Marco Bezzecchi gained the season-opening Thailand MotoGP in Buriram on Sunday. Photograph: AFP
BANGKOK:
Marco Bezzecchi gained the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole place on Sunday as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel.
Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from begin to end to prime the rostrum in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third.
Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equalling eighth world title this season however he exited the race in dramatic style whereas in fourth place with 5 laps to go.
The Spaniard, who began from second on the grid, took a nook broad and the jolt to his bike dislodged the rear tyre and badly broken his wheel.
Bezzecchi returned to successful kind after crashing out of Saturday’s dash race on the second lap.
“Yesterday was a small mistake with a giant consequence so it was essential immediately to attempt to bounce again,” stated the Italian.
“My tempo was good with the medium, we labored it super-well all weekend, so I knew that I might be quick if I used to be in entrance.
“I attempted my all to make a very good begin and the bike was good,” he added.
Bezzecchi was quickest in all three apply periods in Thailand and set a brand new observe file in qualifying.
It was additionally his third straight grand prix win stretching again to final season.
“It is simply the primary race so we should keep calm, we should keep targeted, preserve our head down and attempt to work all the time in one of the simplest ways doable,” stated Bezzecchi.
“As a result of we all know that we are going to wrestle sooner or later.”
Marquez distress
Marquez dominated final 12 months’s championship however he stated earlier this week that he was nonetheless feeling the lingering results of a shoulder damage that pressured him to overlook the ultimate 4 races of the season.
The 33-year-old was picked off by a succession of riders because the race acquired underway however recovered to place himself again into podium competition.
He was priming himself for an assault on Acosta and Fernandez when he ran broad and did effectively to not be thrown from his bike, although it did spell the tip of his race.
The 33-year-old acquired off his bike and slapped his fingers collectively in frustration earlier than trudging off the observe.
His departure left Acosta to reel in Fernandez to safe second place and wrap up a profitable weekend for the 21-year-old Spaniard.
Acosta gained the dash after Marquez was pressured to let him go on the ultimate lap due to a penalty.
“Now we have to be completely happy that issues are working super-good,” stated Acosta, who leads the championship standings forward of Bezzecchi after the primary spherical.
“Due to everybody who supported me, as a result of final 12 months the beginning was not the dreaming one.”
Fernandez seemed like he had second place locked up till a late drawback together with his bike allowed Acosta to go previous him.
“It was fairly troublesome, particularly the final 5, six laps,” stated Fernandez.
“I attempted to make my most however I had destroyed the rear tyre.”
Jorge Martin, the 2024 world champion, completed fourth after seeing the defence of his title wrecked by damage final season.
Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura was fifth, adopted by VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio and KTM’s Brad Binder.
Alex Marquez, final season’s championship runner-up, didn’t end the race after a late crash.
Francesco Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 world champion, completed ninth after ranging from thirteenth on the grid.
