Brad Binder expressed, "I struggle to complete a lap without the front end giving way."

"Whenever I attempted to speed up to clock a faster lap, I consistently found myself losing grip at the front."

Brad Binder discussed his challenges and possibilities at the Buriram circuit on Friday.

Binder ranked 11th in the time standings during Friday's practice session for the Thailand MotoGP.

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Despite facing a significant issue during his sessions, the KTM rider identified notable improvements for Saturday.

"Everything was fine until I tried to improve my lap time, then I consistently lost control at the front," Binder explained.

"That was incredibly challenging…"

"I'm satisfied with my target lap time, but I struggle to complete a lap without the front end giving out."

"We have to come up with a solution to ensure it lasts."

"Achieving that would definitely simplify my life."

Beyond that, all was functioning well. Riding the bike gave me a positive feeling.

As soon as we fitted a new tire and attempted a fast lap, it's challenging to avoid understeering.

"There's a task at hand, and overcoming it could lead us to greatness."

Binder fell just a thousandth of a second short of making it into the prestigious top 10 with his fastest lap.

"I completed that lap while catching up to the front about three times… it adds to the frustration," he mentioned.

"The positive aspect? If I manage to combine everything effectively, I become swift."

"Thus, it might have been more severe."

"The abrupt deceleration is flawless. However, as I approach the limit, I begin to tumble, and the front slides away.

"That's the area I need to work on enhancing."

"We've made some adjustments, yet we haven't discovered the perfect arrangement. I need to discuss this with my team."

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Marc Marquez leads the pack – yet he anticipates competitors will soon match his pace

Marc Marquez predicts competing Ducatis will surpass him in the Thailand MotoGP

Marc Marquez believes that his Ducati rivals will close the gap during the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix as the weekend progresses, despite setting a new lap record in Friday's practice session.

The Gresini competitor was at the forefront following the second practice, clocking a time of 1 minute and 29.165 seconds on his GP25, placing him 0.110 seconds ahead of the championship frontrunner Jorge Martin, who came in second.

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Marquez arrives in Thailand following a win in Australia and securing victories in three of the past six Grand Prix events.

Over an extended period, Marquez is of the opinion that Martin has a quicker pace than he does, and with Enea Bastianini's strong start to the weekend, it suggests the Italian will also be a major contender in the battle for victory.

"Absolutely, I'm pleased since initiating the weekend on such a note is crucial," he shared with the press, among them Crash.net, on Friday.

"Indeed, the speed is satisfactory. It's not as rapid as it is in Australia."

"I believe Martin has a speed advantage over us. If Bastianini shows speed from Friday, it indicates he'll maintain a high pace throughout the weekend. However, we'll see how we can compete."

In response to whether the rest will catch up, he further stated, "It's bound to occur."

"Particularly, I possess that capability or that edge, at the start, I'm performing exceptionally well, quite rapidly, but then I find myself there."

"Gradually, the rest are making their entrance. Take Bastianini, for example; he's entirely distinct from me."

"He faces significant challenges but manages to recover. We'll explore our options further tomorrow."

"At the start of the season, I consistently faced difficulties on Fridays, but then I found significant ways to progress throughout the weekend."

"Now, by Friday, I've established a solid foundation and am performing well, so the approach to enhancement remains consistent."

"Enhancing my lap time in tomorrow's practice will be a challenge for me, as it currently stands as a lap record. If I manage to hit a 1m29.1s once more, I'd happily commit to that right away."

For tomorrow's race, Marquez is aiming to enhance the top speed of his GP23, as he's falling behind in lap times due to the lengthy stretches following Turns 1 and 3.

"What areas do I aim to enhance? Certainly, you always strive to identify the minor details."

"However, the instances where I find myself facing greater challenges or experiencing more losses are primarily with T1 and T2."

"However, the main issue lies in the long straight stretches. That's where we're falling slightly behind. Tomorrow, we plan to install a new engine and hopefully, that will give us a bit of a speed boost."

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Jorge Martin reignites debate: "Their concern for crashing is minimal…"

Jorge Martin finds competing against Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez "challenging"

Jorge Martin has reignited discussions about Enea Bastianini's contentious move during the Misano race.

Bastianini overtook Martin in the last lap to clinch victory at the Emilia-Romagna MotoGP, significantly impacting the Pramac rider's championship aspirations.

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The officials decided it didn't merit any disciplinary action, yet, weeks after the incident, Martin remains upset.

"Martin expressed after Friday's practice session at the Thailand MotoGP that the maneuver at Misano was a mistake. He insisted that the five points rightfully belonged to him."

"He veered off course and unexpectedly collided with me."

Last week in Australia, Martin was surpassed in the race as Marc Marquez moved ahead to win.

"Martin considered Marc's action to be bold, without a doubt," he said. "However, since there was no physical contact, I think it's acceptable."

"He skillfully made his moves and executed a remarkable run."

Martin holds a slim lead of just 20 points over Pecco Bagnaia, who is currently in second place in the MotoGP standings.

With this weekend's event in Thailand, just three rounds are left.

Martin acknowledges that Bastianini or Marquez might influence the outcome, even though their chances for the championship have disappeared.

"Competing against individuals like Enea or Marc makes it challenging from where I stand," he explained.

"Overcoming them is challenging since they have little to nothing at stake."

"They're indifferent to the possibility of a collision."

Feeling anxious, Marquez topped the speed charts in Thailand on Friday, outpacing Martin, Bastianini, and Bagnaia.

This implies that the Ducati quartet has no commitments and is free to engage in activities on both Saturday and

"Martin confessed, "Feeling competitive brings me joy. This week, I experienced some nerves."

In my thoughts, I was preparing myself for what lay ahead.

"However, the moment I stepped onto the track and everything proceeded smoothly, my fears disappeared."

"Pecco and Marc are formidable opponents as well, so this weekend will present a tough challenge, but I'm ready to compete."

He mentioned regarding his training session, "I was feeling vigorous, however, when I switched to the hard compound, it became more challenging."

"Additionally, it was actually utilized for 22 laps. I found it challenging to maintain the same speed."

However, I sense that I'm

"In this place? Given the opportunity, I intend to distance myself. No one else will stand a chance.

"We'll find out whether we approach the final turn alongside Marc or another competitor."

"Every weekend is crucial. My priority is to concentrate on my own performance. Should the opportunity arise to score points, I'll seize it."

"Otherwise, if Pecco demonstrates strength, my aim will be to minimize any losses as much as I can."

"I'm not going to let scores bother me. It's pointless. My focus is on being quick and competitive."

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Jack Miller expressed a preference for outperforming Martin in a race rather than in a contest of stoppies, highlighting, "I would rather surpass Martin on the circuit than in any stoppie contest!" He added, "We're showing good speed, however, it feels like we're taking a more circuitous route once more."

MotoGP championship frontrunner Jorge Martin executed a series of remarkable stoppie maneuvers into the pit lane en route to securing a second-place finish in Friday's practice session for the Thai Grand Prix.

Jack Miller stepped up to the occasion, earning a nod of approval from Martin when the Australian overtook the Pramac competitor, his KTM nearly flipping forward on its front wheel at the session's close.

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"After witnessing Martin's performance, I felt compelled to step up my game… It would be great to outdo him on the racecourse rather than in a contest of stoppies!" Miller said with a smile later on.

Check out this Instagram post from MotoGP™ (@motogp)

The Australian was leading Martin in fifth position when the time trials started.

As Martin ascended the ranks with new tires, a disheartened Miller fell to 13th place, narrowly missing the top ten and an automatic spot in Qualifying 2 by a mere 0.155 seconds.

"Miller described it as the narrative of the past half-year," he remarked. "The speed was solid, maintaining consistency on the medium tire from the session's start. After putting in some laps, it felt natural."

"My initial couple of attempts at the time trial went well, but during the final run, I couldn't manage to perform at my best. There were too many instances of struggle, particularly in the track's central section."

"I'm experiencing understeer at Turn 5, which then persists into Turn 6 and Turn 7, and reoccurs at Turn 8."

"Whenever I attempt to accelerate, I find it incredibly difficult to complete the turn. I'm forced to depend on manipulating the rear tyre during a fast lap to make it pivot halfway through the corner."

"We'll work on improving it throughout the night and aim to present an enhanced solution by tomorrow."

"The speed is impressive; however, in today's MotoGP, securing a good qualifying spot is key, and it seems we're taking an indirect approach to achieve that once more."

As he approaches the end of his time with factory KTM, Miller believes he has made significant progress in the latest races.

"Attempting to navigate through the challenges I'm facing. The other pair, Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta, are equipped with the latest chassis, while we aren't. Thus, we're simply doing our utmost with the resources available to us."

"I'm putting effort into improving my horseback riding skills, concentrating on how to use my body to navigate and soften the impact of the uneven terrain, aiming to make it seamless. We're committed to persevering until the final moment."

The encouraging update regarding #43 is that the significant vibration observed on video at Motegi hasn't been an issue up to this point at Buriram.

"Just a slight issue in Turn 4, but nothing major," he mentioned.

Before captivating the audience with a stoppie later in the day, earlier Miller had thrilled spectators by performing a rolling burnout along the main straightaway. This came after a mishap during a practice start in the morning, where he kept the throttle engaged.

"Miller shared that their goal was to experiment with the '110' [holeshot] mechanism. He openly expressed his lack of enthusiasm for the 110 device, noting that the moment the bike's front is lowered, the rear begins to lose traction almost right away."

"I smoothly started accelerating, but the moment I eased off the clutch, the back tire just spun out of control. Then, I just kept it going for the audience, knowing well I wasn't going to use that one again!"

Pedro Acosta, who finished seventh, stood out as the sole KTM competitor to earn a direct spot in Qualifying 2, with Binder narrowly failing to grab the tenth spot by a mere 0.001 seconds.

Augusto Fernandez finished in 20th place, closely trailing the quickest rider, Marc Marquez from Gresini Ducati, by just 1.3 seconds.

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Luca Marini provides an in-depth analysis of Honda's recent success and persistent challenges.

Luca Marini was excited to observe another Honda rider among the top 10 on Friday in Thailand, but he's keeping his expectations in check.

Johann Zarco secured the 10th quickest time during the Thailand MotoGP practice sessions, marking yet another incremental progress for the gradually advancing Honda team.

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Honda team member Marini finished in 17th place and provided an in-depth breakdown of the adjustments being made to their setup.

"Here, we opted for an alternative middle ground regarding the setting," Marini explained.

"We aimed to chart a course for the upcoming year by focusing on the distribution of weight, with an emphasis on increasing the load at the back. Our goal was to enhance the performance of the rear tyre."

Currently, it is the most notable absence.

"During the initial lap, I heat up the tire, but its performance decreases as the race progresses. Our performance is odd when you compare us to teams like Aprilia, KTM, and Ducati. We stand apart."

"Our aim is to comprehend and enhance this."

"There are advantages. It enhances the bike's braking performance, potentially improving grip. However, I must focus on fine-tuning the settings and achieving better balance."

"From my perspective, there's room for me to enhance my riding skills. I've stuck to one approach throughout the year, but now we've moved past that. As a rider, I believe I can perform at a higher level."

Marini commented on Zarco's performance, noting that he ended Friday as the tenth quickest. "His lap was incredible, but he pushed the boundaries. At each turn, he took risks and utilized the slipstream."

It's essential to enhance the bike's efficiency since it's possible to accomplish a lap with it.

"Yet, when it comes to a competition? Unthinkable.

"It's a positive indication that we've taken a step forward."

Marini is confident that he has tackled a problem that has historically plagued Honda.

"He mentioned that, especially in the sharp turns, they see significant advantages."

"Possibly because I'm a cyclist who enjoys quick turns."

"Additionally, we made significant progress with the fairing."

"At Misano, my performance was among the best. Critics often mention 'Honda's consistent struggles over the years,' yet this occasion marked our first instance of excelling at that venue.

"However, we've faced defeats in situations that require abrupt starts and stops. Currently, the motorcycle fails to come to a halt, particularly due to the rear tire."

"Under intense braking scenarios, our performance isn't meeting the standards required to rival other motorcycles."

Marini has access to a new exhaust for the Buriram race, but he's not getting overly enthusiastic about it.

"He mentioned he had attempted using the exhaust on numerous occasions before."

"Personally, I believe the original version is superior."

"This muffler was designed to address a specific issue. We need to examine the motorcycle to determine which muffler should be utilized tomorrow."

"However, my experiences have led me to favor the traditional option whenever I've attempted the alternative."

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Alex Rins: 'I'm determined to switch back to the frame Fabio is using'

"I shared the track with Fabio… He was performing impressively, and the disparity is obvious. I'm struggling to bring the bike to a halt."

Alex Rins plans to switch back to the same Yamaha frame as his teammate Fabio Quartararo following difficulties with hard braking zones in Friday's practice session for the Thai MotoGP.

Quartararo momentarily led the afternoon practice but remained in the leading trio until the final time trials started. At this point, his consistent struggle to fully utilize new tires on the M1 resulted in him dropping to 12th place, trailing by 0.591 seconds.

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However, Rins struggled with his position during the race and finished in 18th place, narrowly missing Quartararo's time by just under half a second.

"It was a challenging day," Rins remarked. "The start of the day wasn't too rough. I felt alright, especially since I didn't race here last year.

"However, the later part of the day proved to be quite challenging. We began with a soft front tyre, and I faced significant difficulties due to the extremely high track temperatures.

"We switched to the hard front tire, the same one we utilized during the first free practice, and it significantly improved my confidence and feeling. However, the gap remained considerable. Essentially, switching to the hard front tire didn’t enhance my time by 0.5-0.6 seconds."

Rins subsequently shadowed Quartararo during a speed trial, highlighting his problems with braking.

"During the timed trials, I found them extremely challenging. I accompanied Fabio on my second tire stint. He was performing impressively, highlighting the disparity," Rins mentioned. "I'm struggling to halt the motorcycle. I consistently overshoot my mark during every braking maneuver, especially in turns 1 and 3.

"I have a sense that my main issue is with the front end," he shared. "Take Corner 3, as an instance, my braking point is identical to Fabio's. I mention Fabio specifically because he's my sole direct comparison on the Yamaha."

"In comparison to him, we both apply the brakes at the same spot, but I experience significant jolts at the front, such as locking up and bumping. This has been a recurring issue for several races."

In response to inquiries about whether technical variations in the M1s could explain the differences in braking performance, Rins disclosed that he had reverted to the 'standard' chassis.

"Rins stated, 'Our chassis is distinct. At Phillip Island, we chose to revert to the standard model since it's the one I've completed the most races on.'"

"Fabio's alteration, along with the frame I utilized for a couple of races prior, didn't give me a poor impression. However, since I'm more acquainted with the alternative, we chose to revert to it."

"Definitely, by [Saturday], I aim to switch back to the same chassis Fabio is using, the one they provided us in Misano, so we can at least have comparable motorcycles."

"I'm not interested in mirroring Fabio's configuration since our approaches to riding diverge significantly. That's obvious. However, the bikes will be of a comparable level in terms of specifications."

Rins verified that he had once again tested the most recent edition of Yamaha's 'automatic' ride-height system, similar to Ducati's, which is engaged by pressing a button as he approaches a turn and then reduces its height upon leaving the corner.

"I experimented with it extensively during FP1. It performed well, yet I find myself preferring the 'manual' version," he mentioned.

To put it differently, Rins continues to favor having complete autonomy over deciding the moment to lower the back end during the exit.

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2024 Thailand Motorcycle Grand Prix: Live Sprint Updates

Live coverage from the Saturday sprint event in Thailand.

Heading into the weekend at the Thailand Motorcycle Grand Prix, Jorge Martin leads the championship by 20 points over the current champion, Francesco Bagnaia, with only three races remaining.

Martin is currently riding a wave of success, having outperformed Bagnaia in both races at Phillip Island and achieving a trifecta of victories in Pole Position, Sprint, and the Grand Prix at Buriram the previous year.

However, the two leading competitors must be cautious of Marc Marquez, the victor of the recent Phillip Island race, who has secured two wins at Buriram riding for Honda.

Last year, KTM was in contention for the win with Brad Binder, alongside Marco Bezzecchi and Yamaha racer Fabio Quartararo, who both finished in the top five.

Because of the high temperatures and strain on the tires, Buriram is one of the locations where Michelin opts for its more rigid rear tire designs.

Francesco Bagnaia secures the pole position, leading Enea Bastianini and Jorge Martin, who experienced a crash during the second qualifying session.

Following a rainless Friday, Saturday and Sunday may see potential thunderstorms.

The dash begins at 9 in the morning UK time.

I

This concludes our real-time updates for Saturday's events in Thailand.

Stay tuned to Crash.net all day for the newest updates and reactions from the Buriram paddock.

Tune in once more on Sunday starting at 8am UK time for live updates of the grand prix.

Thailand Dash: Updated Standings for the 2024 MotoGP World Championship

race summary

2024 Thailand MotoGP in Buriram – Results of the Sprint Race

finish line – Victory for Bastianini

Enea Bastianini leads the field in the Thailand short race, with Martin securing an important runner-up spot over Bagnaia, extending his lead in the overall championship to 22 points.

Marc Marquez currently holds the fourth position, significantly behind the top

Closing lap

As the race enters its last lap, Bastianini takes the lead, while Martin counters Bagnaia's second-place position, gaining a slight advantage in time over him.

Martin maintains his lead over Bagnaia by opting for a broader approach into Turn 3.

With 12 out of 13 laps completed, Bastianini maintains a lead of 1.4 seconds. Bagnaia is hot on the heels of Martin with just two laps remaining. The fight for the runner-up spot is still very much alive!

Following his recent accident, Acosta has withdrawn to the pits.

With three laps remaining, Bagnaia is maintaining close proximity to Martin on lap 11 out of 13. Meanwhile, Bastianini has significantly pulled ahead.

With four laps remaining in the 13-lap race, Bastianini is ahead by 1.6 seconds. Martin, currently in second place, needs to be cautious not to go beyond the track boundaries once more.

It appears Martin has made contact with the green paint once more while exiting Turn 7. A penalty might be on the horizon for this action.

On the ninth lap out of thirteen, Bastianini's advantage narrows to 1.5 seconds ahead of Martin, while Bagnaia finds it difficult to match the speed of the Pramac team rider. Marquez trails Bagnaia by half a second.

On the eighth lap out of thirteen, Bastianini has extended his lead to 1.7 seconds ahead of Martin. Martin must remain cautious to avoid receiving a penalty for a long lap if he continues to surpass the boundaries of the track.

In the previous Misano race, Martin's focus wavered, enabling Bagnaia to overtake him and secure the sprint victory.

Martin received a warning about exceeding the track boundaries following his maneuver to pass another competitor.

Martin made an inside move on Bagnaia at Turn 5 and successfully executed it by Turn 7. That was spectacular!

As the race hits its halfway mark on the seventh out of thirteen laps, Bastianini remains in the forefront, with Martin closely tailing Bagnaia's Ducati.

Following the leading quartet, Alex Marquez secures the fifth spot ahead of Binder, with Morbidelli, Di Giannantonio, and Bezzecchi trailing in the race for the last points-scoring positions.

As the race progresses to the sixth lap out of thirteen, Bastianini continues to hold a lead of 1.1 seconds. Meanwhile, Martin, currently in third place, records the quickest lap time of the race so far with a 1 minute and 29.554 seconds lap. However, Martin experiences a momentary setback as he overshoots the

Martin has closely caught up to Bagnaia. He's the sole Pramac competitor who can keep up with Bastianini's speed.

In the fifth lap out of thirteen, Martin has moved up to third place. Bastianini is now 1.1 seconds ahead of Bagnaia.

Martin makes a swift move to overtake Marquez on the inside as they approach the final corner, successfully maintaining his position at the peak.

Event:

Acosta experienced a crash at Turn 3. The rider is unharmed.

On the fourth lap out of thirteen, Bastianini is leading the pack impressively. He's managed to create a 0.9-second gap ahead of Bagnaia, while Marquez and Martin are not far off, closely trailing the world champion.

A review of the beginning reveals that Martin nearly collided with Marquez coming out of Turn 1, causing him to ease off the accelerator.

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2024 Thailand Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing, Buriram – Results from Saturday's Practice

The practice session results for Saturday at the Thailand Grand Prix in Buriram, which is the 18th round out of 20 in the 2024 global championship.

* Beginner

Recorded Achievements in Buriram MotoGP:

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Fastest circuit time: Marc Marquez achieved a time of 1 minute and 29.165 seconds in 202

Quickest lap time in the race: Marco Bezzecchi clocked 1 minute and 30.896 seconds (2023)

Marc Marquez leads the final practice session times for the 2024 Thai MotoGP in Buriram.

Franco Morbidelli leads the pack, followed closely by Francesco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, making it a Ducati-dominated top four, while Pedro Acosta emerges as the leading contender for KTM.

Owing to the increased temperature and pressure exerted on the tires, Buriram is one of the locations where Michelin opts for its more rigid rear constructions.

Marc Marquez started the session with fresh hard tyres on both the front and back, later transitioning to a previously used hard tyre on the front and a used medium tyre on the rear towards the close of the session.

This morning, the preferred tire setup was a hard front paired with a medium rear.

Miguel Oliveira remains out of action due to broken bones in his right wrist sustained in Mandalika, with Aprilia test pilot Lorenzo Savadori stepping in for him at Trackhouse.

The first qualifying session, intended for those riders who didn't make the top ten on Friday afternoon, is now set to start.

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Complete Qualifying Standings and Starting Positions for the Saturday Sprint and the primary Sunday event at the Thai MotoGP in Buriram, marking the 18th round (out of 20) in the 2024 global championship.

* Newcom

Official Records of MotoGP in Buriram:

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Fastest circuit time: Marc Marquez clocked at 1 minute and 29.165 seconds (2024)

Quickest lap time in the race: Marco Bezzecchi clocked in at 1 minute and 30.896 seconds (2023)

Francesco Bagnaia secures the top starting spot for the 2024 Thai MotoGP, setting a new lap record at the Buriram circuit, while his championship competitor Jorge Martin and the fastest rider in practice, Marc Marquez, both experienced falls during the Qualifying session.

Martin secured a position in the front row just ahead of Enea Bastianini, with Marquez ranking fifth, sandwiched between Marco Bezzecchi and a standout performance from Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo.

Owing to the increased temperature and pressure exerted on the tires, Buriram is one of the locations where Michelin opts for its more rigid rear constructions.

Due to sustained fractures in his right wrist from an incident in Mandalika, Miguel Oliveira remains unable to compete and his place at Trackhouse will be taken by Aprilia's test rider, Lorenzo Savadori.

The sprint race in Buriram is scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time.

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Fabio Quartararo described the Thai MotoGP Sprint as being "ruined" by an overtake from Brad Binder on the first lap. He explained, "On the opening lap, we went wide twice and ended up losing five or more positions…"

Fabio Quartararo ended the Thai MotoGP Sprint in 10th place after facing fierce competition early in the race from Brad Binder of KTM.

Quartararo lost several places during the opening lap after Binder overtook him at turn nine, causing the French rider to lose traction on the kerb as he exited the corner.

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Despite eventually bouncing back, Quartararo expressed disappointment over the way his race began.

"The day went well overall, except for the first lap when Brad Binder passed us a little too aggressively, causing me to lose several positions," Quartararo commented.

"The first quarter went well, and the second quarter was also positive. The speed during the sprint race was promising. However, as I mentioned, on the first lap, we went wide twice and ended up losing five or more positions."

"However, I believe we can be satisfied with the progress we achieved today, although that one overtake slightly impacted our race outcome."

Even though Quartararo experienced a challenging beginning to his race, he managed to recover and secure 10th place after initially falling to 15th during the early stages.

Quartararo explained that, at that moment, his speed was significantly quicker than the riders ahead of him, which allowed him to overtake them—something not typically seen from a Yamaha MotoGP racer.

"Naturally, when I got behind Marco Bezzecchi or Fabio Di Giannantonio to make a pass, I anticipated it would be somewhat more challenging. Nevertheless, I really had a good time during the race."

The 2021 World Champion stated that his ability to outshine his competitors was due to his superior braking skills.

When questioned about how he was gaining time, Quartararo responded, "It's on the braking."

"I pushed the front tire to its absolute limit, attempting to gain an advantage in this area. However, we primarily rely on the front brakes, and the rear lacks any grip."

"Fortunately, our bike allows me to sense precisely where the front reaches its limit."

<H2>Top Qualifying Performance of the Season

Prior to his recovery in the Sprint, Quartararo achieved his highest qualifying position of the season, placing sixth.

After progressing through Q1, he replicated his Q1 performance with a nearly identical time, securing sixth position in Q2.

Quartararo stated that they had pushed the motorcycle to its absolute limit.

"The threshold was reached. We achieved a time of 1:29.4 in both Q1 and Q2 — honestly, I couldn't push the bike any further."

During the qualifying session, Quartararo executed an impressive recovery when he nearly lost control of his bike at the entrance of turn five. Remarkably, he regained balance before either his knee or elbow touched the ground.

He attributed the issue to the hard-compound front tire, noting that it provides little feedback when leaning on the edge.

He mentioned that while the hard front tire provides a strong sense of confidence, it doesn't clearly indicate the limits of its grip.

"I nearly lost control of the front, but managed to stabilize it using my knee and elbow. It's uncommon to do this with a Yamaha because the front usually goes out quickly, but I was able to regain control in time."

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Marc Marquez reflects on the Thai MotoGP sprint, admitting he hadn't anticipated Enea Bastianini's performance. The Gresini team rider shares his thoughts after a race where he had hoped to secure a podium finish.

Marc Marquez mentioned that he "anticipated" securing a third-place finish in the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix sprint. However, he "didn't foresee" Enea Bastianini's speed that led to victory in the race.

After a fall during Q2, the Gresini racer secured the fifth position in qualifying but managed to keep pace with the frontrunners at the start, joining the fight for a podium finish.

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As the 13-lap sprint progressed, Marquez gradually fell out of the race for top positions. By the time they crossed the finish line, the eight-time world champion was trailing by three seconds behind Francesco Bagnaia, who finished in third place.

During Friday's practice, Marquez showcased impressive speed in terms of race pace, but was unexpectedly outperformed by Bastianini's commanding performance in the sprint.

During a Saturday media interaction, which included Crash.net, he expressed, "Honestly, I anticipated ending up in third place since I hadn't factored in Bastianini."

"He was the quickest during the qualifying session. However, when it came to practice with worn tires, he encountered some difficulties."

"During the race, the situation was reversed; he displayed incredible speed and maintained consistent performance throughout."

"We ended up securing the fourth spot. While it's possible that by taking more risks, we might still have ended in fourth but with a smaller gap. I felt confident in that position being mine, and tomorrow we aim to achieve it again."

Marquez states that for a chance to compete for the last spot on the podium, he must deliver an impeccable performance on Sunday. This is particularly crucial because he is falling behind the GP24s in the initial two segments of the race.

He mentioned that despite using the hard tires, their goal is to aim for fourth place and, with an impeccable race, attempt to secure third place.

"We're facing significant challenges in T1 and T2, and while I can manage for about five laps, during the sprint race it became clear that if I kept pushing this way, I would end up crashing."

"At times, it's important to grasp these concepts. Mistakes can happen, but I'll do my best to steer clear of them."

The Gresini racer nearly got into a physical altercation with Jorge Martin as they exited the first corner. This happened when the championship leader veered off the track in an attempt to seize the lead.

Martin and Marquez came close to colliding when Martin slowed his Pramac Ducati, but Marquez thinks Martin could have re-entered the track more safely.

He said he was fortunate to have anticipated that motion when he viewed the picture.

"He veered off the track, and fortunately, I avoided the curb because I anticipated he would return."

"He returned with a somewhat hopeful demeanor. Fortunately, I had anticipated that action to some extent, so no issues arose."

"He turned off the gas, but it's advisable to leave the track and return later since there's enough room at that corner."

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Maverick Vinales faces a challenging Thai MotoGP: ‘I’m somewhat scared to ride the bike’

Worries over grip create a discouraging outlook for Aprilia’s performance at the Thai Grand Prix.

Maverick Vinales expressed concerns about the grip issues with his Aprilia MotoGP motorcycle during the sprint race at the Thailand Grand Prix, which have left him “a bit apprehensive about riding the bike” on Sunday.

The Spanish rider started the race in 10th position on his RS-GP motorcycle on Saturday. However, during the 13-lap sprint, he fell back significantly and finished in 20th place.

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In general, the race proved challenging for Aprilia, with Raul Fernandez from Trackhouse achieving the highest position for the team in 14th place.

Vinales expresses concerns about the bike's "very low grip" and is especially anxious about his ability to maintain control of his Aprilia during the grand prix if he is required to use the hard rear tire option.

"I'm going to be frank, we can't get a feel for the bike at all," a disheartened Vinales expressed to reporters, as reported by Crash.net, on Saturday.

The grip level is extremely low. I'm quite concerned about tomorrow because if we have to race using the hard rear tire, it will be challenging just to stay on the motorcycle.

"Alright, let's take a look. I'm worried that this weekend will be challenging, but we'll make an effort to perform our best tomorrow."

When questioned by Crash.net about where he is experiencing a lack of traction, Vinales responded: "It's happening all over. There's nothing we can do."

"We attempt to relocate the bicycle, but it seems this particular bike isn't functioning properly on this path."

"We'll get another opportunity tomorrow, but to be frank, I'm a little nervous about getting on the bike, especially with the difficult or moderate conditions."

Throughout the season, Aprilia has struggled with grip issues, and according to Vinales, the Italian manufacturer has thoroughly revamped its motorcycle in search of a fix, but without success.

"We are quite empathetic," he mentioned.

"It's quite challenging for the team as well. The situation last year was distinct since the traction was reasonably good."

"When you start this year, you lack any traction. There's not a lot that can be adjusted on the motorcycle. You're using the same model as at the start of the year, and even if we experiment with different lengths, swingarms, or try altering the wheels or adjusting the front and back, the changes are minimal."

"It seems to be the bicycle that is causing the problem. It's not functioning properly."

Heat issues arise in Buriram

In recent years, Aprilia has faced challenges in managing heat during extremely hot races. This was evident for Aleix Espargaro, who was already dealing with injuries and managed only a 15th-place finish in the Thailand sprint.

Espargaro mentioned that he was feeling somewhat stiff and experiencing neck pain as a result of the accident.

"It was a challenging race as I was extremely fatigued following the crash, and the neck pain added to the difficulty. Additionally, the bike emitted a significant amount of heat, making it even harder."

"The heat problem is quite comparable, and it has been extremely challenging. We only did 13 laps today, so facing tomorrow will be tough. However, we have to deal with it."

Vinales noted that his experience on the bike exceeded his initial expectations, attributing this improvement to the cloudy weather conditions. Additionally, he mentioned that, unlike his teammate, he wasn't engaged in the intense competition of the main group.

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