11:21 - Not too much to report if truth be told. Lunch time is beginning to appear on the horizon which is splendid news, while on track, a handful of riders out there doing longer stints and general test work instead of going for out and out lap times. 

10:40 - He might be feeling a little second hand after potentially over doing it on the spice a day or two ago, as some of us have done as well, but that hasn't slowed the reigning champ down. MM93 goes fastest with a 1:28.836, 0.047s faster than teammate Pecco. 

10:16 - Bagnaia now goes P1 ahead of potential future teammate (we'll know very soon, see below) Bezzecchi. The #63 lands a 1:28.883, pretty much half a second faster than the double MotoGP World Champion managed at the 2025 Buriram Test. Maybe just whisper it as we're still in pre-season, but Pecco might well be back...

Get ready for some 2027 riders' market announcements! 🔜💣💥#BuriramTest pic.twitter.com/rfZOgbAtzO

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) February 21, 2026

10:10 - It's a lively one this morning! We're into the 1:28s thanks to Bezzecchi's scorching 1:28.952, with Acosta and Pecco both less than a tenth back. The lap record I hear you ask? A 1:28.700, held by Pecco from 2024. Elsewhere, both Di Giannantonio and Toprak Razgatlioglu have encountered tech issues in the opening 45 minutes. 

09:30 - Winner of the so-called 'Rins Cup'... Mr Maverick Viñales. KTM stablemate Pedro Acosta and Aprilia Racing's Marco Bezzecchi complete the podium. We're underway in Buriram!

09:20, DAY 2 - Here we go then, the final day of 2026 pre-season testing has arrived and as you might have seen yesterday, we're going green 30 minutes earlier than what we've been used to. On the menu: time attacks, race simulations, and plenty of iced coffee to keep us ticking over. Not a bad way to spend Sunday.

Ready to run more circles around Chang. #Trackhouse #BuriramTest pic.twitter.com/XYnjq17qa4

— Trackhouse MotoGP (@TrackhouseMoto) February 22, 2026

HIGHLIGHTS from the penultimate day of pre-season testing 

HIGHLIGHTS: Marquez 1-2, Quartararo furious as Buriram Test Day 1 ends

All the headlines, stories and in some cases, fallout from the penultimate day of pre-season testing

18:30 - That's a wrap then on Day 1. The chequered flag has waved and practice starts are done. Now time for the rider reaction to begin filtering in from what has been an intriguing day in Thailand. Speaking of, Jorge Martin has already had his say on his comeback!

"Much better than expected" - Martin makes long-awaited return

The 2024 World Champion got his first taste of on-track action in 2026 at the Buriram Test, with the Aprilia rider delivering a positive assessment of Day 1 in Thailand

17:49 - That's more like it from the reigning World Champion: Marc Marquez goes up to P2 to make it a Marquez 1-2. Elsewhere, Morbidelli has also come up the order into third - not bad for Franky!

17:30 - We've had another red flag for a while now for track conditions at T1. No drama, work completed for the field to head back out. Now we're into the final half hour, is anyone going to try to push and lay down the gauntlet? 

16:32 - A minute to catch our breath as there's a pause with a red flag - it's just a check in on the air fence at Turn 1. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez has stamped some authority on the timesheets. The #73 is now a neat 0.200 ahead of Bez, whereas Marc Marquez didn't actually move up from P6 yet. 

16:05 - Checking in again. At the top there's no change, but we now have Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in second, 0.181 off Bez at the top. Marc Marquez just put in a red first sector though...

15:35 - Bezzecchi has upped the ante. A new fastest time of the day so far has been slotted home by the Italian, with the benchmark now a 1:29.462. 

15:15 - A few more riders now back out on track, including Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez and Brad Binder. Oh, and the iced coffee went down a treat. 

15:00 - Fancy a catch up on what we've seen this morning? Of course you do. Look no further: Midday Live Day 1 from Buriram. 

14:22 - We may have accidently lied, but now we're not again. It's all gone quiet again with Fernandez, Quartararo and Pirro back in the box. An iced coffee break calls. 

13:42 - We seem to have lied to you momentarily. Raul Fernandez headed out to do one more run and then came back in. And now Fabio Quartararo is out on track enjoying some solo ride time.

13:15 - All quiet on the eastern front. Riders have done their practice start session and headed back in. If we engaged in responsible gambling we'd bet it may be lunchtime. Bagnaia still leads Martin and Marini ahead of a second push this afternoon. Stay tuned!

12:31 - Another crash. This time it's Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) who has gone down at Turn 8 just before lunch. 

Lunch break at #BuriramTest 🇹🇭🔥#ForzaDucati #DucatiLenovoTeam pic.twitter.com/1ENXY2srlp

— Ducati Corse (@ducaticorse) February 21, 2026

12:23 - Then almost immediately, Marc Marquez has crashed again. This time it's Turn 5 for the #93, rider ok again. MARQUEZ IN CRISIS headlines are being prepped across the tabloids of the land but we'll keep it a little calmer given he is already riding round again and it's one morning of one test. 

12:22 - A crash now, for 2025 Thai GP standout Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team). He's taken a tumble at Turn 1, rider ok...

12:13 - And now it's Pecco! The #63 has been a key player near the top all morning so far and he's just pulled 0.135 ahead of Martin.

12:03 - MARTINATOR MODE: ON! Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) has just edged himself to the top of the timesheets for the first time in a long, long while. Great to see the 2024 World Champion out on track and fighting fit. He's now ahead of a stunner from Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) in second too, with the two split by 0.027. A 1:28.813 is the fastest lap now.

A steady start to the #BuriramTest, just checking a few things from Sepang to start the day.

🅿️3️⃣ for @Luca_Marini_97 right now
🅿️1️⃣5️⃣ for @JoanMirOfficial

Plenty of laps still to come 🏁 pic.twitter.com/xZRTdbmpXz

— Honda HRC Castrol - MotoGP (@HRC_MotoGP) February 21, 2026

11:43 - Acosta is joined by Pecco in the 1:29 club, and it's the Italian who now sits quickest in the early stages of Day 1 here in Thailand. 0.024s is the gap between the Ducati and KTM riders. 

11:33 - A change at the top. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is the first to have a gander into the 1:29s. The #37 is now 0.199s clear at the summit thanks to a 1:29.952. 

11:00 - First hour in the books! Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) sits P3, 0.258s away from MM93, with Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) rounding out the top five. And a little further down in P8, it's a welcome return to action for 2024 World Champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) - good to see the #89 back. 

10:50 - Gravel trap to P1 for the champ. Marquez lands a 1:30.151 to go top just before 11 am local time, with teammate Francesco Bagnaia 0.121s in P2 so far. 

10:20 - Not an ideal start for the World Champion. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) lost the front early at the final corner to endure a crash within the first half an hour of the test, and while the bike looked pretty second hand, thankfully the #93 is all good. 

10:05 - Here we go then, the Buriram Test is alive and kicking, with Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) winning the race to be first out of pit lane. 

09:45 - Good morning MotoGP fans! Hope you're well and ready for bikes to be on track again. It's great to be back in Buriram as we get set for two crucial days of scorching (literally) test action at the Chang International Circuit, with the track going green very shortly.