2026 MotoGP Thai Grand Prix: Aprilia makes history amid tyre chaos

Marco Bezzecchi was victorious in the opening race of the 2026 MotoGP season at Buriram, rebounding after his crash out of the lead in the Sprint on Saturday.

Bezzecchi was almost peerless en route to victory at Buriram, winning by over five seconds in the end. Leading from lights-to-flag, this first win of 2026 came after victories in both of the last two races of 2025, meaning both he and Aprilia are now on a three-race MotoGP win streak – records for both.

Pedro Acosta took second place, although this long seemed to be destined for Raul Fernandez. The Trackhouse Aprilia rider was over two seconds clear in second place in the middle portion of the race, but he faded late on and dropped behind Acosta.

Acosta arrived at Fernandez with Marc Marquez in-tow. The pair had previously been battling with Jorge Martin, but were able to get through after the first 10 laps as Martin started to drop back.

Acosta had better pace than Marquez for most of the mid-part of the race, but Marquez started upping his pace as they neared Fernandez. However, just as Acosta was lining up to pass Fernandez, Marquez ran wide at turn four and suffered a rear puncture and wheel rim damage.

That marked the end of Marquez’s race, but for Fernandez it meant a preservation of his podium chances, ultimately coming home behind second-placed Acosta but three seconds ahead of Jorge Martin in fourth.

Ai Ogura made it four Aprilias in the top-five, Acosta the only non-Aprilia there on his KTM, while Fabio Di Giannantonio was the lead Ducati in sixth. (This was the first race since Silverstone 2021 that Ducati did not have a bike on the podium.)

 Brad Binder was seventh on the second KTM, just ahead of Franco Morbidelli who passed Francesco Bagnaia for eighth at the final corner. Bagnaia took ninth, and Luca Marini rounded out the top-10.

Alex Marquez was the only rider to crash out of the race, doing so a lap after his brother retired with the puncture, the Gresini rider going down at the same turn that Marc Marquez's rear tyre deflation became apparent: turn four. Joan Mir also retired with a tyre issue having climbed up to sixth place.

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