MotoGP: Bezzecchi Tops Thailand FP1 

Aprilia leads early pace in Buriram while the reigning champion Marc Márquez manages shoulder recovery.

The 2026 MotoGP season roared into life at the Chang International Circuit, with Marco Bezzecchi setting the pace in the opening free practice session. The Aprilia rider clocked a best lap of 1:29.346, finishing 0.110 seconds clear of Fabio Di Giannantonio of the VR46 Racing Team.

Meanwhile, defending world champion Marc Márquez began his campaign in sixth place, 0.426 seconds off the benchmark time. Tthe spaniard launches his bid for a record-equalling eighth world title this weekend after a dominant 2025 campaign. However, Márquez revealed he is still dealing with lingering effects of the shoulder injury that forced him to miss the final four races last season.

Márquez admitted the issue has required him to adapt his riding style while working toward full fitness. Despite the setback, he remained comfortably inside the top ten in dry and stable conditions during Friday’s opening session.

Aprilia had a strong start to the day. It was a promising session for Aprilia Racing, with not only Bezzecchi topping the charts but also Jorge Martín placing third. Martín, the 2024 world champion, suffered a crash just 10 minutes into the session but recovered to post a competitive lap time. On top of that, rookie sensation Ai Ogura of Trackhouse Racing impressed in fourth, ahead of KTM’s Pedro Acosta in fifth.

Two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia ended the session seventh, just behind teammate Márquez. Meanwhile, Alex Márquez, last season’s championship runner-up, was ninth-fastest.

Further down the order, Turkish star Toprak Razgatlioglu, a three-time Superbike world champion making his MotoGP debut, finished 21st as he continued adapting to the premier-class machinery.

With the first times now on the board, the early signs suggest a tightly contested weekend in Thailand as MotoGP’s new season gathers momentum.