Photo: Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool
2026 MotoGP Thailand: Who’s leaving happy and who’s disappointed?
The MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at the Chang International Circuit gave fans an exciting race full of strong performances and big disappointments. Some riders showed real speed and control, while others left Thailand with serious problems and lost points in the MotoGP championship fight.
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Winner: Pedro Acosta
Acosta had a strong weekend. He won the sprint race, even though it was after a penalty for Marc Márquez, and then finished second in the main race. This gave him a lot of points and put him at the top of the MotoGP Championship standings after the first round. It was a great result for him and KTM.
Loser: Marc Márquez
Marc was expected to fight for a podium, but his race ended badly. He had a puncture on his rear tyre with only a few laps to go, and he had to retire from the race. This meant he scored no point in the main event, even though he had been near the front earliers. It was a very disappointing day for the defending world champion.
Winner: Aprilia
Aprilia was one of the big winners as a manufacturer. Four Aprilia bikes ended the race in the top five. This showed that their bike is very strong this season and can challenge for more wins.
Loser: Ducati
Ducati, one of the strongest teams in recent years, did not get any riders on the podium in the main race. This was the first time since 2021 that no Ducati finished in the top three at a Grand Prix. Their usual performance was missing at this event.
Winner: Raul Fernandez
Fernandez was another success story. He finished third in the main race, giving his Trackhouse Aprilia team a place on the podium. This result showed that he is fast and ready to fight with the best riders.
Loser: Alex Márquez and others
Alex Márquez did not finish the race after a late crash. This was another tough result for the Márquez family on the same day Marc retired early. Other riders like Fabio Di Giannantonio and Brad Binder finished further down the order, not able to challenge the front group.
Winner: Marco Bezzecchi
Bezzecchi was the big winner at the Thailand Grand Prix. He started from pole position and led the full race from start to finish. He was much faster than the riders behind him and finished more than five seconds ahead of second place. This win was special because he had crashed in the sprint on Saturday but came back strongly on Sunday. It was also his third Grand Prix in a row, something no Aprilia rider has done before.
