Winners and losers from MotoGP’s season-opening Thailand Grand Prix

Key Highlights

• Outside of the sprint, where he let go of a likely victory with a crash, there was never any point where he didn’t seem to be in control at Buriram. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBezzecchi had already emerged as the reference rider on the grid in the final part of the 2025 season, but with Marc Marquez absent for much of that period, it was difficult to measure his level against the grid’s ultimate benchmark.
• Although the Ducati rider was not yet back to full fitness last weekend, the Thai round offered the clearest indication yet that Bezzecchi has the pace to outgun the seven-time champion.
• If there is a weakness, it is his aggression and the mistakes he makes under pressure. Thailand also marked the first time that all four Aprilias finished near the front of the pack.
• After a 2025 season in which Noale’s riders squandered so many opportunities, the quartet finally repaid the engineering team led by Fabiano Steralacchini.
• Jorge Martin returned to podium contention, Raul Fernandez continued to build on his form from last year and Ai Ogura has upped his expectations so much that he feels disappointed with fifth.