Starting grid for the 2026 MotoGP Thai Grand Prix after penalties
The full starting grid for the 2026 Thai MotoGP race at Buriram.
The front row of the grid for the season-opening 2026 MotoGP Thai Grand Prix will see Ducati’s reigning champion Marc Marquez sandwiched between the Aprilias of pole qualifier Marco Bezzecchi and third-place Raul Fernandez.
The factory-spec VR46 Ducati of Fabio di Giannantonio leads row two ahead of Bezzecchi’s Aprilia team-mate Jorge Martin and KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
Row three sees last year’s double Buriram runner-up Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati), starting alongside Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) and Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Ducati).
The Hondas of Joan Mir and Johann Zarco line-up either side of KTM’s Brad Binder on row four, with Marc Marquez’s team-mate Francesco Bagnaia just 13th on the grid.
Rookie Diogo Moreira will begin his first premier-class race from 15th.
A mix of Yamahas and Tech3 KTMs then fill places 16th (Fabio Quartararo) to 21st (WorldSBK champion Toprak Razgatlioglu).
Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, replacing the injured Fermin Aldeguer at Gresini this weekend, has a three-place grid penalty for Sunday’s grand prix after ‘disrupting’ team-mate Alex Marquez while riding slowly on the racing line in Friday practice.
However, because he qualified last, it will not actually affect his starting position.
2026 MotoGP Thai Grand Prix: Full starting grid | |||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| Row 1: | |||
| 1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| 2 | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) |
| 3 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| Row 2: | |||
| 4 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) |
| 5 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| 6 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| Row 3: | |||
| 7 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) |
| 8 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| 9 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) |
| Row 4: | |||
| 10 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| 11 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 12 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) |
| Row 5: | |||
| 13 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) |
| 14 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| 15 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V)* |
| Row 6: | |||
| 16 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 17 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) |
| 18 | Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| Row 7: | |||
| 19 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 20 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) |
| 21 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1)* |
| Row 8: | |||
| 22 | Michele Pirro** | ITA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP25) |
*Rookie.
**Penalty
In this article
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
