MotoGP concluded the 2026 pre-season this Sunday (22) with a strong message from Aprilia in Thailand. Marco Bezzecchi was the fastest on the final day of testing in Buriram, clocking 1min28s668, a time below the track record pace and the fastest lap ever seen at the circuit, regardless of whether it was an official race weekend mark or not.
Read more MotoGP: Check the schedule and where to watch the Thailand GP
The Italian manufacturer’s 1-2 almost came complete at the top. Ai Ogura put Trackhouse in second, just 0s097 behind Bezzecchi, while Marc Marquez rounded out the top 3 for Ducati, despite suffering his third crash in two days of activities. The rider emerged well from the incident, without consequences, and heads into the Thailand GP week with important mileage.
Aprilia’s performance drew attention not just for the fast lap. Bezzecchi did a long stint and led for much of the afternoon before attacking in the final minutes. He also showed a relevant average pace over 20 laps, which reinforced the tone of the team’s “best pre-season,” at least within what was possible to observe in the tests. Both he and Jorge Martin, who finished eighth, worked with rear aerodynamic variations, an indication that the brand is evaluating alternatives to use throughout the year.
At Trackhouse, Ogura and Raul Fernandez also made direct comparisons of aerodynamic solutions. Ogura saved his attack for the final part and jumped to second place with a minimal gap to the leader. Fernandez finished 11th, but the feeling is that the four Aprilia bikes showed consistent competitiveness in the final stretch of preparation for 2026.
Read more MotoGP: Bezzecchi breaks record and sends Bagnaia to Q1
On the Ducati side, the technical theme that dominated the pre-season remained in evidence: the debate between the 2024 and 2025 aerodynamic packages. Marc Marquez appeared using the older solution, as did Francesco Bagnaia. Marquez was the fastest in the morning, but in the afternoon he suffered a crash at Turn 3, and even so finished the day in third, just ahead of Bagnaia in fourth. Bagnaia, for his part, improved significantly compared to the first day, reducing about eight-tenths from his own time.
Alex Marquez, from Gresini, was also a highlight at the end of the tests, despite a crash at Turn 9. He followed the factory team’s line and also adopted the 2024 aerodynamic package. Even so, he managed to return to the track, while Michele Pirro, a substitute in the team, improved and finished the day in 22nd. At VR46, Franco Morbidelli finished seventh after entering the session later, and Fabio Di Giannantonio was ninth, despite facing technical problems in the morning.
With the pre-season concluded, MotoGP now shifts its focus to the Thailand GP. Buriram has already delivered clear signs of Aprilia’s strength and kept Ducati at the center of technical attention, setting the stage for the first real contest of the year, with pole, Sprint, and race counting from next weekend.
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