2024 MotoGP World Championship
Round 18 – Chang International Circuit
PT Grand Prix of Thailand
Preview
The 18th round of the 2024 MotoGP World Championship will take place this weekend at the Chang International Circuit, renowned for its challenging characteristics and the harsh weather in the region.
Located in the north of the country, around 500 km from the capital, Bangkok, the Chang International Circuit is located in a hot and humid region – especially at this time of year.
The nature of its track surface, as well as its 4.554km layout with five left turns and seven right-handers, along with two straights – the longest of which stretches out over a full kilometre – present extremely testing conditions for the tyres. Men, machines and tyres alike will suffer.
Piero Taramasso – Michelin
“The level of performance we saw here just a year ago led us to re-use the same types of tyres, but with some adjustments to the front tyres. Last year, thanks to a particularly well-adapted package, we witnessed an exceptional show with some great battles on the track. Given this performance and the records broken all over the world since the start of the season, we have increased the rigidity of the three front tyre compounds slightly, and also strengthened the internal structure of the Hard compound. The rear tyres were already in this configuration last year, so we are re-using them as is. Whether it’s grip, traction, braking stability or wear, we have to provide tyres that will work well in all areas.”
Brakes also get a serious workout. On a scale from one to six, Brembo give it a difficulty index of six, due to the presence of four very hard braking points, each with at least 175 metres of braking space. Riders use the brakes seven times per lap for a total of 26 seconds, equivalent to 29 per cent of each race. The hardest corner of the Chang International Circuit for the braking system is the third one: MotoGP bikes lose almost 250 km/h, going from 321 km/h to 74 km/h in 5.8 seconds, covering 278 metres on the stoppers.
Almost 200,000 Thai fans are expected during the weekend for the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, one of only three rounds left on the 2025 calendar; thus it really is getting down to crunch time for primary championship contenders Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia.
Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) leads Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by 20 points, which means there are lots at stake as another 37-points are on offer this weekend.
Martin will be feeling confident heading in, having done the double at Buriram last year and fresh from extending his lead at Phillip Island this year – even if he was overhauled in the Grand Prix race by Marc Marquez. If Bagnaia won every Sprint and race remaining and Martin followed him home, that would only overhaul the Spaniard’s advantage by just four points. Not a bad position at all, also Martin knows as well as we do that it can all turn on a dime.
Bagnaia also knows that and can see it more to his advantage as the rider on the chase. He also knows he may have to take some risks to play catch up, which could be an easier mental balancing act. But he also needs to make those risks pay off into rewards. Last year here he trialled his round-the-outside two-for-one overtake later deployed in Jerez this season though, so if he was willing then he likely remains so now.
Francesco Bagnaia
“Unfortunately, last week in Phillip Island, we were missing something to be able to fight for the win, but we knew it wouldn’t be easy on that track. On paper, the Chang International Circuit is a track where we can use our potential well. However, it will be important to work well and fast immediately, especially given the unpredictable weather, which could reduce the time to work on the bike set-up. As always, we will do our best to achieve the maximum.”
Then there’s Marquez. After coming back from a nightmare start to duel Martin at the front in Phillip Island, he’ll also be confident. And he’s already won here twice. He also doesn’t need to look at the standings, already knowing it’s a long shot and is seemingly content to just shoot and see where it lands. In Phillip Island it landed on the top step and right amongst the duo at the top of the title fight. He could play a serious role in what remains of 2024, even if it’s not his name on the trophy come Valencia. Are the gloves already off or is there more to come?
Bastianini, meanwhile, is now just on the verge of maths taking him out the fight – and his loyalties, on paper, should be to his team-mate. But “on paper” doesn’t account for split second decisions made at 350km/h – nor the fact he’s still very much a rider who could take the win for himself.
Enea Bastianini
“I’m happy to be back racing in Thailand. Compared to last week in Australia, we will face very different track conditions, and the weather will be the big unknown this weekend. As always, it will be crucial to be fast immediately and perform well in qualifying to avoid losing time making up positions in the race. Last year, we faced some difficulties here, but I still lacked feeling with the bike and had only recently returned from injury. On the other hand, this year, we’ve been able to be fast almost everywhere, so I’m confident we have the potential to do well here, too. We’ll give it our best as always; the goal is to get back to fighting for the positions that matter.”
Last year at Buriram, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory) figured highly as the South African escaped with Martin and Bagnaia. Track limits bit him on the final lap but he crossed the line second, and after taking second in the Tissot Sprint. Given his charging starts at Phillip Island, can he get in the battle again?
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) will need to be passed fit if he’s to do that too, after a highside on Saturday left him sidelined from Sunday Down Under.
Pedro Acosta
“I’m getting better little by little, I’m still a bit sore but things are improving. I had a difficult weekend in Australia and I hope to be 100 per cent fit in Thailand. I’ll have to undergo a medical check to see if I’m fit or not, but if I am, we’ll face a new weekend with the same enthusiasm and the same work that we’ve been doing these last few months. Let’s go for it!”
Despite the incident in the Sprint too, Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) took up the baton just behind Binder in the wake of the Ducatis on Sunday. Can he keep knocking on the door to the top five and further? And can teammate Aleix Espargaro home in this time round? Previously, Aprilia’s best result in Thailand was a seventh place for Maverick in 2022.
Maverick Viñales
“I am highly motivated because this is a track where I struggled last year. I’m ready, since this is a circuit where I’ve finished on the podium most of the time since MotoGP has raced here. I believe I can be rather fast here. We’ll try to bring out the best and put the RS-GP24 back on the podium.”
Aleix Espargaro
“Chang is a track that I like. Last year we did a great race, starting from the front row and finishing not far behind the leaders. This year I am struggling quite a bit, especially in low temperatures being unable to find the right grip. I hope in Thailand, where it will undoubtedly be hot, I’ll be able to be competitive. The qualifiers will be fundamental and that is where I have not been doing the best recently, considering how much they influence the race results. I hope to do better on Saturday in Thailand and to have a better weekend.”
Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) got more out of Australia with a top ten on Sunday, closer to Viñales, so he’ll want to repeat that too. He’ll continue to have Lorenzo Savadori on the other side of the box as Miguel Oliveira remains sidelined as well.
Raul Fernandez
“In Australia we saw some, different, good things. I’m really happy with our setup and with the race that we did – the pace was good. Buriram is a track that I enjoy as well, so we have to use this circuit to improve the bike further and for the future. This is the target now, the last three rounds of the Championship, we have to be careful not to make a big mistake because we want to prepare the bike well for 2025 and Thailand is a good place to continue to do that.”
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), meanwhile, couldn’t have got much more from Australia – coming home not too far off the reigning Champion aka the podium. He’ll want that or more in Thailand as he makes his last appearance of the year before shoulder surgery.
Fabio Di Giannantonio
“It will be the last race of the year for me with the whole Team and we arrive there with the great result at the Australian GP. It will all be different, in terms of the layout of the track, much more stop & go than Phillip Island, and also the weather. I hope to be able to reach the same level and close with the best race and result of the year. It would mean fighting for the podium and I would achieve my goal. There is work to be done, but Buriram can become a friendly track.”
On the other side of the box and coin, team-mate Marco Bezzecchi left with less than his speed promised, so he’ll be looking to right that. So will Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP), who had a tough Australian GP as his run looks for a turnaround in form and luck.
Marco Bezzecchi
“We are not leaving behind an easy weekend, but the beauty of so many races in a row is being able to reset immediately and get back to work quickly. On the one hand, we must recognize that in Australia we were still competitive, even if we didn’t collect anything. Let’s go back to the data, the weather and asphalt conditions will be different, the track is very beautiful and particular and the goal is to stay there in the slipstream of the strongest riders.”
Franco Morbidelli, meanwhile, had a solid one – but he’s not quite been in that fight at the front for a few rounds. He’ll be aiming for that after taking a Sprint podium in Misano and then losing a little steam. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is also looking for more.
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), meanwhile, continues to make an impression as Yamaha work to move forward. P9 at the Island was another solid finish and again, ahead of some notable machinery around him. He also had to charge up from a nightmare qualifying to do it.
Fabio Quartararo
“We travelled from Australia straight to Thailand, which is good. After a difficult weekend, it’s good to have back-to-back races so we can compare the data from different tracks. I like the Chang circuit, and the fans’ support is also really great there. Hopefully we get lucky with the weather so we can get a lot of work done and the fans can fully enjoy the race weekend as well.”
Team-mate Alex Rins had the opposite weekend in terms of qualifying – making some magic to get into the top ten – and scored some solid points in P13. Thailand will be an interesting watch at another different track and in wildly different conditions.
Alex Rins
“We are now in Thailand, which is always a special GP. The fans here are so enthusiastic about MotoGP and that always puts everyone in the paddock in a good mood. At the last GP, we struggled in the Sprint, and despite doing a great job and finding a better performance on Sunday, we were still outside the top 10 and missing some speed compared to the others. The Thai GP will be a great opportunity to check if last Sunday’s improvement is also effective on other circuits and to keep developing the bike, so I can’t wait to be on track.”
At Honda, there was also plenty to point out as they continue to push forward. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) led the charge to come home just off Miller, and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) had his best weekend at Honda yet in terms of results. Tenth in the Sprint was only just off the points and fourteenth in the GP was some more points, and it was his best qualifying yet with the factory.
Luca Marini
“Our work from the start of the year is paying off and I am happy with what we have been able to achieve in the second half of the year. We need to keep on working hard like this to prepare well for next year. Buriram is a very different track to Australia which is important for us to keep developing the Honda. I like the layout of Buriram quite a bit and have good memories there from the past.”
Team-mate Joan Mir also showed some encouraging pace before crashing out, his third DNF in a row.
Joan Mir
“I am ready to have some good luck for a change. It has been a difficult few races for us because I know what we can do a lot more than me are showing but things that are out of our control have caused us to miss out on some opportunities to achieve more. We need to finish the year well and pick things up before testing starts in just a few weeks. My focus and objective does not change, I know what we can do.”
Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) is looking to hit back in their battle and the wider championship context after a tougher Australian GP.
111 points sounds like a lot, but it’s just three weekends that will deal them out. The next 37 are served up this weekend at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, and it could set up a match point in Malaysia.
MotoGP Championship Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Martin | 424 |
| 2 | Bagnaia | 404 |
| 3 | Marquez | 345 |
| 4 | Bastianini | 331 |
| 5 | Binder | 192 |
| 6 | Acosta | 181 |
| 7 | Viñales | 171 |
| 8 | Morbidelli | 151 |
| 9 | Di Giannantonio | 150 |
| 10 | Espargaro | 136 |
| 11 | Bezzecchi | 134 |
| 12 | Marquez | 125 |
| 13 | Quartararo | 93 |
| 14 | Miller | 71 |
| 15 | Oliveira | 71 |
| 16 | Fernandez | 66 |
| 17 | Zarco | 40 |
| 18 | Nakagami | 28 |
| 19 | Rins | 23 |
| 20 | Fernandez | 21 |
| 21 | Mir | 20 |
| 22 | Espargaro | 12 |
| 23 | Marini | 9 |
| 24 | Pedrosa | 7 |
| 25 | Bradl | 2 |
| 26 | Gardner | 0 |
| 27 | Savadori | 0 |
Moto2
Phillip Island treated us to a Moto2 spectacle as Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) went toe-to-toe in a final lap blockbuster, with the former coming out on top. And now, it’s the two Spaniards who act as the chief candidates who are in charge of trying to stop Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) from clinching the title this weekend.
With a P4 finish behind his two main title rivals and the phenomenal Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), Ogura extended his Championship advantage to 65 points over Canet. Aldeguer sits 66 points adrift, as does Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) after the Spaniard picked up a P9 finish.
So what does this mean? Well, no matter where Canet, Aldeguer and Garcia finish, if Ogura ends Sunday’s race inside the top five, he’ll be the 2024 World Champion. If Canet doesn’t win, then a P6 (or better) will also be good enough too. Basically, with trips to Malaysia and Valencia to come, Ogura needs to be 51 points clear by the end of play in Thailand to be crowned.
Still on cloud nine, it’s now time for Home GP podium taker Senna Agius to work on the next highlight of the season, because, after his third place in front of his home crowd, the 19-year-old has certainly tasted blood and is aiming for more top positions in this 18th race of the season.
Meanwhile, after missing the Japanese and Australian GPs through injury, the Thai fans will hope Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia) will be passed fit to ride on Thursday in front of his home crowd too, and able to put on a show in his last intermediate class race at Buriram.
Moto2 Championship Standings
| Pos | R Rider | Points |
| 1 | A Ogura | 241 |
| 2 | A Canet | 176 |
| 3 | F Aldguer | 175 |
| 4 | S Garcia | 175 |
| 5 | A Lopez | 163 |
| 6 | M Gonzalez | 163 |
| 7 | J Roberts | 153 |
| 8 | C Vietti | 140 |
| 9 | T Arbolino | 135 |
| 10 | J Dixon | 133 |
| 11 | M Ramirez | 85 |
| 12 | J Alcba | 79 |
| 13 | S Chantra | 78 |
| 14 | A Arenas | 68 |
| 15 | S Agius | 63 |
| 16 | F Salc | 59 |
| 17 | D Biner | 54 |
| 18 | D Moreira | 47 |
| 19 | B Baltus | 40 |
| 20 | D Öncü | 34 |
| 21 | I Guevara | 34 |
| 22 | Z Vd | 31 |
| 23 | D Foggia | 18 |
| 24 | X Artigas | 10 |
| 25 | B Bensneyder | 7 |
| 26 | J Navrro | 6 |
| 27 | A Saski | 4 |
| 28 | J Masia | 4 |
| 29 | M Aji | 4 |
| 30 | M Ferari | 1 |
| 31 | X Cardelus | 0 |
| 32 | M Schotter | 0 |
| 33 | A Escrig | 0 |
| 34 | M Pasini | 0 |
| 35 | H Voiht | 0 |
| 36 | D Muñoz | 0 |
| 37 | U Orrdre | 0 |
Moto3
2024 World Champion David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) has now won four lightweight class races in a row. Alonso won 2023’s Buriram edition ahead of Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) as all three hope to climb onto the Thai rostrum for a second year on the spin.
In the case of Veijer, the Dutch rider’s crash – that involved Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing) and Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) – has handed the P2 overall finish momentum to Daniel Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3). Holgado’s return to podium form in Australia – coupled with Veijer and Ortola’s no scores – means the #96 is 23 points clear of Veijer and 41 ahead of Ortola with three to go.
Another rider to keep tabs on is Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing). His late-season form has been sensational as the Spaniard searches for a fourth consecutive rostrum while also consolidating P5 in the Championship.
Joel Kelso showed podium pace last time out at Phillip Island but alas a repeat of his 2023 podium performance was not on the cards. He will be out to make amends for that this weekend and cement his place inside the championship top ten.
Rookie countryman Jacob Roulstone will look to strengthen his hold on 15th place in the championship.
And we can’t not mention Moto3’s home hero Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia). Can a first points finish of the year arrive on home turf?
Moto3 Championship Standings
| Pos | Rider | Points |
| 1 | D Alonso | 346 |
| 2 | D Holgado | 232 |
| 3 | C Veijer | 209 |
| 4 | I Ortola | 191 |
| 5 | A Fernandez | 153 |
| 6 | D Muñoz | 152 |
| 7 | A Piqueras | 137 |
| 8 | A Rueda | 128 |
| 9 | J Kelso | 115 |
| 10 | R Yamanaka | 106 |
| 11 | T Furusato | 97 |
| 12 | L Lunetta | 86 |
| 13 | T Suzuki | 82 |
| 14 | S Nepa | 78 |
| 15 | J Roulstone | 53 |
| 16 | M Bertelle | 49 |
| 17 | J Esteban | 45 |
| 18 | R Rossi | 30 |
| 19 | F Farioli | 27 |
| 20 | N Carraro | 22 |
| 21 | S Ogden | 15 |
| 22 | X Zurutuza | 11 |
| 23 | D Almansa | 11 |
| 24 | V Perez | 3 |
| 25 | N Dettwiler | 2 |
| 26 | J Whatley | 0 |
| 27 | T Buasri | 0 |
| 28 | J Rosenthaler | 0 |
| 29 | E O’shea | 0 |
| 30 | R Wakamatsu | 0 |
| 31 | D Shahril | 0 |
| 32 | H Al | 0 |
| 33 | A Aditama | 0 |
