Alex Marquez Tops First Day of 2026 Buriram MotoGP Test
- Buriram, Thailand – Alex Marquez of the Gresini Racing team topped the timesheets on the opening day of the 2026 MotoGP pre-season test at the Chang International Circuit...
- The day’s performance continues a strong start to the pre-season for Marquez, who also finished fastest at the recent test in Sepang.
- Franco Morbidelli of the Pertamina VR46 Ducati team secured third position, followed closely by Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing and Johann Zarco riding for Castrol Honda LCR, completing...
Buriram, Thailand – Alex Marquez of the Gresini Racing team topped the timesheets on the opening day of the 2026 MotoGP pre-season test at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, . The Spaniard posted a fastest lap of 1m29.262s, edging out his brother and reigning world champion, Marc Marquez, by a mere 0.129 seconds.
The day’s performance continues a strong start to the pre-season for Marquez, who also finished fastest at the recent test in Sepang. Marc Marquez, despite suffering two crashes – one at Turn 1 early in the morning session and another at Turn 5 later in the day – recovered to secure second place with a late flyer of 1m29.391s.
Franco Morbidelli of the Pertamina VR46 Ducati team secured third position, followed closely by Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing and Johann Zarco riding for Castrol Honda LCR, completing the top five.
The morning session saw Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia set the benchmark with a lap time of 1m29.678s, but it was Bezzecchi who briefly took over the lead in the afternoon with a 1m29.462s before Marquez ultimately claimed the top spot. Bagnaia, however, demonstrated strong pace during a 13-lap sprint simulation, averaging a lap time of 1m30.276s.
KTM’s Pedro Acosta also showcased competitive speed, posting an average lap time of 1m30.732s over 11 consecutive laps during a similar sprint simulation, while Ai Ogura on the Trackhouse Aprilia managed an average of 1m30.958s over nine laps.
The Buriram test marks the final pre-season preparation before the opening race of the 2026 MotoGP season, also held at Buriram. The track record at Buriram remains at 1m28.700s, set by Bagnaia during qualifying for the 2024 Thai Grand Prix. Marquez’s fastest lap on Saturday fell short of that record, but still established him as an early favorite heading into the season.
The day wasn’t without incident. Beyond Marc Marquez’s two falls, several other riders experienced crashes, including Ai Ogura, Jack Miller, and Marco Bezzecchi. A brief red flag period was also triggered due to track conditions in the late afternoon.
Michele Pirro, Ducati’s test rider, is substituting for Fermin Aldeguer at Gresini, who is still recovering from a femur fracture sustained during winter training. Fabio Quartararo also returned to the track for Yamaha after recovering from a finger injury picked up at the Sepang test.
Top Ten Results – Day 1, Buriram MotoGP Test:
- Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) – 1:29.262s
- Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo) – 1:29.391s
- Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina VR46 Ducati) – 1:29.451s
- Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) – 1:29.462s
- Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) – 1:29.467s
- Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) – 1:29.486s
- Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) – 1:29.494s
- Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) – 1:29.540s
- Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina VR46 Ducati) – 1:29.643s
- Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) – 1:29.757s
Testing will continue on , with sessions scheduled from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM local time. Teams will continue to refine their setups and gather data in preparation for the season opener at the same venue.
The opening day’s results suggest a highly competitive field, with Ducati appearing strong, particularly through the performances of both Marquez brothers and Morbidelli. However, Aprilia and KTM also demonstrated promising pace, indicating a potentially exciting and unpredictable 2026 MotoGP season.