MotoGP overloads on the ‘Bezz’ buzz as 2026 gets underway at the Thai Grand Prix
MotoGP lunged into a Thai twister to open the 78th year of motorcycle Grand Prix and Marco Bezzecchi was one of the stars of the show at the first of 22 rounds. Buriram burned with sunshine, rubber and race fuel. 2026 is the final roar of the current 1000cc 225mph prototype bikes: for 2027 MotoGP will pivot to a new 850cc formula. Regardless of fire-breathers’ spec, over 91,000 spectators sought shade and excitement at the flat and fast Chang International Circuit as the world’s quickest and most popular motorcycle racing series raised the exhaust notes. There was little disappointment.
Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi owned most of the headlines and hype in the opening exchanges of the Grand Prix – the second year in a row the busy and impressive Thai stage pulled back the curtains on the championship. The Italian had set the benchmark at the pre-season test and then seared to Pole Position on Saturday, cementing expectations.
Marco was frustrated by a slip in the Sprint that deflated the cushion of hope, but he was determined to right the formbook for the full 26-lap distance on Sunday. World Champion Marc Marquez provided the entertainment factor in a thrilling and controversial scrap with Pedro Acosta that was decided on the final corner. MotoGP was bubbling.
The air almost boiled mercury on Sunday due to high 50-degree temperatures on track that left some riders with burnt fingers from the sizzling metallic levers. Bezzecchi only increased the heat by making a rapier start and staring at a clean track from the outset. There was no repeat of the Saturday error, and the 26-year-old preserved his rear tyre rubber to the flag. Marquez meanwhile was undone by a broken rear wheel. Bezz added his Thai success to those of his GP wins in Portugal and Valencia at the tail end of 2025 and is now unbeaten in three.
“It was super-important to bounce back in the best way after yesterday,” he said in the air-cooled press conference. “Here, the wear of the rear tyre is really high, so it was not easy at all. But the guys in the [Aprilia Racing] garage made a wonderful job. Let’s try to keep ourselves calm and focused and make every weekend what we can.”
Bezz only briefly had the dayglow flashes of VR46 Ducati pairing Fabi Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli in his peripheral vision. Franco produced one of the best performances from the 22-rider field by overcoming a tricky first lap and barrelling back from 19th to 8th. ‘Diggia’ had a technical issue from lap seven that nullified his threat and top four pace through the whole weekend: the Italian had to be content with a salvage operation in 6th.
Countryman and former world champion Francesco Bagnaia had a turbulent qualification program on the factory Ducati, and the Italian had to plot a way into the top ten from the fourth row of the grid. Pecco toiled with grip and was mugged by Franco on the last corner. 9th position was the sum of his efforts.
Buriram was a fiery baptism for Monster Energy Yamaha and the Japanese firm with their brand-new V4 M1 motorcycle. Riders like Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins and Jack Miller are making their first rapid miles with the bike and less than a year before Yamaha will pivot again to the new 850cc formula. The Frenchman, Spaniard and Australian had to focus on refinement and improvement rather than a 100% dash for results. Yamaha’s yawing ambition was matched by the size of their engineering effort, but the opening foray for the V4 on Sunday afternoon was rewarded with a top 15 placing for Quartararo as the public development journey begins.
MotoGP now embarks on a trek to Brazil for the first time in more than two decades. The dash around the red-dirt of Goiania and the Ayrton Senna Circuit on March 20-22 then tees-up the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas the following weekend for two unmissable dates on the calendar. Samba to BBQ and more motorsport cooking.
