MotoGP Buriram Test Times – Day 2

Marc Marquez was untouchable at the Buriram MotoGP test, claiming fastest times on both days. He was the only rider to dip into the 28 second bracket over the two-day session, although his time fell just short of teammate Francesco Bagnaia’s track record of 1:28.700. Bagnaia finished the test fifth overall, focusing more on consistency than outright speed.

Ducati bosses have confirmed they will stick with last year’s engine, chassis, and aerodynamics, at least for the early rounds, with only electronics and suspension updates debuting for Round 1. This commits the team to its 2024 engine until 2026. The GP24 package is proving to be so strong that it’s difficult to improve upon, underlined by Alex Marquez backing up his Sepang test speed with the second fastest Buriram time.

Aprilia emerged as one of the standout manufacturers at Buriram, with Marco Bezzecchi posting the fastest-ever Aprilia lap at the circuit (1:29.060) on his way to third place overall. The Italian marque showed the biggest performance jump alongside KTM and Honda, with Bezzecchi also impressing in Sprint race simulations. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP) wrapped up testing in 13th, still recovering from injuries sustained at Sepang.

KTM also hit a new milestone, with rookie Pedro Acosta pushing the Austrian factory to its fastest-ever Buriram lap despite a late crash. His 1:29.133 secured fourth spot, placing him well ahead of teammate Brad Binder who felt he had left time on the table during his time attacks. Maverick Viñales showed signs of improvement, but Enea Bastianini is still searching for more speed.

After Yamaha’s headline-grabbing performance in Sepang, Honda took centre stage at Buriram. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) recorded the fastest-ever Honda lap at the circuit, finishing sixth. His Sprint simulation times matched some of the top riders, providing a much-needed confidence boost for the Japanese factory. Luca Marini (14th) and Johann Zarco (16th) took a less aggressive approach, focusing on setup work rather than outright lap times.

Buriram proved more challenging for Yamaha, with Fabio Quartararo down in eighth place and Jack Miller in 10th. Alex Rins and Miguel Oliveira struggled even more, finishing the test 17th and 19th fastest overall.

Among the newcomers, Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP) was the quickest rookie, setting a 1:29.6 to edge out Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Racing), who logged a 1:30.0.

With testing now concluded, teams will now be putting the finishing touches on their machines ahead of the Thailand opening race in just two weeks time.