Over two days at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand, the Buriram MotoGP Test was the final opportunity for teams and riders before the first race of the season. Testing fairings, setting fast speeds, and pushing limits, it certainly raised a few good talking points to keep us occupied. As we count down to the Thai Grand Prix, we’ve compiled a complete breakdown of the final tests to get you ready.
Triple Crash for Marc Márquez
As well as being under the weather in the final testing weekend before the Thai GP, Marc Márquez crashed not once, not twice, but three times over the two days. Considering his extensive surgical history and the one crash during the Sepang MotoGP Test, the risk is much higher for the #93 to sustain yet another injury before the year is out. But then again, he wouldn’t be the all-or-nothing rider we’ve come to expect over the years.
Despite these incidents, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider is clearly feeling good with himself. Judging by the times set in Sprint and race simulations, the Spaniard isn’t about to give up the chance of back-to-back titles without a fight.
Yamaha Troubles Persist a Week Before First Race
Once again, we were left wanting after the lack of performance showcased by the new Yamaha V4-powered engines. For the majority of the time across all four sessions, riders from the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP and Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP were stuck at the bottom of the timeboard. Thankfully, there was only one technical issue with rookie Toprak Razgatlıoğlu‘s bike, rather than the ones that took them out for an entire day in Sepang. But it’s clear that not everyone is convinced that they will be race contenders this year. That includes Fabio Quartararo, who made some interesting comments to the media.
“We can see we are seven, eight tenths slower than last year’s race simulation in the test. But I think it’s a long process and we need a few more months to be ready.” – Fabio Quartararo on the results of the Buriram MotoGP Test.
Unfortunately, Yamaha doesn’t have that much time left. After breaking down which riders clocked times under 1:30s, not one Yamaha rider appeared on the list for the majority of sessions. It was only within the last twenty minutes of Day 2 Session 2 that things changed, courtesy of Jack Miller and Quartararo. Does this mean that the promise of the V4s is finally being delivered? Until we see that machine in full-out race conditions, there’s no real way to know. But odds are, we won’t see much improvement until we get through a few races.
Honda, Aprilia, or KTM: Who Can Dethrone Ducati?
Based on the combined top ten laps from the entire weekend, it is clear that a shift is occurring. Whilst there were several Ducati riders consistently in the mix, so were those from Aprilia Racing and Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Individual personal bests from Joan Mir, Pedro Acosta, Johann Zarco, and Brad Binder. While the Ducati GP26 is strong, it appears to have many more contenders to battle with than previous models, where it was the dominating machine. Not to mention, the 2026 season marks the end of an era.
Have Testing Results Impacted Contract Decisions?
Though the main objective of the weekend at the Chang International Circuit was testing, it was not the only thing talked about in the paddock. Continual speculation of the 2027 rider line-up was on everyone’s lips, particularly directed at the Ducati Lenovo Team camp. In an interview, Francesco Bagnaia revealed that decisions had been made and that announcements were on the horizon.
A lot of the conversation about 2027 has flared up around testing, first at Sepang and then at Buriram a week out from the Thai GP. With Yamaha’s disappointing performance and the impressive times from Aprilia, perhaps this helped make easier decisions behind closed doors. It’s been a long time since we’ve had so many spots open for a ride. However, it is highly unusual for there to be so much talk about riders jumping to other teams before the first race. There’s still an entire season to ride with their current team, making things just a tad awkward. Will Bagnaia and Bezzecchi be together at Aprilia? Is Quartararo jumping the Yamaha ship to Honda? And what of the Márquez brothers? If the rumours are to be believed, all will be revealed any day now. As Bagnaia stated, let’s wait and see.
Looking Ahead to the Season Opener
Given all the conversation and results, 2026 is already shaping up to be a unique season before it even begins. But the real question is: who will be taking the first win in the Tissot Sprint and the main feature race? Look out for our Thai GP Preview to get all the details of what to expect.