Get ready for a thrilling MotoGP season opener in Thailand! But here's a twist: should Ducati really be panicking if Marco Bezzecchi dominates the Thai GP? Alex Marquez, the Gresini rider, thinks not.
Aprilia has been the talk of the town, with Bezzecchi smashing the circuit record during Friday's practice, despite the rain. He lapped the Buriram track in an impressive 1m28.526s, leaving the reigning world champion, Marc Marquez, and the rest of the pack in his wake.
Bezzecchi's dominance is no fluke. He ended the 2025 season with back-to-back wins in Portimao and Valencia. But here's where it gets controversial: would Aprilia have maintained this momentum if Marc Marquez hadn't been injured in the Indonesian Grand Prix?
Speaking after Bezzecchi's record-breaking lap, Alex Marquez stressed that this weekend's performance shouldn't be the sole determinant of the 2026 season's pecking order. He believes there's no need to panic, as the season is long, with 21 races ahead.
"We need to build our things," Marquez said. "Maybe Aprilia has an advantage here, but we have potential in other tracks. We just need to capitalize on our strengths."
Marc Marquez himself labeled Bezzecchi as the favorite for victory on Sunday. He suggested that Bezzecchi's success could be attributed to his ability to exploit a special tyre casing designed by Michelin for the Indonesia and Thailand rounds.
"Bezzecchi was super fast in Indonesia and Mandalika with this casing," Marquez said. "He's consistently fast and can maintain his speed. I couldn't follow him, but I'll try in the sprint race tomorrow."
Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez's Ducati teammate, believes Bezzecchi has a significant advantage of up to four tenths at Buriram.
"Aprilia with Bezzecchi is incredibly competitive," Bagnaia said. "He's three or four tenths faster than the other bikes."
So, should Ducati be worried? Or is this just a blip on the radar? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
And this is the part most people miss: it's not just about the rider, but also the bike and the tyres. The tyre casing could be a game-changer.
Will Bezzecchi continue his dominance? Or will the other riders find a way to catch up? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for more MotoGP updates!
