MotoGP's thrilling Sprint Race sees Bastianini take the win

Italian rider Enea Bastianini from the Ducati Lenovo Team led from start to finish, clinching victory at Chang International Circuit in Buriram, ahead of Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia. Thai fan-favourite Somkiat Chantra of Idemitsu Honda Team Asia fought through injury to secure 13th on the grid, setting up a thrilling chase for a podium on Sunday.

The MotoGP 2024 Round 18, PT Grand Prix of Thailand 2024, featured a high-speed sprint on Saturday, October 26, 2024, followed by fans worldwide via live broadcasts to over 220 countries. The stands were nearly packed with Thai and international motorsport enthusiasts, creating an electrifying atmosphere that impressed riders, teams, global media, and rights holder Dorna Sports.

Bagnaia, the two-time world champion from the Ducati Lenovo Team, secured the pole position with a record-breaking lap time of 1:28.700 at Chang International Circuit. Teammate Bastianini started alongside him in second on the grid, with Spanish rider Martin, the current points leader from Prima Pramac Racing, in third. Meanwhile, eight-time world champion Marc Marquez from Gresini Racing suffered a fall in qualifying and will start from fifth.

The "Sprint Race" covered 13 laps, with a key turning point right from the first corner when Martin and Bagnaia lost positions, allowing Bastianini to quickly take the lead. Bastianini pulled ahead and crossed the finish line in first place with an impressive time of 19 minutes and 31.131 seconds.

Despite dropping to fifth in the first lap, Martin fiercely fought his way back to claim second place, trailing the winner by just 1.357 seconds. Bagnaia followed in third, 2.372 seconds behind, while Marquez finished fourth, 5.402 seconds back, and his brother, Alex Marquez, came in fifth, 10.140 seconds behind.

After the Sprint Race, the standings shifted slightly. Martin retained the top spot with 424 points, extending his lead over Bagnaia, who holds second place, by 22 points. The battle for the world championship remains intense as the season approaches its final stages.

In the Moto2 class, qualifying for the starting positions took place in the afternoon. Japanese rider Ai Ogura from MT Helmets - MSI, who leads the championship, secured pole position with a time of 1:34.728, edging out Spanish rider Aron Canet from Fantic Racing by just 0.051 seconds. The third spot went to Brazilian rising star Diogo Moreira from Italtrans Racing Team, who was 0.074 seconds behind.

Thai favourite Somkiat from Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, despite an injury, managed to secure 13th on the grid with a lap time of 1:35.189, only 0.461 seconds behind the leader. 

To accommodate his injury, Somkiat’s team adjusted his bike by moving the rear brake to the left handlebar from its usual position on the right foot, allowing him to use the brake without affecting his injury.

In Moto3 qualifying, Australian Joel Kelso from BOE Motorsport claimed the pole with a time of 1:40.603, narrowly beating Dutch rider Collin Veijer from Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP by just 0.073 seconds. Spanish rider Angel Piqueras from Leopard Racing secured the third spot, trailing by 0.124 seconds. 

Thai rider Tatchakorn Buasri from Honda Team Asia will start from 25th on the grid, clocking in at 1:42.547.

The Main Grand Prix races for all categories are scheduled for Sunday, October 27, starting with Moto3 at midnight, followed by Moto2 at 1.15 pm, and concluding with MotoGP at 3 pm.