At this late stage of the season, only 20 points separated championship leader Jorge Martin from Francesco Bagnaia. The Thai Grand Prix, 18ᵉ of the season's 20 rounds, offered an intense spectacle on the Buriram circuit to the 205,000 or so spectators present over three days. On a soggy track, Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia pulled out all the stops to take victory in MotoGP, while the Moto2 category delivered its verdict.
MotoGP: Bagnaia goes all out, Martin goes for safety
Qualifying and practice took place in glorious sunshine, in stark contrast to the rainy conditions on Sunday. Despite this, record attendance was achieved, proving the fans' unwavering passion for the discipline. Two-time defending champion Francesco Bagnaia took advantage of his rivals' mistakes to win the race. Although he started on pole, he had to concede the lead to Jorge Martin, his main rival, and Marc Marquez. The latter, who was in fine form and set the fastest time in practice, fought hard to maintain his position at the start of the race, but an attempt to overtake at Turn 8 saw him lose control of his bike. Despite his efforts to get back on track, the recent Australian GP winner lost ground, an incident from which Martin, right behind him, was able to learn: "Without Marc's crash in front of me, I would have fallen too, " he admitted.
The fall allowed Bagnaia to regain the lead. Although Martin tried to steal it, he preferred to secure second place to maintain his lead in the championship. "I said to myself: let Pecco win this time," explained Martin, who for the occasion wore a helmet decorated with Ganesh, the Hindu symbol of protection and obstacles cleared away. With this strategic approach, Martin knows that all he needs to do is maintain a sufficient gap to claim the world title.
MotoGP Sprint Thailand 2024 race results :
Bastianini, imperial in the Sprint race, now aims to finish on the championship podium.
MotoGP Thailand 2024 race results :
Another podium finish for Pedro Acosta, who battled it out with Jack Miller in what was the action of the day.
Quartararo and Zarco, contrasting fates
The French drivers had mixed fortunes in Thailand. Fabio Quartararo, who started from the second row, lost any chance of a good result when Franco Morbidelli braked too hard. With 16 finishers, the only rider to miss out on the points was Fabio Quartararo, while Johann Zarco made a fine comeback from 12th to finish in 8th place, his best result of the season.
However, both drivers were able to draw valuable information from the race to prepare for the future.
"There was a lot of fun in the race"
CANAL+ MotoGP (@CanalplusMotoGP) October 27, 2024
Johann Zarco (8th) looks back on his great race in the rain in Thailand!#ThaiGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/RBIVtysC5a
MotoGP 2024 rider standings after the GP of Thailand (27/10/2024)
In the standings, Bagnaia' s victory brings him to within 17 points of Martin and keeps his dream of a world treble alive. For their part, Marc Marquez and Enea Bastianini are now mathematically eliminated from the title race, with 74 points still to be distributed between now and the end of the season.
In search of his first world title, the Martinator maintains a slight advantage in the standings and could be crowned as early as the next race in Malaysia. "Pecco is coming back strong, but I prefer to secure the essential points", hischoice to remain in second place behind Bagnaia reflects a cautious strategy: all he needs to do is maintain this gap to win the championship.
Ducati Lenovo Team wins the manufacturers' title
The Ducati Lenovo Team has officially been crowned constructors' world champion, as has become customary in all disciplines. Together, Bagnaia and Bastianini amassed eleven Grand Prix victories this season (eight in Sprint), consolidating Ducati's grip on the championship. With only two races remaining, the other manufacturers are struggling to keep pace with the Italian brand.
Moto2: Ai Ogura wins intermediate class
The potentially heavy rain forecast for the morning had little impact on the lower races. Only the red flag waved with two laps to go sealed Ai Ogura's success. Starting from 7th position, he clinched his first title, becoming the first Japanese intermediate class champion since Hiroshi Aoyama in 2009. Ogura avoided mistakes and managed the conditions to finish second, behind Aron Canet. Local hero Somkiat Chantra, who started 13th, finished the race in 4th position, to the delight of the Thai public.
The win paves the way for Ogura's future in MotoGP, something he had always denied without a triumph in the category. Next year, Ogura, Aldeguer and Somkiat Chantra, who will ride for the LCR-Honda team, will join Acosta, this year's only Rookie, to enrich the young talent competition.
In the meantime, Fermín Aldeguer will have to recover from a fractured left hand requiring surgery. The end of his season is on the cards. Above all, his withdrawal would also compromise his first MotoGP test, scheduled for November 19 on the Ducati Desmosedici.
Moto3: Alonso sets record after record
In Moto3, José Antonio Alonso, already a winner this season, has no intention of stopping there. With 12 victories this year, he has beaten the all-time record for small-cylinder wins since 1949. He even surpasses Valentino Rossi, who stopped at eleven victories in 1997. What's more, the Colombian has shattered the 125cc/Moto3 record for points scored over the year: currently at 371, he beats the 341 scored by Joan Mir in 2017.
Thanks to his exploits, Alonso will soon be making his debut in the top category, where he will have the opportunity to prove his worth in the face of new challenges.
MotoGP 2024 race calendar:
We're into the money-time. As a result, the tension is mounting for the next round in Malaysia. Pecco Bagnaia, determined to defend his title, expressed the importance of this victory not to dent his confidence.
1 Qatar Grand Prix (Losail circuit), March 10. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
2 Portuguese Grand Prix (Circuit Internacional do Algarve), March 24. Winner: Jorge Martín (Ducati)Argentine Grand Prix (Termas de Río Hondo), April 7. 3Grand Prix of the Americas (Circuit of the Americas), April 14. Winner: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia)
4 Spanish Grand Prix (Jerez circuit), April 28. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
5 French Grand Prix (Bugatti circuit in Le Mans), May 12. Winner: Jorge Martin (Ducati)
6 Catalan Grand Prix (Barcelona-Catalunya circuit), May 26. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
7 Italian Grand Prix (Mugello circuit), June 2. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)Kazakhstan Grand Prix (Sokol International Racetrack), June 16. REPORT
8 Dutch Grand Prix (TT circuit Assen), June 30 Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
9 German Grand Prix (Sachsenring circuit), July 7. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
10 British Grand Prix (Silverstone circuit), August 4 Winner: Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
11 Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg circuit), August 18: Winner Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
12 Grand Prix of Aragón (Motorland Aragon circuit), September 1. Winner: Marc Marquez (Gresini)
13 San Marino Grand Prix (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 8 Winner: Marc Marquez (Gresini)Indian Grand Prix (Buddh International Circuit), September 22. CANCELLEDKazakhstan Grand Prix (Sokol International Racetrack), September 22 CANCELLED
14 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 22 Winner: Enea Bastianini (Ducati)
15 Indonesian Grand Prix (Mandalika International Street circuit), September 29 Winner: Jorge Martín (Ducati)
16 Japanese Grand Prix (Twin Ring Motegi circuit), October 6. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
17 Australian Grand Prix (Phillip Island Circuit), October 20. Winner: Marc Marquez (Gresini)
18 Thailand Grand Prix (Chang International circuit), October 27. Winner: Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati)
19 Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang International circuit), November 3.
20 Valencia Grand Prix (Ricardo Tormo circuit), November 17.
Photo credits : MotoGP
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