Francesco Bagnaia, riding for the Ducati Lenovo Team, claimed victory in a rain-soaked Thai MotoGP, closing in on the championship lead held by Jorge Martin. Bagnaia’s performance on the slippery Buriram track demonstrated both his skill and resilience, with the Italian rider gaining crucial points over Martin, who settled for second place. With just two race weekends remaining, the gap between the two rivals has shrunk from 22 points to 17, setting the stage for a thrilling season finish.
In a challenging race influenced by the wet conditions, Bagnaia expressed gratitude to his Ducati team for their support, which has kept his hope of a third consecutive world title alive. His win at Buriram marked his ninth victory of the season, an achievement he described as a result of an “incredible job” by the team. Meanwhile, Martin, who aims to secure his first MotoGP title, accepted his second-place finish with satisfaction, acknowledging the high-level intensity of the race.
The competition was fierce from the outset. Martin, starting from the front row, made an impressive leap to overtake his pole-position rival. However, he briefly lost his lead to Bagnaia after running wide, with six-time world champion Marc Marquez joining the pursuit. Midway through the 26-lap race, it looked like a showdown between Bagnaia and Marquez, until Marquez’s aggressive push for the lead caused him to skid off the track, leaving Bagnaia and Martin in a head-to-head battle.
Bagnaia’s control and composure helped him maintain the lead through the final laps, securing a vital win in his championship bid. Martin, on the other hand, conceded defeat by nearly three seconds but remained optimistic about his title chances. Their rivalry, now intensified by this latest race, will continue at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, where they will face off again next weekend.
As the season approaches its climax, other riders also celebrated victories. In Moto2, Japan’s Ai Ogura was crowned world champion after securing second place in a race red-flagged due to weather. The young champion is set to advance to MotoGP next season, ready to compete on the sport’s grandest stage.