Marc Marquez wasted no time making his mark at the Buriram test in Thailand, setting the fastest lap on the first of two scheduled days. Riding the factory Ducati, the Spanish rider edged out his brother Alex Marquez (Ducati-Gresini) and Franco Morbidelli (Ducati-VR46), proving he is already adapting well to his new machine.
Marco Bezzecchi placed his Aprilia fourth, followed by Pedro Acosta’s KTM and the Honda duo of Luca Marini and Johann Zarco. Francesco Bagnaia, meanwhile, had a difficult session, finishing eighth and trailing Marquez’s time by over eight-tenths of a second. The sweltering conditions, with track temperatures soaring above 37°C, provided a preview of what riders can expect on March 2, when the season officially kicks off.
Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio were absent from the test as they continue recovering from injuries sustained at Sepang. Reflecting on his struggles, Bagnaia admitted: “Nothing worked today. It was a tough session, and we’ll have to start fresh on Thursday. Luckily, Marc found a solid setup, which gives us something to build on.”
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On the technical side, the reigning champion suggested Ducati is leaning towards using last season’s engine: “Right now, we’re leaning towards the 2024 configuration, but we’ll make the final decision on the last day of testing.”
