Francesco Bagnaia Jorge Martin , Sprint Race, Portuguese MotoGP, 25 March
Francesco Bagnaia Jorge Martin , Sprint Race, Portuguese MotoGP, 25 March

2023 MotoGP Thailand: Friday practice - LIVE UPDATES

Reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia holds a 27-point lead over Jorge Martin heading into the Thai MotoGP, after the Pramac Ducati rider’s costly soft tyre gamble backfired ♉on the final lap at Phillip Island.

Miguel Oliveira took his final victory for KTM in last year’s wet Buriram race, ahead of Ducati team-mates Jack Miller and Bagnaia, with Martin just ninth. But it had been VR46 rookie Marco Bezzecchi who took pole position from Martin and Bagnaia in t🐽he dry.

Wet weather ꦕis again a threat for all three days of this year’s❀ grand prix weekend.

Alex Rins, who withdrew from Phillip Island due to ongoing pain from his Mugello leg fractures, will miss Thailand after undergoing further surgery.
 

10:02
Martin fastest, Bagnaia in the top ten

That's it! Martin finishes top ahead of Vinales🍨, Aleix Espargaro, Zarco, Mari🐈ni and Bezzecchi. 

09:59

He's down. Martin has crashed at turn🐷 three moments after going fastest. 

09:58

Martin does it again! He goes top as we enter the final couple of⭕ minutes. 

09:53

Bagnaia goes six▨th. Crucial lap from the reigning world champion.

09:50

🃏What a lap f🧔rom Vinales as he breaks into the 1m 29s barrier.

09:48

M📖arquez has jumped onto the back of Martin for third time in this session.

09:47

Mist𒆙ake from Oliveira costs him a top ten spot as he goes 15th with his latest lap. 

09:42

Bagnaia is back outside of the top ten as the time ไattacks run✃s are beginning to take shape. 

09:41

The two Gresini riders are having another great session as Di Giannantonio has gone second, one place ahead of Marquez.&nbs෴p;

09:37

Marquez is following Martin again with just over 20 minutes remaining. The Ho𝔉nda rider has fitted a new medium rear tyre. 

09:34

Correction, Marq⛄uez was hit by a part of M🦋artin's Ducati. 

09:31

That's a painful one for Marc Marquez - the Honda rider has ꦗjust been hit in his right shoulder by one of the pit lane bollards that was clipped by Jorge Martin.&n🌊bsp;

09:26

Racing has started early as Maverick Vinales has gone through on Marc Marquez at the f🐬inal corner.

09:19

Mistake from Bagnaia at turn three. 

09:15

The final sector is proving challenging as several riders have had head shakes coming🃏 out of the penultimate turn. 

09:09

Alex Marquez goes q♛uickest with a time o🅰f 1:30.728s.

09:07

It's🎐 a battle of the Fabios at the moment as Quartararo leads Di Giannantonio.

09:05

Francesco Bagnaia has made a swift return to pit lane due to꧟ a small issue w🙈ith his bike. 

09:00

Practice 2 is underway at Buriram!

08:55

Jorge Martin was fastest in FP1 with Francesco ꦿBagnaia in tenth. 

08:54

Good morning and welcome back to the Thai MotoGP. Practice 2 is coming up at 9am UK time.&nb𝐆sp;

05:41

Brad Binder was an🦩other to light up the rear tyre during a practice start.

05:40
05:40

Marquez's practice sta💞rt෴s goes a lot better the second time around.