He may have made mistakes in the last two races, but this doesn’t seem to have affected Jorge Martin’s speed in the slightest. In fact, even in the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix, the Prima Pramac Racing rider will take pole position, after setting the new record on the Buriram track.
The last lap of Q2 was an important sliding door for the two title contenders, because they started it separated from each other by a few thousandths and both behind the other Ducati of Marco Bezzecchi. The reaction of “Martinator” however was vehement, because he was able to show off a 1’29″287 which earned him the 13th start of his career in the premier class, the fourth in 2023.
On the other hand, Pecco Bagnaia made a small mistake, failing to improve the time he had set previously and therefore ultimately dropped back to sixth position. And that they have to start so far apart is a real shame, because in this morning’s FP2 their pace was closer than ever after the summer break, even if the duel clearly still remains possible.
Of the two factory Desmosedici GPs, the 2022 version brought to the track by the Mooney VR46 shone in practice, with Luca Marini second, 138 thousandths behind Martin and Bezzecchi who instead failed to improve the 1’29″483 which earned him the provisional pole before the last attempt, a time that ultimately kept him in fourth place on the grid.
Aleix Espargaro’s Aprilia slipped in front of the Rimini rider, confirming the good potential surprisingly shown by the RS-GP on a track that wasn’t too congenial on paper. Even more so with the stiffer carcass. Between Martin and Bagnaia we also find Brad Binder, fifth with the KTM. But as proof of how tight this qualifying was, it must be said that the first two rows are all within just 240 thousandths.
After passing through Q1 and therefore finding themselves with only one new tire to use in Q2, the Marquez brothers did not fare badly, both on the third row with Alex’s Ducati which got the better of Marc’s Honda. This time perhaps the eight-time world champion didn’t choose the right hook to take, however, because he had gotten into Bagnaia’s tail.
The disappointing side of the Aprilia garage is that of Maverick Vinales, who, based on what he showed yesterday and this morning, probably could have aspired to something better than the ninth place he took home. Just like Fabio Quartararo, who with the stiffer carcass seemed more at ease on his Yamaha, but in the end once again found himself tenth, despite having paid only 420 thousandths.
The list of drivers who had access to Q2 is then completed with the winner of the Australian GP, the Frenchman Johann Zarco, and with the GasGas Tech3 of Augusto Fernandez, not too incisive today after managing to qualify directly yesterday.
Unfortunately, the Italian drivers who took part were all eliminated in a Q1 which was once again marked by waiting games in search of the right hook to set a time that was worth the cut.
The first of those excluded is Fabio Di Giannantonio, who after the podium at Phillip Island will have to settle for lining up his Gresini Racing Ducati in 13th position. The Roman rider was beaten by just 20 thousandths by the rider who will take his place in the Faenza team, namely Marc Marquez, even if in reality his current boxmate, the other Marquez, who set the best time, eliminated him of Q1 with time expired.
Sharing the fifth row with Diggia will be Raul Fernandez’s Aprilia RNF and Jack Miller’s KTM who has never managed to be effective this weekend. Just as Franco Morbidelli doesn’t seem to be able to take advantage of the stiffer carcass, which is allowing the twin M1 to suffer less than usual from his weak points. The Yamaha rider, in fact, will start from 18th position.
In front of him there are also the Honda LCR of Takaaki Nakagami and the GasGas Tech3 of Pol Espargaro, who is probably the one who most of all wasted an opportunity: the Spaniard’s slipstream seemed to be the most coveted of Q1, with a long train waiting for him, but perhaps this put too much pressure on him, relegating him to 17th place.
Enea Bastianini’s qualifying was nothing short of disastrous, as he found himself last on the grid with his official Ducati, having suffered a gap of almost a second compared to the best time in Q1.
It must be said, however, that he is in very good company in the last row, because next to him there are two other important names: the former world champion Joan Mir with Honda and a Miguel Oliveira who is perhaps being influenced by the rumors of market that have surrounded him in recent weeks, despite Razlan Razali insisting on his stay at Aprilia RNF for next year too.
Q2 ranking
Q1 ranking
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