Bezzecchi Brings the Heat as Pre-Season Wraps Up in Buriram

Marco Bezzecchi smashes the Buriram lap record as Aprilia lead the final 2026 MotoGP pre-season test, with Ogura and Marc Marquez close behind ahead of the Thai GP.

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Pre-season is officially done and if the final day at the Chang International Circuit is anything to go by, we’re in for a seriously spicy 2026.

Marco Bezzecchi ended testing on top with a 1’28.668, quicker than the official race lap record at Buriram. It came late in the day, it was under pressure, and it sent a pretty clear message: Aprilia Racing are ready.

And it wasn’t just a one-lap wonder. Bezzecchi also knocked out a 20-lap run averaging in the 1’30s. Fast and consistent? That’s a dangerous combo heading into race week.

Aprilia Mean Business

Aprilia’s whole line-up looks sharp. Ai Ogura slotted into P2 for Trackhouse MotoGP Team, just 0.097s off Bezzecchi. That lap was properly quick, one of the fastest ever seen around Buriram.

Reigning 2024 World Champion Jorge Martin ended up eighth as he continues getting fully back into the groove. He and Bezzecchi spent time playing with rear aero options, which suggests Aprilia are still fine-tuning rather than standing still.

On the other side of the Trackhouse garage, Raul Fernandez just missed the top ten in 11th but looked competitive throughout. Four Aprilias inside the mix? That’s not something we’ve always been able to say.

Ducati Still Right There (Of Course)

It wouldn’t be a MotoGP test without some Ducati intrigue. Ducati Lenovo Team continue weighing up their 2024 vs 2025 aero packages, and both Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia were running the older spec on the final day.

Marquez topped the morning session but had a small crash at Turn 3 in the afternoon before coming back to finish third overall. Bagnaia quietly improved his pace and ended up fourth, just behind his teammate.

At BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP, Alex Marquez wrapped up testing in fifth despite a late tumble. Meanwhile, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team saw Franco Morbidelli finish seventh and Fabio Di Giannantonio ninth after dealing with some morning tech issues.

Ducati might not have topped the final day but they’re very much in the fight.

KTM Grinding Away

Pedro Acosta was the lead KTM in sixth for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, making a solid jump from earlier in the test and ticking off a full race simulation in the Thai heat.

Teammate Brad Binder left it late to grab 12th, while over at Red Bull KTM Tech3, Maverick Viñales and Enea Bastianini kept working through their packages without making headline moves.

KTM might not have the outright lap time just yet but race trim could tell a different story.

Honda Building, Yamaha Learning

For Honda HRC Castrol, it was a steady final day. Joan Mir cracked the top ten, with Luca Marini not far behind.

Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) focused on consistency, while rookie Diogo Moreira continued his adaptation with Pro Honda LCR.

As for Yamaha, the new V4 era is clearly still bedding in. Jack Miller led the way for Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP with a 1’29.701 after a long run, while Fabio Quartararo matched that pace almost exactly for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. Alex Rins improved late on, and Toprak Razgatlioglu dealt with technical gremlins but kept gaining experience.

Bring On Race Week

Testing is always just testing but it’s hard to ignore what we saw.

Aprilia look fast. Ducati look dangerous. KTM are lurking. Honda are improving. Yamaha are evolving.

Next stop: lights out in Thailand. And if this pre-season finale was any hint, 2026 might start with a bang.