Practice report

MotoGP Thailand GP: Marquez tops second practice with new lap record

Marquez carries his Australia form into Thailand as he sets the fastest time in second practice

Marc Marquez ended the opening day of action for the Thailand Grand Prix atop the timesheets with a new MotoGP lap record to his name at the Chang International Circuit.

The Gresini Ducati rider, who won last time out in Australia, left it until his final time attack to hit the front with a 1m29.165s to outpace championship leader Jorge Martin in Buriram.

With Ducati once again commanding the pace as it locked out the top four positions, Pramac's Martin had looked good to get the weekend off to a flying start as he lowered the erstwhile record benchmark with his 1m29.275s lap in the closing minutes.

However, Marquez would come in below that as the seconds ticked down, allowing the six-time MotoGP world champion to complete Friday in front.

Martin did go again to lap quicker through the opening splits, but the time went away from him as he settled into second place, just ahead of a late improvement from Enea Bastianini.

Title contender Francesco Bagnaia, on the second of the factory Ducatis, slotted into fourth.

Jorge Martin, Pramac Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Maverick Vinales broke up the Ducati run with the fifth fastest time on the Aprilia, ahead of Pramac Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli, while Tech3 GasGas's Pedro Acosta left it late for the lap that put him safely inside the top ten and therefore a Q2 spot in seventh.

It was the same case for Gresini's Alex Marquez, who is joined by VR46's Marco Bezzecchi and top Honda rider Johann Zarco in assuring a spot in the pole-deciding session on Saturday morning.

Those who will need to go again in Q1 include Brad Binder and Jack Miller on the factory KTMs, the pair being split by Fabio Quartararo on the best of the Yamahas in 12th.

Elsewhere, Aleix Espargaro ventured back onto track despite his heavy fall during FP1, but the Spaniard cut his afternoon short before it was announced he would take a trip to hospital to undergo further checks for injuries sustained in the last corner tumble.

MotoGP Thailand GP Second Practice Results:

1 - 2
Cla	Rider	#	Bike	Laps	Time	Interval	km/h	Speed Trap
1	M. Marquez Gresini Racing	93	Ducati	25	1'29.165		183.865
2	J. Martin Pramac Racing	89	Ducati	26	+0.110 1'29.275	0.110	183.639
3	E. Bastianini Ducati Team	23	Ducati	23	+0.309 1'29.474	0.199	183.230
4	F. Bagnaia Ducati Team	1	Ducati	21	+0.195 1'29.360		183.464
5	M. Viñales Aprilia Racing Team	12	Aprilia	24	+0.341 1'29.506	0.146	183.165
6	F. Morbidelli Pramac Racing	21	Ducati	24	+0.384 1'29.549	0.043	183.077
7	P. Acosta Tech 3	31	KTM	24	+0.559 1'29.724	0.175	182.720
8	A. Marquez Gresini Racing	73	Ducati	23	+0.448 1'29.613		182.946
9	M. Bezzecchi Team VR46	72	Ducati	28	+0.455 1'29.620	0.007	182.932
10	J. Zarco Team LCR	5	Honda	23	+0.517 1'29.682	0.062	182.805
11	B. Binder Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	33	KTM	25	+0.518 1'29.683	0.001	182.803
12	F. Quartararo Yamaha Factory Racing	20	Yamaha	24	+0.591 1'29.756	0.073	182.655
13	J. Miller Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	43	KTM	23	+0.672 1'29.837	0.081	182.490
14	R. Fernández Trackhouse Racing Team	25	Aprilia	24	+0.692 1'29.857	0.020	182.449
15	T. Nakagami Team LCR	30	Honda	25	+0.903 1'30.068	0.211	182.022
16	F. Di Giannantonio Team VR46	49	Ducati	21	+0.834 1'29.999		182.162
17	L. Marini Repsol Honda Team	10	Honda	26	+0.973 1'30.138	0.139	181.881
18	A. Rins Yamaha Factory Racing	42	Yamaha	26	+1.033 1'30.198	0.060	181.760
19	J. Mir Repsol Honda Team	36	Honda	24	+1.052 1'30.217	0.019	181.721
20	A. Fernandez Tech 3	37	KTM	22	+1.264 1'30.429	0.212	181.295
21	L. Savadori Trackhouse Racing Team	32	Aprilia	20	+2.333 1'31.498	1.069	179.177
22	A. Espargaro Aprilia Racing Team	41	Aprilia	12	+2.218 1'31.383		179.403
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