Rennie Scaysbrook | October 2, 2022
Sunday
MotoGP
The rain master of MotoGP, Portugal’s Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM), won a dramatic 2022 Thai MotoGP at the Chang International Circuit, catching and passing Ducati Lenovo’s Jack Miller on lap 14 of 25 and holding firm for a 0.730-second win over Miller and his teammate, Francesco Bagnaia. But the result was barely the tip of the iceberg in terms of championship drama in Thailand.
Rain came in thick and fast during the Moto2 race, causing first a red flag and then for race organizers to declare the result to give Tony Arbolino (Marc VDS Kalex) the win, but the deluge meant the MotoGP riders—after a lengthy delay—would have to race the circuit having had no wet weather running all weekend.
The water became a headache for several riders but none more than World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha), who started fourth on the grid behind first-time polesitter, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Ducati), with the front row completed by Jorge Martin (Alma Pramac Ducati) and chief title rival, Bagnaia.
Quartararo was forced wide by Jack Miller at turn one and steadily fell back down the order, finishing lap one an incredible 17th. Crashes for Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM) and Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Ducati) would mean Quartararo would yo-yo up and down the outer points scoring places, eventually finishing a disconsolate 17th and his second zero points score in three races.
For Bagnaia, the race was an early Christmas gift with his first full wet weather MotoGP podium (not including the interrupted 2021 Austrian MotoGP), and he closed to within two points of the title lead heading into Australia and Phillip Island in two weeks. The championship effectively starts from zero with 75 points up for grabs.
Oliveira hit the front with 11 laps to go and held firm until the end ahead of Miller.
For the second title contender, Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, the Spaniard didn’t have the pace in Thailand and had to endure a Long Lap Penalty after clattering into the side of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) early in the race. Espargaro would eventually finish 11th, right behind Binder, gaining five points on Quartararo to ensure 20 points cover the top three.
A new rider is also now mathematically in with a title shot, and that’s Jack Miller. The Australian’s 45-point haul from the last two races sees him one point behind Enea Bastianini (Gresini Ducati, sixth in Thailand) in fifth, 40 points off Quartararo with 75 still to play for.
Johann Zarco (Alma Pramac Ducati) had great late race pace, ending lap one in ninth and working past Bastianini, the crashing Marini, the fading Bezzecchi, and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), before running up behind Bagnaia. The Frenchman admitted he was hesitant in passing Bagnaia for third place, knowing full well the championship implications if he took the Italian out of the race. He thus decided to stay in fourth and shield Ducati’s main title hope from any further attacks.
The race was nothing less than a total disaster for Fabio Quartararo.
Marquez came home fifth from Bastianini, Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing), Alex Marquez (LCR Honda), Martin and Binder rounding out the top 10.
The championship has Quartararo on 219 from Bagnaia’s 217, Espargaro third on 199, Bastianini fourth on 180 and Miller the last of the possible championship challengers in fifth on 179.
2022 Thai MotoGP Results
| 1 |
Miguel Oliveira |
(KTM) |
|
| 2 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.730 |
| 3 |
Francesco Bagnaia |
(Duc) |
+ 1.968 |
| 4 |
Johann Zarco |
(Duc) |
+ 2.490 |
| 5 |
Marc Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 2.958 |
| 6 |
Enea Bastianini |
(Duc) |
+ 13.257 |
| 7 |
Maverick Viñales |
(Apr) |
+ 14.566 |
| 8 |
Alex Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 14.861 |
| 9 |
Jorge Martin |
(Duc) |
+ 15.365 |
| 10 |
Brad Binder |
(KTM) |
+ 18.097 |
Moto2
Torrential rain caused high drama in Thailand for the Moto2 field and it was Tony Arbolino who was eventually classified the winner of a shortened race.
The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team rider had just passed Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2) for the lead at the end of lap eight when the contest was red-flagged. After two attempts to re-start, Race Direction ultimately decided to award half points. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) gained half a point on World Championship leader Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) when they were locked into sixth and seventh in the final results.
Arbolino leads in the utter deluge that was the Moto2 race.
It was a great ride for Sean Dylan Kelly (American Racing Team), who took his best GP result in 11th. Fellow Americans Joe Roberts (Italtrans Kalex) and Cameron Beaubier (American Racing Team) took eighth and a DNF, respectively.
In the championship, Fernandez is on 234 from Ogura’s 232 and Aron Canet is third on 177.
2022 Thai Moto2 Results
| 1 |
Tony Arbolino |
(Kal) |
|
| 2 |
Filip Salac |
(Kal) |
+ 0.251 |
| 3 |
Aron Canet |
(Kal) |
+ 3.112 |
| 4 |
Jake Dixon |
(Kal) |
+ 3.268 |
| 5 |
Alonso Lopez |
(Bos) |
+ 4.137 |
| 8 |
Joe Roberts |
(Kal) |
+ 1 lap |
| 11 |
Sean Dylan Kelly |
(Kal) |
+ 1 lap |
| DNF |
Cameron Beaubier |
(Kal) |
|
Moto3
Dennis Foggia kept his slim Moto3 title hopes alive with an impressive ride to victory in Thailand. The Leopard Honda Racing rider qualified on pole position and led for all but one of the 22 laps around the Chang International Circuit, taking the flag ahead of Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) and Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
Foggia bounced back into title contention with his Thai win.
Foggia is now up to second in the championship, 49 points behind Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), who worked hard for the 11 points that he earned by finishing fifth. His teammate Sergio Garcia, however, scored a dreaded zero after he was collected on the opening lap and is now 56 points behind in the standings.
2022 Thai Moto3 Results
| 1 |
Dennis Foggia |
(Hon) |
|
| 2 |
Ayumu Sasaki |
(Hus) |
+ 1.524 |
| 3 |
Riccardo Rossi |
(Hon) |
+ 2.804 |
| 4 |
Stefano Nepa |
(KTM) |
+ 9.414 |
| 5 |
Izan Guevara |
(GASGAS) |
+ 9.527 |
2022 Thai MotoGP News—Saturday
Paddock Assault Explained
A worrying video was widely circulated on social media on Friday which showed a mechanic working for the CIP KTM Moto3 team assaulting then rider Tom Booth Amos at the 2019 Thai GP. The Italian technician, who is currently working as crew chief to John McPhee in the Max Racing Husqvarna squad, can be seen hitting, kicking, and pushing the rider into the wall.
The video of former Moto3 rider Tom Booth Amos being assaulted is damning indeed.
Booth Amos posted a statement soon after the video was circulated which explained “There were a lot of issues with the team that year that were never spoken about and I kept quiet just to try and keep my ride for the 2020 season as it was my dream to stay in that paddock. This happened after the race when my bike broke down due to a mechanic’s error, I was asked to not say anything and to keep quiet.”
Series organizer Dorna has said it is investigating the matter.
Aprilia struggling
There’s no dressing it up: Thailand has been a struggle for Aprilia as championship challenger Aleix Espargaro could do no better than qualify 13th on the grid. Michelin has brought a stiffer carcass rear tyre to Thailand, similar to what was used in Austria, to deal with the high speeds and high temperatures. Like the Red Bull Ring, Aprilia’s riders struggled for traction, with Maverick Viñales repeatedly cutting an exasperated figure on the bike.
It’s dark times at Aprilia this weekend.
“Yesterday on the technical meeting, the guys said to me, it’s because the carcass of the tyre is different,” explained Espargaro, who trails championship leader Fabio Quartararo by 25 points. “I said to the guys, it’s the same as the other riders, don’t say this to me please. We know it. It’s a different carcass, but the others are fast, so why are we not? We have to understand.”
Marquez back on the limit
He may have qualified eighth, but there are signs Marc Marquez is feeling more confident and comfortable in his third race weekend since his four-month injury layoff. While still building up the muscle in his upper right arm and shoulder, as well as re-gaining his on-bike fitness, Marquez has been delighted to find a more natural riding position aboard his Honda RC213V in Thailand. He has also been able to push his bike to its absolute limits to find optimal braking markers and racing lines – a riding style he was physically incapable of using prior to the fourth operation he had on his upper right arm on June 3rd.
Marquez has got the glint in his eye back in Thailand.
“Race by race I feel better and better,” he said. “Then I can control better the bike. Yesterday I felt better than today and I know that tomorrow I will feel worse than today. But I know next week I will relax and then have another step. Now on Fridays I feel that pushing. As you see on TV I start to play with the bike, I start to slide on the left corners, I start to shake on the braking points. It was a long time since I did this. Now step by step I started to get the connection with gas and this I like.”
Saturday
MotoGP
Rookie Marco Bezzecchi, one of Valentino Rossi’s proteges, has broken the All Time Lap Record around the Chang International Circuit to grab pole position for the OR Thailand Grand Prix. The Mooney VR46 Racing Team rider set a 1:29.671 with the checkered flag out to edge Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin by just 0.021 seconds in Q2, while Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) gave his title hopes a boost by also getting himself onto the front row. World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) qualified fourth, but fellow title contender Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) could not escape Q1.
It’s a debut pole for Marco Bezzecchi and the Mooney VR46 team in MotoGP.
2022 Thai MotoGP Results—Saturday
| 1 |
Marco Bezzecchi |
(Duc) |
1:29.671 |
| 2 |
Jorge Martin |
(Duc) |
+ 0.021 |
| 3 |
Francesco Bagnaia |
(Duc) |
+ 0.104 |
| 4 |
Fabio Quartararo |
(Yam) |
+ 0.238 |
| 5 |
Johann Zarco |
(Duc) |
+ 0.292 |
| 6 |
Enea Bastianini |
(Duc) |
+ 0.317 |
| 7 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.435 |
| 8 |
Marc Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 0.462 |
| 9 |
Luca Marini |
(Duc) |
+ 0.543 |
| 10 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 0.666 |
Moto2
Somkiat Chantra has become the first Thai rider to qualify on pole position in Grand Prix history, and what better place to do it than at the OR Thailand Grand Prix? In a big afternoon for Idemitsu Honda Team Asia, Chantra not only secured pole with his 1:35.625, but its Moto2 World Championship hope Ai Ogura qualified third-fastest. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) splits those two on the front row at the Chang International Circuit while Championship leader Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will line up on the middle of Row 3 on Sunday afternoon.
Somkiat Chantra became the first Thai rider on pole position in Moto2, and at home, no less.
2022 Thai Moto2 Results—Saturday
| 1 |
Somkiat Chantra |
(Kal) |
1:35.625 |
| 2 |
Tony Arbolino |
(Kal) |
+ 0.085 |
| 3 |
Ai Ogura |
(Kal) |
+ 0.264 |
| 4 |
Pedro Acosta |
(Kal) |
+ 0.331 |
| 5 |
Celestino Vietti |
(Kal) |
+ 0.348 |
| 11 |
Cameron Beaubier |
(Kal) |
+ 0.933 |
| 17 |
Joe Roberts (Q1) |
(Kal) |
+ 2.440 |
| 26 |
Sean Dylan Kelly (Q1) |
(Kal) |
+ 1.036 |
Moto3
Dennis Foggia has set a new All Time Lap Record in Moto3 Q2 at the OR Thailand Grand Prix. Just hours after establishing a new lightweight class benchmark in FP3 at the Chang International Circuit, the Leopard Racing rider chipped another 0.007 seconds out of it to claim pole position on a 1:42.077. His late effort knocked Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) off pole position, with Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) to share the front row with them, but we have to look a lot further back to find title contenders. Both Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team riders went into Q1 and while World Championship leader Izan Guevara was a subpar 11th by the end of Q2, his teammate Sergio Garcia did not even make it out of the first stanza of qualifying.
Dennis Foggia cruised through for the Moto3 pole.
2022 Thai Moto3 Results—Saturday
| 1 |
Dennis Foggia |
(Hon) |
1:42.077 |
| 2 |
Jaume Masia |
(KTM) |
+ 0.292 |
| 3 |
Ayumu Sasaki |
(Hus) |
+ 0.409 |
| 4 |
Stefano Nepa |
(KTM) |
+ 0.454 |
| 5 |
Diogo Moreira |
(KTM) |
+ 0.639 |
2022 Thai MotoGP News—Friday
Petrucci returns!
Danilo Petrucci was back on a MotoGP machine after stepping away from the class at the end of 2021 as he stepped in to replace Joan Mir, who still hasn’t recovered from the foot injury sustained in his ugly Austrian GP smash.
Danilo Petrucci was back on a MotoGP bike for the first time since Valencia, 2021 in Thailand.
The Italian, who last rode a MotoGP machine last November, didn’t have much time to prepare. “I got the call before the race last Sunday in Alabama, when I was still fighting for the [MotoAmerica] title,” he explained. “So I said: ‘Let me think about it!’ because I’m retired now and the race in Thailand was tough when I was fully fit. Now I’m an old man it will be even tougher!
“But then after the [finale], after the media things for the last race of the season, I went back to the tent at 6pm and my manager said: ‘We have to decide now because there is no time go to Thailand from the USA’. I said: ‘OK, we will go’. “From this moment on it was like putting myself into a washing machine to get to Thailand.”
2023 calendar confirmed
The provisional calendar for the 2023 season was released on Friday. In it, there were a few surprises, including two new venues in two new countries. The Sokol International Racetrack is slated to host the first-ever Kazhakstan GP between 7th-9th July, while the Buddh International Circuit could host the inaugural Indian GP on 22nd-24th September.
MotoGP will head to Kazakhstan for the first time in its history next year.
The series will start in Portugal’s Algarve International Circuit on 24th-26th March a trip to Argentina on 31st March-2nd April and Austin’s the Circuit of the Americas on 14th-16th April. The season will end with an exhaustive overseas run, where races in India, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Qatar and Valencia are held in just ten weeks.
Of the current calendar, Aragon – Fabio Quartararo’s bogey circuit – is set to be dropped. “That’s good! I’m happy. I hope we never go back again,” he quipped.
Aleix: Mistakes happen
Less than a week on from the devastating mistake which ended his perfect point-scoring record in 2022, Aleix Espargaro explained a dinner of reconciliation with his Aprilia squad as they seek to maintain their slightly beleaguered title hopes with four races to play.
Aleix Espargaro was philosophical about the mistake that could cost him the championship.
The Catalan was forced to pit after the warm-up lap as an engineer forgot to remove the ‘Eco’ fuel map – used by riders to save fuel on their out-lap, which means the bike doesn’t rev above 5,000RPM – from his bike on the grid. It deprived him of the chance to fight for victory.
Yet there was no ill-feeling in the Aprilia box upon arriving in Thailand. “I went to Tokyo and on Monday I had dinner with my team – everybody – I love every single person on my team, and they were even more down than me. So, I’m the leader of this team and I said to them, ‘Head up, it’s a mistake, everybody can make mistakes.’ Now there is a new scenario for us, and there is always positive things when new things are coming, so I will try to recover the points here.”
On whether their procedure will change at tracks with high fuel consumption in the future he said, “We discussed internally. Even if we don’t talk about the problem we had, it will not happen anymore – 100 percent – but we used that mistake to re-analyze everything, to try to make no mistakes, to try to improve all the procedures.”
Friday
MotoGP
Prima Pramac Racing’s Johann Zarco is the pace-setter in an all-Ducati top three after the first two MotoGP Free Practice sessions at the OR Thai MotoGP. Zarco’s 1:30.281 saw him finish FP2 0.018 seconds ahead of the Bologna manufacturer’s key man in the title race, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), with Jorge Martin third on the other Pramac entry. World Championship leader Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) is in the top 10 as it stands but both Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) are both set to go into Q1 if forecasts of heavy rain on Saturday morning prove accurate.
Zarco rocketed to P1 on Friday in MotoGP.
2022 Thai MotoGP Results—Friday
| 1 |
Johann Zarco |
(Duc) |
1:30.281 |
| 2 |
Francesco Bagnaia |
(Duc) |
+ 0.018 |
| 3 |
Jorge Martin |
(Duc) |
+ 0.190 |
| 4 |
Marc Marquez |
(Hon) |
+ 0.242 |
| 5 |
Fabio Quartararo |
(Hon) |
+ 0.274 |
| 6 |
Jack Miller |
(Duc) |
+ 0.307 |
| 7 |
Luca Marini |
(Duc) |
+ 0.313 |
| 8 |
Miguel Oliveira |
(KTM) |
+ 0.327 |
| 9 |
Alex Rins |
(Suz) |
+ 0.360 |
| 10 |
Franco Morbidelli |
(Yam) |
+ 0.484 |
Moto2
Inde GASGAS Aspar Team rider Jake Dixon has finished fastest in Friday’s running for the Moto2 field at the OR Thai Grand Prix. Certainly not resting on his laurels just days after the announcement of his contract renewal, Dixon set a 1:36.280 which left him 0.173 seconds clear of the field when the music stopped in FP2 at the Chang International Circuit. Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up) claimed second and World Championship leader Augusto Fernandez did enough to be third-fastest before his late spill. Title rival and Japanese GP winner Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) finished seventh on the timesheet and, in the event of rain on Saturday morning, he too is safely through to Q2.
Dixon topped FP2 in Moto2.
2022 Thai Moto2 Results—Friday
| 1 |
Jake Dixon |
(Kal) |
1:43.503 |
| 2 |
Alonso Lopez |
(Bos) |
+ 0.173 |
| 3 |
Augusto Fernandez |
(Kal) |
+ 0.284 |
| 4 |
Somkiat Chantra |
(Kal) |
+ 0.317 |
| 5 |
Pedro Acosta |
(Kal) |
+ 0.363 |
| 13 |
Joe Roberts |
(Kal) |
+ 0.901 |
| 14 |
Cameron Beaubier |
(Kal) |
+ 0.950 |
| 29 |
Sean Dylan Kelly |
(Kal) |
+ 2.223 |
Moto3
Rain gave way to some rare sunshine and it was Ayumu Sasaki who capitalized in FP2 for the Moto3 field at the OR Thai Grand Prix. The Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max rider set a 1:43.503 at the end of the session to be top at the conclusion of Friday running in the lightweight class at the Chang International Circuit. Second went to fellow Japanese rider Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) on a 1:43.694, with Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse) third on a 1:44.330. World Championship leader Izan Guevara was classified seventh, six positions ahead of fellow Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team rider – and nearest rival for the title – Sergio Garcia. With the weather looking dicey, that could be the Championship contenders effectively locked into Q2.
Japan’s Ayumu Sasaki topped Moto3 practice.
2022 Thai Moto3 Results—Friday
| 1 |
Ayumu Sasaki |
(Hus) |
1:43.503 |
| 2 |
Tatsuki Suzuki |
(Hon) |
+ 0.191 |
| 3 |
Riccardo Rossi |
(Hon) |
+ 0.827 |
| 4 |
Daniel Holgado |
(KTM) |
+ 0.890 |
| 5 |
Jaume Masia |
(KTM) |
+ 0.920 |
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