Marco Bezzecchi claimed a commanding victory at the Thailand Grand Prix, while reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez saw his podium hopes end abruptly after a sudden tyre failure late in the race. Bezzecchi led from pole at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram and crossed the finish line more than five seconds ahead of KTM’s Pedro Acosta. Trackhouse rider Raul Fernandez completed the podium for third place.
Marquez was running fourth and closing on the riders ahead when disaster struck with five laps remaining. The rear tyre on his Ducati GP26 suffered a severe puncture at Turn 4, causing the wheel to deform and forcing him to retire from the race. He was fortunate to stay upright and avoid a crash.
Source: Crash.net
After the race, Marquez described the incident as bad luck and stressed that he was riding conservatively at the time, trying to avoid a fall. He said that when he ran wide and crossed the kerb, it felt as if he had hit a large rock, which instantly destroyed the rear tyre. Marquez acknowledged that he had ridden over the same kerb repeatedly during testing and practice without issue, underlining the unexpected nature of the failure.
Michelin, the tyre supplier for MotoGP, offered an initial explanation for the dramatic blowout. The company pointed to a combination of aggressive kerbs at the circuit and high track temperatures as contributing factors. According to Michelin’s MotoGP technical chief, several bikes experienced bent wheels over the weekend, and the tyre itself did not show inherent defects in initial checks.
The puncture marked a disappointing end to a strong run from Marquez, who is aiming for a record-equalling eighth premier-class title this season. At the time of the tyre failure, he had been in contention for a podium finish and was optimistic about pushing for an even higher placing.
Bezzecchi’s victory also snapped Ducati’s record streak of 88 consecutive premier-class podium finishes, the longest in MotoGP since 2021. The result positions Acosta as the early championship leader, with Bezzecchi close behind in points.
