Aprilia take the top spot for the first time in Thailand, whilst Acosta and Fernández round out the podium.
The sun was beating down on the Chang International Circuit ahead of the Thai GP. The air temperature was roughly 34ºC, with track temperatures reaching between 58ºC-60ºC. There was no doubting that it was going to be a tough race for the riders as they battled the heat, tyre wear and each other.
Race Start
As the lights went out, Bezzecchi got off to a good start, making it into Turn 1 ahead of Marc Márquez in second. As the pack rounded Turn 4, Jorge Martín slipped past Di Giannantonio, and Bagnaia passed Ogura moments later. It didn’t take long for Fernández to snatch second from Márquez, and as they made their way through the final corner, Martín also made a move to pass the reigning champ.
It was Aprilia 1-2-3 across the line at the end of the first lap, but Márquez was quick to get back past Martín. By now, Bezzecchi was extending his lead up the road as those behind him squabbled. On lap four, Acosta made a beautiful lunge past Di Giannantonio to move up into fifth. As this was happening, Martín made his own late move on Márquez to take fourth position.
It was clear that the Ducati’s were not comfortable out on track, and Márquez seemed to be struggling to find his rhythm. As Márquez made his way round the final corner, Acosta knew it was time to strike. Thankfully there was no repeat of the Sprint drama, and Acosta passed Márquez with no contact made. At the end of lap seven, it’s Bezzecchi in the lead, with Fernández, Martín, Acosta and Márquez making up the remainder of the top five.
A Feisty Battle For The Podium
The fight behind Bezzecchi isn’t letting up any time soon. In the final corner of lap eight, Acosta manages to get past Martín, but runs wide and hands the place back. Just a handful of corners later and Acosta makes the same move and runs wide again, allowing Martín to retain position. All the while, Márquez is hot on their heels waiting to pounce. At the end of lap 10, Acosta once more tries to get past Martín, running side-by-side as they cross the line. At turn 3, the KTM finally succeeds in overtaking the Aprilia. But it’s not over yet, as Márquez slips past them both and up into third as they blast down the straight. This doesn’t please Acosta, who snatches the position back from Márquez through turn four.
As the race approaches the halfway mark, the battle for sixth is heating up. Joan Mir is chasing down Di Giannantonio, and Álex Márquez isn’t far behind them. At the start of lap 15, Bezzecchi has extended his lead to 2.5 seconds ahead of Fernández. Things have seemingly settled down a bit, and everyone is still upright for now.
On lap 19, Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura manages to slip past Bagnaia for ninth. Joan Mir makes a late lunge on Di Giannantionio, squeezing past the Italian but avoiding any contact. It’s not long before Ogura overtakes once again, this time passing Álex Márquez at full lock in a spectacular move. Up ahead, Fernández is now just 0.6 second ahead of Acosta, and appears to have reached the limit with his tyres.
Final Push
With six laps to go, there’s a gasp from the crowd as disaster strikes for Marc Márquez. The Ducati rider ran wide at Turn 4, hitting the kerb at an angle. The result was a puncture and some nasty damage to the rear wheel rim. It’s game over for the reigning world champion.
Moments later on the very same corner, Álex Márquez drops his Gresini and slides across the tarmac. Both Márquez brothers, who finished first and second in last year’s championship, are out of the Thai GP.
With five laps to go, Acosta is all over the back of Fernández. He makes a neat move past the Gulf-liveried Trackhouse and moves up into second. Bezzecchi is so far ahead that there’s little chance of catching him. Joan Mir retires from the race with a technical issue, his frustration clear to see from the on-board cameras.
In the final three laps, there’s no sign of anyone giving up the fight. Ogura passes Di Giannantonio to claim fifth. Franco Morbidelli moves into 10th as he gets past Johann Zarco. Rookie Diogo Moreira makes a bold move past Enea Bastianini, but the pair immediately swap back. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, also in his first year in MotoGP, passes teammate Jack Miller for 17th.
Chequered Flag
As the chequered flag waves, it’s Bezzecchi who takes a dominant Thai GP win. After crashing three times on Saturday, it’s the perfect result and sweet redemption. Acosta comes home second, whilst Fernández hangs on to third.
The win marks Aprilia’s first race win and their first podium at the Thai GP. Bezzecchi also becomes the first-ever Aprilia rider to win three consecutive races. It’s also the first time in 88 Grand Prix races that Ducati haven’t set foot on the podium.
As for the championship, it’s Acosta who currently sits at the top. We’ve only just dipped our toes into the waters for this season, but it’s already shaping up to be something special.
