A wild Friday finale: Pecco stuck in Q1, Honda dazzles, Ogura emerges as the top rookie in P9, and all five manufacturers advance to Q2.
Friday, 28 February 2025
What a day of scorching action in Thailand! Day 1 delivered an electrifying start to the season, packed with drama, rapid-fire developments, and plenty of stories to fuel the rest of the PT Grand Prix of Thailand. This marks the 25th venue to host the season opener, and the anticipation quickly transformed into unfolding narratives on the track. Leading the charge into Q2 was Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who outpaced his brother, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), while rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) secured a strong third-place finish.
Starting Strong: Practice Session Highlights
The session kicked off with high energy, as Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta swapped the top spot early on. Coming off a fast FP1 and a solid Buriram Test, the six-time MotoGP Champion in red got off to a powerful start, but the competition was fierce. The Honda contingent was right in the mix—Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) surged into first place with just 20 minutes remaining. Luca Marini and Joan Mir from Honda HRC Castrol maintained their impressive FP1 form, posting third and fifth places respectively as the clock ticked down. With less than a second separating the top 15, the intensity only grew as the day neared its close.
In the final 15 minutes, as everyone vied for a top-ten finish to secure direct entry into Q2, the pace began to waver. Acosta briefly reclaimed the top before Marc Marquez once again wrestled the lead. Alex Marquez trailed closely, moving into P2 with just ten minutes left, while Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) managed a brief surge ahead of Francesco Bagnaia, who eventually settled into P9 after a comeback.
Pecco’s Predicament: A Day to Forget
As the session’s final moments approached, the pressure was on for every rider to lock in a Q2 spot for Saturday morning. Unfortunately, yellow flags and cautious riding disrupted Pecco’s attempts. A series of yellow flags halted his initial charge for a faster lap, and with only minutes remaining, other competitors capitalized—leaving the double MotoGP World Champion outside the crucial top ten. Then, on his last flying lap, he encountered Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) at the exit of Turn 5, where the two clashed over riding lines. The altercation led to an investigation by the FIM MotoGP Stewards and resulted in a three-place grid penalty for Morbidelli. Bagnaia’s 13th-place finish in Practice has him frustrated, as it’s the first time he’s been in Q1 since Valencia in 2023.
Directly into Q2: A Different Marquez Dominates
Amid the chaos, the brothers Marquez emerged with contrasting fortunes—Alex Marquez edged his brother to claim the top spot, and both secured direct entry into Q2. Acosta continued his rapid performance, remaining the only KTM rider to book his Q2 spot outright. Additionally, despite a fall, Bezzecchi and Morbidelli also made it into Q2. Honda’s strength shone through once more as Joan Mir and Johann Zarco, for the first time since the 2023 Indian Grand Prix, secured Q2 spots directly in P6 and P9 respectively. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) managed to finish eighth, though a late incident saw his bike being wheeled to the service road after the chequered flag. Top rookie honors went to an impressive Ai Ogura, who became the third Aprilia to secure direct Q2 entry in P9 after his teammate Raul Fernandez charged to P7 on the final lap. For the first time since Indonesia in 2023, all five manufacturers have advanced directly to Q2 from Practice.
Big Names in Q1: The Battle Intensifies
Q1 promises to be fiercely competitive. While Pecco is still in the mix, many riders are eyeing their first big scalp of the season. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) has found his rhythm, whereas Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) had a tougher time; nevertheless, both secured Q2 spots. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP™) also battled his way through, despite suffering a fall at Turn 12 early on.
On his comeback after injury, Fabio Di Giannantonio finished P15, with Luca Marini not featuring in the final stretch for a top-ten finish. Meanwhile, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP™), Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP™), home hero Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU LCR Honda), and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) all ended up in Q1. Notably, Chantra faces an additional three-position grid penalty for impeding Alex Marquez by slowing him down.
With 18 riders packed within less than a second of each other, Sprint Saturday is set to deliver even more thrilling MotoGP action. Don’t miss what’s next as the season unfolds!
Moto2: Moreira edges out Gonzalez in a fiercely competitive practice session.
Friday in the Moto2™ class belonged to Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), as the Brazilian posted a 1:35.030 lap that just edged out the runaway session leader, Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), who was forced to settle for second after a late crash. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded off the top three, finishing just 0.198 seconds shy of Moreira’s best time.
As expected, a late burst of time attacks—aside from early leaders Gonzalez and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO)—decided the top 14. Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) made his mark with a standout ride, clocking a 1:35.259 on his tenth flying lap to secure fourth place, while 2024 Malaysian GP podium finisher Jorge Navarro (KLINT Forward Factory Team) completed an unexpectedly strong top five.
A last-lap surge from Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) propelled the British rider from P17 up to P7, as just three-tenths of a second separated the top spot from Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) in P11. Barry Baltus, who had been in second earlier, managed to hold on for the final automatic Q2 spot in P14, leaving race winners like Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun), Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team), and Tony Arbolino (Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha Moto2) just short of the cut.
Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) came within 0.8 seconds of the top, but ultimately ended Friday in P23. That’s how fiercely competitive Moto2 was—and it looks set to remain that way in 2025—as the season bursts into life in Buriram.
Next up: Free Practice 2 starts at 09:25 (UTC +7), followed by qualifying at 13:45.
Moto 3: Bertelle Shines, Clinching Friday Honours at Buriram
Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA) stole the spotlight in Moto3™ Practice at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand by setting the only lap under 1:41, positioning himself as the rider to beat heading into the first qualifying day of 2025. The Italian clocked an impressive 1:40.931—just a few tenths faster than fellow Italian Stefano Nepa’s (SIC58 Squadra Corse) best in P2—while Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) rounded out the top three as the lightweight class adapted to a fresh Friday afternoon schedule.
Following the MotoGP™ model, Friday’s Practice was crucial for riders aiming for a direct Q2 entry. With conditions tougher than the cooler morning session, lap times initially lagged behind expectations, but most riders found their stride as the session progressed. Bertelle himself broke into the 1:40 bracket on his 14th lap out of 17.
No one else came particularly close, with only Nepa, Rueda, and Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI)—the morning’s pace-setter—coming within three-tenths of Bertelle’s best. Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) completed the top five, solidifying his reputation as the 2024 Rookie of the Year now adapting to life as a KTM rider.
Despite a late crash at Turn 5, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) managed to secure a spot in the top 14, and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) recovered from a Turn 9 crash in FP1 to do the same. Unfortunately for home hero Tatchakorn Buasri, a fast exit from Turn 4 late in the session dashed his hopes of a first Q2 entry, leaving him in P16.
Free Practice 2 kicks off at 8:40 local time (UTC +7), followed by the first qualifying sessions of the season at 12:50.
Official MotoGP Press Release
