The Thai Grand Prix took a dramatic turn when Marc Marquez suffered a sudden rear tyre failure, ending his race and breaking Ducati’s four-year podium streak. While the moment was shocking, the root cause lies in Buriram’s extreme track conditions.
Marquez was running fourth and chasing Raul Fernandez when the rear tyre on his Ducati GP26 violently deflated with five laps to go. The tyre detached from the rim after Marquez rode over an aggressive kerb at Turn 4, but he managed to stay upright, narrowly avoiding a high-speed crash.
Michelin, the MotoGP tyre supplier, confirmed that the tyre itself had no inherent defect. Instead, the failure was triggered by a combination of factors: repeated contact with sharp kerbs and unusually high track temperatures. According to Michelin’s MotoGP technical chief, Piero Taramasso, the kerb impact bent the wheel rim, which caused the tyre to lose air pressure almost instantly.
Source: Crash.net
This was not an isolated incident. Multiple riders experienced similar problems over the weekend. Joan Mir retired due to tyre issues, and Jorge Martin suffered a slow front-wheel leak after hitting the same kerb. Several bikes returned to the pits with visibly bent wheels, indicating that the track’s layout, combined with extreme heat, created conditions beyond what the tyres were designed to handle.
Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi described the situation as unprecedented, saying he had "never seen anything like it" in his MotoGP career. While Marquez’s contact with the kerb triggered the blowout, Tardozzi emphasized the role of unlucky timing and challenging track conditions.
The incident raises questions about rider safety and the impact of Buriram’s kerbs and heat on tyre integrity. Marquez’s escape underscores the fine line between high-speed performance and mechanical vulnerability, and it highlights how track design can directly influence race outcomes.
