Two wins on the bounce had given Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) some serious momentum in Moto2™, but a mistake at MotorLand Aragon has seen the Spaniard slip to third overall and over 40 points off the top - now leapfrogged by Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up). Is time running out for those on the chase to catch Marquez? Mathematically, it isn't, but it would likely need some serious drama to intervene in the rest of the races to really derail the story of the season so far.
That story, ultimately, is one of consistency. Marquez has lost out once through a mistake of his own, and he's reaping the rewards of the combination of speed and settling when it's necessary. Navarro just behind him has been a fairly consistent presence each race weekend too, although he's yet to stand on the top step. That means that if Marquez does start to feel the pressure, Navarro could end up challenging for the crown from the rare position of not being a race winner...yet.
Others have seared their way to glory, however, and there's something to be said for reeling in the wins - that's what put Fernandez where he is. And Brad Binder's (Red Bull KTM Ajo) two wins in the latter half of the season have helped put him just 53 points down, in fifth. Given an incredibly tough start to the season for Austrian factory KTM, that's something to really write home about - and the tracks coming next get the South African grinning.
Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP), meanwhile, is still looking for a bit more of his early season form. The Swiss rider has kept reeling in the points, but he's not been on the charge like we've seen. Can he bounce back as we head into the flyaways? Will teammate Marcel Schrötter mix it up with the frontrunners again once he's back from injury? And what of Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), the only man on the grid who's previously been on the podium at the track?
Home hero Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), though, will likely have most of the crowd on his side. There may be a title fight happening at the top, but the intermediate class rookie will be the true hero of the hour for the Thai crowd. Last year he took an impressive top ten in Moto3™, what can he do in 2019? Tune in for the PTT Thailand Grand Prix from the 4th to 6th October to find out as Moto2™ take on Buriram - with the final twists and turns in the Championship awaiting on the flyaways.