The first day of the 2026 MotoGP test at the Chang International Circuit began in warm but manageable conditions, with teams keen to use every minute of track time. As soon as the pit lane opened in the morning, riders headed out to complete installation laps and early checks. The focus at this stage was not on headline lap times, but on understanding tyre behaviour and confirming base settings after the previous test.

During the first hours, the pace built up steadily. Several riders exchanged provisional top positions as the track improved. The surface offered good grip, but the rising heat quickly made it more demanding, especially under heavy braking into Turn 1 and in the final sector. By late morning, lap times were already approaching the 1:29 range, showing that the overall level was very high from the start.

Just before midday, the first big moment of the day arrived when Marc Marquez crashed at the final corner while pushing on a fast lap. The fall brought out yellow flags briefly, but he was able to walk away without injury. His team worked quickly to repair the bike, and he later returned to the circuit. Despite the setback, the pace at the front remained intense, with very small gaps separating the leading group.

In the hotter afternoon session, teams switched focus. Some riders began longer race-style runs to test rear tyre durability in the high temperatures. Others prepared for time attacks, fitting fresh soft tyres to chase quicker laps. As the session moved into its final hours, the competition tightened even more.

Marc suffered a second crash at Turn 5 while again exploring the limit on corner entry. Even so, he returned to the garage, regrouped, and rejoined the action for another attempt at a fast lap. The determination shown after two falls was one of the main stories of the afternoon.

In the closing stages, the pace reached its peak. Alex Marquez produced the fastest lap of the day, a 1:29.262, during a late push when many riders were also improving. His lap was clean and precise, particularly through the final sector, where smooth acceleration proved crucial. Marc responded with a very strong lap of his own, finishing only 0.129 seconds behind despite his earlier crashes.

Behind them, the battle for the top positions remained extremely close. Franco Morbidelli slotted into third, just fractions away from second place. Marco Bezzecchi and Johann Zarco also delivered competitive late improvements, keeping the top five tightly packed.

As the chequered flag ended the session, the timesheets showed very small differences between many riders, suggesting that the coming season could be closely fought. The day combined speed, crashes, technical work and long-run testing, giving teams valuable information. With one more day remaining, there is still room for further improvements, but the first day in Buriram already provided clear signs of strong competition and high performance across the field.