The 2026 MotoGP World Championship is officially underway following an incredible PT Grand Prix of Thailand! Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) secured a lights-to-flag on Sunday, stunning the field and crossing the line 5.543s clear of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). The KTM rider now leads the Championship after an unforgettable weekend, while Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) rounded out the podium. Now that the first 37 points of the season are handed out, catch up on the hottest talking points from Buriram!
"I can’t wait to go to Brazil!"
Bezzecchi has already added his name to the winner’s list this year following an impressive ride in Thailand. The Italian star narrowly clinched pole on Saturday and charged hard in the Sprint before an opening-lap crash put him out of contention. The #72 bounced back on Sunday, leading every single lap to grab the all-important 25 points. After a simply astonishing performance, Bezzecchi remains grounded as he turns his attention to Brazil.
Bezzecchi: "After yesterday, it was important to reset and try to bounce back in the race. I knew my pace was good, and I knew if I started strong and stayed calm, it would be possible to get a small gap in the beginning. Fortunately, my strategy was good, and I was able to manage the gap, which was not easy as tyre wear proved to be critical.
"The guys did a wonderful job over winter, but in the end, it's only the first race. We must stay calm, we must stay focused and keep our heads down to try and work in the best way possible. We know that we will struggle at some point; it’s normal, everyone does, so let’s approach race by race. I can’t wait to go to Brazil! I’ve been asking Franky since last summer about the vibes, the music and everything, so I’m very happy to go there."
"It was super close to a massive crash"
Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) endured a rollercoaster Buriram weekend, scoring just nine points. The reigning MotoGP World Champion launched from second position, fighting hard in the Sprint before a final corner incident on the penultimate lap handed the #93 a drop one-position penalty. Sunday had its own challenges too, with Marc Marquez suffering a late rear puncture – ending his Grand Prix. Reacting to the weekend, the #93 remains happy overall as he analyses the 'strange' incident.
Marc Marquez: "Super strange because normally on double kerbs you need to be careful when you jump in, but when you jump out, they aren’t meant to create those issues on the bike. But when you jump in, you need to be careful, which is normal. Even in the test, I jumped many times out there, and many other riders also did in Practice. This time, when I jumped out, the rim, the rear tyre just exploded, but I am happy because it was super close to a massive crash.
"It was a good weekend; we finished second yesterday in qualifying and second in the Sprint, and today the podium was something which was realistic. I am happy with the performance, but we need to improve."
"Super great battle"
Championship leader and a first-ever Sprint win? Definitely a weekend to remember for Pedro Acosta! The #37 struck gold on Saturday, later backing up his performance with P2 in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Acosta now becomes the first KTM rider in history to lead the MotoGP World Championship as he reflects on his on-track battles and how the standings look leaving Thailand.
Acosta: "I wanted to start the year in the same way that I finished last year, trying to fight for the top five. The feeling after Warm Up wasn’t great, and we said, 'Okay, boys, maybe it’s not the race that we dreamed of, but we have to finish inside the top five, as that is our target.' We are having some good races and not making too many mistakes compared to last year.
"It was a super great battle with Marc yesterday and a super great battle with Jorge today. I enjoy these types of races, even if we were losing time, I was enjoying it a lot. I then had more pace, and I was catching Raul, so I tried to manage the fuel a bit more, and then I said, 'Okay, seven laps to go, it’s now or never!'"
"Thanks to the team"
There are encouraging signs over at the Trackhouse MotoGP Team, clinching a double top-five finish on Sunday. Raul Fernandez was the standout performer this weekend, carrying his form into the 2026 season. The Spaniard had to work hard, holding onto the final spot on the podium as teammate Ai Ogura took the flag in P5. It’s Ogura’s second season in the premier class, with positive signs to take as Trackhouse continues to make headlines.
Fernandez: "I am very happy! Thanks to the team, Aprilia and my family. I feel like a very lucky boy as I’m working with them and they always believe in me. Now I remember how difficult the first part of last year was and how we changed the situation altogether. The race was good, we managed well, and I felt comfortable with the bike. I still haven’t got everything under control, but we are on the right path. I feel strange as I was in second place until the last six laps, but I had problems with the rear tyre as the tyre was almost done."
Ogura: "I'm not feeling good, I'm disappointed for myself. If we could have a better first part, we could have a better race, I think. But it’s like this, and there are a few positives to take."
"Positive weekend"
It was a special day for Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR), who crossed the line in P13 to wrap his first weekend as a MotoGP rider. The #11 worked his way from P15 on the grid, finishing ahead of some big names and leaving Thailand with an abundance of positives. The Brazilian looked at his performances this weekend as he sets his sights on his home Grand Prix in Goiania!
Moreira: "I would say it was a positive weekend and a positive race for us. At the beginning, I was trying to follow the group, and I learnt a lot. After that, I started to struggle a bit as my tyre began to drop off. But I think it is normal, as it’s my first long race, so we need to keep understanding, but I would say it was positive for us.
"It’ll be nice, in the end, there’ll be all my family and friends there, so it’ll be a nice weekend. We need to keep working and stay focused on the weekend, as I know the track a bit, so I think we can have a good weekend, but we’ll see!"