MotoGP™ has made its return to Buriram after a three-year absence, and Saturday qualifying threw up a few surprises. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) will lead the grid at lights out, becoming the second rookie to do so this year while he also secured a first-ever pole position for VR46 Racing in the premier class. It's set to be a thrilling spectacle, so why not warm up for the Thai GP by sinking your teeth into the 10 juicy facts below!
1- Marco Bezzecchi took his maiden pole position in MotoGP™ by setting a new all-time lap record at Buriram, while also becoming the second rookie to qualify on pole position so far this year along with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) at the Italian GP. This is the first time there have been two rookies (or more) on pole position in a single premier class season since 2006; Dani Pedrosa, Chris Vermeulen and Casey Stoner did it back then, and they didn't have half bad careers in the end.
2- Bezzecchi became the 10th different polesitter since the opening race of the season in Qatar, extending the record for the highest number of different polesitters in a single premier class season (since pole positions began to be officially recorded in 1974).
3- This is Ducati’s 13th pole position so far this season, extending the Bologna factory’s record in a single MotoGP™ season.
4- With Marco Bezzecchi, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), this is the 37th successive race where there is at least one Ducati rider within the top three in qualifying. This is the sixth time so far this year Ducati have locked out the top three in qualifying.
5- Championship leader, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who was on pole position last time at Buriram and finished the race in second, has qualified fourth. This is the sixth successive time he has missed out on the front row. He will be aiming to end his winless run that stretches back to the German GP.
6- Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) has qualified sixth which is the eighth time so far this year he has qualified within the front two rows. All of his four MotoGP™ wins came after qualifying on the front two rows.
7- Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) has qualified seventh for the second successive time following Japan, where he won the race. He will be aiming to take back-to-back MotoGP™ wins for a second time, having done it at the Spanish and French GPs last year.
8- After passing through Q1 for the second in Buriram along with 2018 (on his way to taking the pole), Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has qualified eighth and will be aiming to maintain his 100% record at the track, taking two wins from two.
9- Third in the Championship, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) missed out on Q2 and has qualified 13th, equalling his worst qualifying result so far from the Americas GP. His best MotoGP™ result at Buriram is P13 in 2018.
10- With Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) who qualified 17th, this is the second time so far this year neither of the two full-time Aprilia riders have not managed to join Q2. The other occasion was at the Americas GP.
We're set to go racing once again in Thailand, with lights out in the premier class race at 15:00 local time. Make sure you tune in then!