabs heading into Saturday’s Sprint race.
KTM's Brad Binder and Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo featured at the top of the timesheets but were ultimately pushed out of the top ten and will be taking part in Saturday’s Qualifying 1.
Aleix Espargaro, who missed most of this morning’s session after an early fall at the final corner, returned to action but called a halt to his Friday activities halfway through the afternoon.
Aprilia earlier reported that “no clinically significant injuries were found. [Espargaro] only sustained a minor trauma.” However, Espargaro has now "been taken to the hospital in Buriram to undergo further checks."
Team-mate Maverick Vinales was the top non-Ducati rider in fifth place, with morning leader Marco Bezzecchi ninth for VR46 and Johann Zarco claiming the final top ten place for LCR Honda.
| 2024 Thai MotoGP, Buriram - Free Practice (1) Results | ||||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time/Diff | Lap | Max |
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP23) | 1'30.492s | 7/20 | 332k |
| 2 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Pramac Ducati (GP24) | +0.038s | 7/21 | 336k |
| 3 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP24) | +0.200s | 6/20 | 334k |
| 4 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP23) | +0.259s | 14/19 | 332k |
| 5 | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP23) | +0.357s | 16/17 | 329k |
| 6 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP24) | +0.368s | 19/19 | 334k |
| 7 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (RC16)* | +0.414s | 7/20 | 335k |
| 8 | Jack Miller | AUS | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.507s | 7/22 | 333k |
| 9 | Takaaki Nakagami | JPN | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.530s | 12/21 | 329k |
| 10 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.648s | 9/20 | 330k |
| 11 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.655s | 6/19 | 331k |
| 12 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pramac Ducati (GP24) | +0.679s | 14/19 | 333k |
| 13 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP23) | +0.680s | 13/19 | 328k |
| 14 | Luca Marini | ITA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.694s | 13/21 | 330k |
| 15 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +0.707s | 18/18 | 329k |
| 16 | Johann Zarco | FRA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +0.757s | 20/20 | 329k |
| 17 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP24) | +0.900s | 11/17 | 330k |
| 18 | Joan Mir | SPA | Repsol Honda (RC213V) | +0.928s | 13/18 | 328k |
| 19 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.021s | 9/20 | 331k |
| 20 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 (RC16) | +1.051s | 11/19 | 331k |
| 21 | Aleix Espargaro | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +1.509s | 4/4 | 330k |
| 22 | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP24) | +2.088s | 8/16 | 323k |
* Rookie
Official Buriram MotoGP Records:
Best lap: Jorge Martin 1m 29.287s (2023)
Fastest race lap: Marco Bezzecchi 1m 30.896s (2023)
Marco Bezzecchi gets the better of title fighters Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia to lead opening practice for the 2024 Thai MotoGP at Buriram.
Gresini team-mates Marc and Alex Marquez, Enea Bastianini, rookie Pedro Acosta and Jack Miller complete the top eight.
Aleix Espargaro didn't return after an early fall but is not thought to have suffered significant injuries.
Due to the added heat and stress placed on the tyres, Buriram is among the venues where Michelin selects its stiffer construction rears.
Miguel Oliveira continues to be sidelined by fractures to his right wrist in Mandalika and is replaced at Trackhouse by Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori.
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.
