Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins returned to the Chang International Circuit today for the final day of 2026 preseason testing. They completed their testing schedules and took 17th and 20th place respectively in the Day 2 and the combined Buriram MotoGP Official Test results.
With the 2026 MotoGP season due to start in one week’s time, the teammates made the most of today’s two riding sessions (Session 1 from 10:00-13:00 GMT +7 and Session 2 from 13:20-17:30) and worked diligently to find a good base set-up.
Quartararo got another 55 laps in on Day 2. He clocked a 1’30.206s in the morning session, which had him take 17th place in the Session 1 results. In the afternoon, he dipped under the 1’30s mark. His 1’29.701s, set in the final stages, had him rank 9th in the Session 2 results and 17th in the combined Day 2 rankings, 1.033s off today’s top time.
Rins completed 54 laps on Day 2. His 1’30.234s best morning time put him in 18th position in the Session-1 timesheets. He wrapped up Session 2 in 16th place with a 1’30.122s. This time has the Spaniard rank 20th in today’s overall classifications, 1.454s from the fastest rider.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP will be back in action at the Chang track from 27 February – 1 March to kick off the 2026 MotoGP season with the Grand Prix of Thailand.
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MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director
“These last two days have been a bit tougher than the previous test days in Sepang, but we got some good information. We are still at the beginning of this new project, and ups and downs are a part of the process. Up to this test, we had spent all our time on evaluating components. Here, we started working on the set-ups for the first time. We discovered some limits, but also some opportunities. The riders all have their own way of describing things, but they are all giving the same feedback – this is very important for us. This gives us a clear direction to work towards, and we believe we will be able to gradually improve the performance throughout the season.”
FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
“We are in the process of figuring out how the new bike works compared to the previous one. We need a bit more time. Hopefully, we will make more steps in the coming months. In terms of pace, we still need to improve. We will work hard on this. My finger is not fully healed yet at the moment, but I will be fine for the first race.”
ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
“The test and the preseason have been completed. We need to keep working. I tried to give my best feedback to the engineers to improve the bike. Physically, I’m feeling super strong. I did a really good preseason in terms of the gym, so I’m ready for the season.”
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
At the Chang International Circuit, the official MotoGP winter tests came to an end, and the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team also completed Day 2 with positive feelings and confidence ahead of the start of the 2026 season. Franco Morbidelli finished the final day of testing in seventh place, while Fabio Di Giannantonio secured ninth place.
It was a positive day for Morbidelli, who continued on Day 2 the work started on the first day of testing. Franco confirmed the good feeling with his Ducati Desmosedici GP, as shown by his time attack. On the second day of testing, the Italian-Brazilian rider improved his best reference time compared to Day 1. Morbidelli completed 61 laps overall, with a best laptime of 1’29”071, which placed him seventh both in the combined classification for the day and in the overall classification across the two days of testing.
Di Giannantonio also completed a positive Day 2, during which he carried out a race simulation with encouraging feedback. Fabio continued working on the updates to his Ducati Desmosedici GP and proved to be competitive in the time attack as well – in the afternoon he topped the timesheets, finishing the session in the Top3. The rider from Rome – who improved his laptime both from Day 1 to Day 2 and from the morning to the afternoon session – completed 68 laps overall. His fastest laptime was 1’29”173, which placed him ninth in both today’s combined classification and the overall classification across the two days of testing.
With the Buriram tests, the MotoGP winter comes to an end, and the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will be back on track in a few days for the Thailand Grand Prix, which will kick off the 2026 season from February 27th to March 1st.
Fabio Di Giannantonio – 49
“Long testing days! And this one in Buriram was the hardest of my life because I tried so many things. But I am very happy about that, because we worked very well with the team, we could do everything we had in mind and in our work plan. In terms of speed, it wasn’t our best test because we tried so many things and it was difficult to find the perfect lap and rhythm. But I am happy with the base setup for the first race, it seems that the final one is the same as Sepang, and it’s a huge step. We arrive to the first race with a lot of clear ideas, feeling confident and great with the team. I’m fully confident that we can do a good job with the package we have. We are ready for the season!”
Franco Morbidelli – 21
“It was a positive pre-season: we worked very well during these five days of testing; we cleared out many things. In this Buriram test, we understood few more things about the new bike, that is a bit smoother, quicker and faster on the straight, it gives a better comfort. We were able to improve the feeling step by step throughout the days. On this track, I was four tenths quicker than last year, that is positive. For the start of the season, we can be competitive, we had a good speed, even though the rivals were fast. But we are there.”
Honda HRC Castrol
Just as quickly as it began, Joan Mir and Luca Marini have wrapped up the Buriram Test and now all attentions turn to the opening race of 2026. Honda HRC looking to make the most of the few days between the test and the race for final improvements.
Hot and humid conditions continued steadily throughout the second day of testing in Buriram, a final chance to acclimatise before the first race of the year. These conditions allowed the Honda HRC Castrol squad to run through a comprehensive testing plan to put everything in place for the 2026 season.
Concluding the Buriram Test as the tenth fastest rider on the second day and just over half a second off the quickest rider of the day, Joan Mir continued his strong form on the Honda RC213V. Top Honda throughout the Buriram Test, the 2020 World Champion was hoping for some more overall speed after a very competitive end to 2025 and a positive first test in Sepang but he remains confident Honda HRC’s engineers will find a few cards up their sleeves before the lights go out.
Diligently working until the very last moment, Luca Marini completed the last day of the last test in 13th and less than two tenths off his Honda HRC Castrol teammate. Throughout both the Sepang and Buriram Tests, the #10 has been able to post competitive times and consistently be within a second of the fastest rider. Times will be tight when the lights go out on Saturday and Sunday, but the Italian is confident in picking up where he left off and challenging for the top positions.
It’s time to put our learnings to the test as the newest MotoGP World Championship season is set to begin on Friday, February 27 at the Chang International Circuit when the bikes roll out for Free Practice 1.
Joan Mir 36
“We have had a pre-season with a lot of potential, but of course you’re always wanting more as a rider. This track for us, but especially me, has been more difficult than the last few circuits. The grip wasn’t quite there for us, and it was there for some other guys, so we spent a lot of the test playing with the geometry of the bike. There are a couple of options with the direction of the bike to try and make ourselves more competitive. We have a few days for everyone to find a couple more solutions before we go racing, so let’s make the most of it and be competitive when the racing starts.”
Luca Marini 10
“The bike has improved a lot with the engine, the aero and the braking phase and we have to be pleased with this. Everyone has worked hard over the winter and these two tests and I know they will keep working hard throughout the year. We need to stay focused on the things we are missing to go faster, just a little more time to improve these parts. I am looking forward to the race to see where everyone really is, Qualifying will be very important in this first race so we need to prepare well for it. I think our potential is easily in the top seven, maybe even more if we can find a few things with the bike in these next few days.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech3 used the remaining time and laps of pre-season work at Buriram to try last solutions and ideas for their 2026 set-up on the KTM RC16s (before the homologation cut-off). Pedro Acosta, Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini and Maverick Viñales also dedicated some of the session on the second day to refine their configuration for the forthcoming Grand Prix of Thailand, starting at the 4.5 km circuit next Friday.
Aerodynamic and chassis modifications were on the job list, as well as extra duties to harness the possibilities of the Michelin tires and the compounds designed to cope with the high temperatures. Behind Acosta was Binder in P12 and Viñales in P15 and Bastianini in P18 as the teams and riders mixed their agendas with race and Sprint ‘simulations’.
2026 MotoGP begins at Buriram before moving to Brazil and then the USA before the end of March.
Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 6th: “Quite happy with the time attacks that I made this morning, quite happy with the position because we stayed in the top five which normally is our target, and not far from 1st. In the afternoon I was working to make my race simulation, it was quite OK. I tested everything I have. Now it’s time to work on things for the race, on long distance, but I’m quite happy. Looks promising.”
Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 12th: “I think we arrived at a really good starting point. We threw a lot of parts at the bike. I feel like we have room to improve for the longer race distance but doing the simulation today allowed us to focus on key changes, and we were able to get to the end of the tire, which is better than last year. We tried a major switch, and it was so different. It allowed me to go a second faster than this morning. Happy with that and we’re really looking forward to exploring more in FP1 on Friday. I’m certain this year is going to be better than 2025.”
Maverick Viñales, Red Bull KTM Tech3, 15th: “Good. We took a lot of information today about the long distance and the Sprint. I couldn’t do a good time attack, but the Sprint simulation was quite good. I was constant and happy. My shoulder was also giving me zero problems. I feel totally healed so that’s a big positive; It was important to understand if I could be back to my full form, and I am. We worked on the bike for the race here today and we need to do a bit more for the Sunday GP. I feel we have potential.”
Enea Bastianini, Red Bull KTM Tech3, 18th: “Malaysia was positive and here was a bit harder, but we’ll be ready for next week. We’ll be working these days to check data and we’ll look to improve in every area. Compared to last year things are a bit better and easier because I have references for more tracks. This is a positive. The new chassis was a good solution for me and I think it can help to be more competitive this season. We’ll see.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “With the first grand prix of the season happening here in Buriram it was nice to test again and finalize things at this circuit. A lot of days in hot conditions and a lot of information but we have made some steps both for performance and working methods. We worked to better use the tires for circuits like these and, in the second part of last season especially, more stopping potential of the bike: the usual areas where riders are looking for more confidence and how they can use the bike. After a lot of work in the winter it can be difficult to know exactly where we are, and we’ve had many new items for aerodynamics and the chassis but the real check comes next week at the first race and then the next measuring point will be after the first Grands Prix. We are improving daily and that’s the best we can do.”
Sebastian Risse, KTM Technical Director MotoGP: “After testing some big items in Sepang we were looking forward to confirming them here and then working on tuning and race pace as well as detailing the race set-up. We were able to stick to this plan without any big surprises. We know from last year that this track is very challenging for tire management and it looks like we have learned a lot compared to 2025 and have made good progress. We had highlights with different riders, and now we have one more week to put together what we found out here and be well aligned between the guys. We’re ready to race. There has been enough testing and we’re really looking forward to the race weekend. Our strategy was to work, work, work during the wintertime and now is the moment to show it.”
Ducati Lenovo
The 2026 pre-season is officially closed in Thailand with Marc Márquez and Francesco Bagnaia positive after the two days of session.
The curtain falls on the 2026 pre-season, with Marc Márquez and Francesco Bagnaia among the most competitive riders ready to back to the track for the Thai GP (February 27 – March 1), the season-opening race scheduled for the next weekend. At the end of the two-day of testing at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Marc is P3 and Pecco is P4 in the combined standings.
A demanding schedule to dispel any remaining doubts about the aerodynamic package, with time attacks and race simulations for both riders. The excellent sensations from the Malaysian test were confirmed, with Marc (129 laps) forced to end the session early due to stomach illness and after a crash, but still able to stop the clock at 1’28.836. Close to him Pecco (117 laps) with a best lap time of 1’28.883.
Marc Márquez (#93, Ducati Lenovo Team)
“I finished riding a little earlier than expected due to the crash, but the feeling is still positive. I was doing the long run, the last scheduled effort of the day, but on the seventh lap I crashed at Turn 3. Yesterday I had a stomach illness, today I recovered a bit, but I’m very tired and wasn’t fully focused. I entered the corner too fast and lost the front. It’s a shame, it was my mistake, but I’m relaxed. We’ve chosen the right aerodynamic package, we’re competitive in time attacks and also in race pace. Now we’ll make the most of these three days to recover energy for next week’s race”.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63, Ducati Lenovo Team)
“We worked really well, we managed to complete the entire program, testing the new parts, and I’m satisfied with the base of the bike for the season. In terms of decisions, all the Ducati riders went in the same direction on the technical package, and that’s a good thing. We did a race simulation; it wasn’t perfect; I had a small problem, but it was better today than during the weekend. This Thai test was a crucial one, at least for me, and I’m very positive”.
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