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

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 what is a crucial 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 go on to 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 would see the effort go away from him as he settled into second place, just ahead of a late improvement from Enea Bastianini as title contender Francesco Bagnaia on the second of the factory Ducatis slotted into fourth.

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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 was made to leave 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 would 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 slip off.

Main Information Additional Data Additional Data Driver Info Driver Info

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Main Information Additional Data 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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