Bezzecchi Secures Pole Position at Season-Opening Thailand MotoGP
Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing claimed pole position for the MotoGP season-opening sprint and grand prix in Thailand on Saturday, setting a blistering pace at the Buriram circuit. The defending world champion, Marc Marquez of Ducati Lenovo Team, will start alongside him in second place, just 0.035 seconds behind.
Bezzecchi secured his spot with a lap time of 1:28.652, narrowly edging out Marquez’s 1:28.687. The qualifying session saw a tight battle at the front, with Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse MotoGP Team earning a front-row start in third position, making it two Aprilias and one Ducati in the top three. This sets the stage for an exciting race as the 2026 season gets underway.
The first MotoGP qualifying session of the year saw Raul Fernandez lead Franco Morbidelli of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team by 0.3 seconds after the initial flying laps. However, the reigning world champion, Francesco Bagnaia, faced a challenge and ultimately qualified in 13th position.
Despite a late crash at Turn 12, Bezzecchi held onto his pole position. Autosport reports that the Aprilia rider was already on pace to improve his time when the incident occurred.
Fernandez secured his third-place start with a time of 1:28.876, ensuring a strong Aprilia presence at the front of the grid. The qualifying results demonstrate Aprilia’s early dominance, but Marquez’s impressive performance signals a strong challenge from Ducati. MotoGP.com details the intense competition throughout the session.
The Thailand Grand Prix promises a thrilling start to the 2026 MotoGP season, with Bezzecchi and Marquez poised to battle for the lead.
