KTM’s Miguel Oliveira Wins in Thailand, Fabio Quartararo Struggles Finishing with No Points & Title Race Now Only 2 Points between Yamaha & Ducati Riders
Author: Myanna Wedes
It was a wet and wild Thai Grand Prix with everything and more taking place on and off the track. We had mind games between the title rivals, performance increases and decreases. The one who did not secure a solid result was Monster Energy Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo who finished in a dismal 17th place which certainly put a dent in his World Championship points charge and adds pressure to the last few remaining races. The one rider who managed to smile from ear to ear is Pecco Bagnaia as this time around, he had luck on his side. The Ducati rider had Johann Zarco pushing him for a few laps at the tail end of the race, though it finished with a gap after Zarco made a move and an error. We thought the French rider would fight harder, although he has mentioned in the past that he would support team orders because he rides for Ducati. In comparison, Jorge Martin felt that if he was in Zarco’s position, he would have gone for the podium finish. There are team orders subtly appearing and you can feel it with the tension inside the management sector of the garage. They are watching like hawks and want the title so bad, they are preparing their riders to respect the order, although some may not be so obliging as they have a genuine chance to win, obtain podiums and certain others still in with a chance of winning the World Championship.
The snapshot elements of the race are below:
- Oliveira had the confidence in the rain to push. He went from 10th to the lead in a short twelve laps which showcased his ability to go hard in the wet and mixed conditions. The KTM team was thrilled to see him pushing. We did feel that Brad Binder was the pick of the weekend, however, Binder was pushed wide by Aleix Espargaro and Oliveira managed to pick his challenge timing well and executed some clean moves to go ahead of Jack Miller who was thrilling all race weekend. The win for the Portuguese rider is sure to put a spring in his step for the remaining races with the KTM factory before changing manufacturers in 2023.
Miguel Oliveira #88:
“For sure that was a long race! But I cannot complain, every time we get a chance to go for it in the wet then I am super-fast. When I saw the weather I was having flashbacks to Indonesia and was trying to keep my feet on the ground. I wanted to make a good start and keep the mistakes to a minimum. I’m really satisfied with this end of season win. Yeah, it’s in the wet but I’ll take a win in any condition!”
- It was a double podium for the Lenovo Ducati MotoGP team and a relief for Bagnaia who recovered valuable points and Jack Miller who is not far away from the leading bikes in terms of the World Championship. Both factory riders looked strong all weekend and in particular Miller, who tried to win the race even on the last lap. Miller was so close to catching Oliveira though a small mistake just put the KTM rider that little bit ahead of him. It is a good sign to see Miller’s future team performing. You never know, there is 25 points up for grabs with the remaining three races and Miller is in hot form. He gets married this coming week and will be preparing for his home crowd which is guaranteed to be electric after no racing due to the pandemic for quite the number of years. As for Bagnaia, he is in with a genuine chance of winning the 2022 title. Ducati will do everything in their power to give Bagnaia the tools necessary to chase victory. With that said, Bagnaia has not been out of the public eye with controversy surrounding him. The task of winning a title is major as he would become the first since Casey Stoner to win onboard a Ducati. The bragging rights alone are important based on the number of Ducati bikes on the grid.
Jack Miller #43:
"With these conditions, the race felt really long, and in addition to managing my pace, I also had to be very careful not to make any mistakes. When Oliveira passed me, I kept pushing hard to catch and pass him. I wanted to try on the last lap, but I made a small mistake with four corners to go, and he was really strong in the last sector. Anyway, I am happy to be on the podium again: the bike is working better and better, and the team is doing an incredible job. In addition, Pecco is now only 2 points behind the leader in the standings, and the fight for the title is getting more and more open. It was a really good day for the whole team, and I would be thrilled if we could bring the title back to Bologna. Now I can't wait to finally return home to race in front of my family in Phillip Island."
Pecco Bagnaia #63:
"I am thrilled with this third place. It was a long and very intense race. I knew my potential in the wet was this and not the one shown in Japan. From the beginning, I tried to push, trying to lose as little ground as possible, but it was not easy. By the end, the front tyre was gone, and the riders behind were getting closer and closer, but in the end, we made it. We are two points behind Quartararo in the Championship, so the next three races will be really decisive."
- During the race, we were shaking our heads, title leader Quartararo looking like a sitting duck and going backwards rather than forwards. It was baffling to see him at the back of the grid and displaying no signs of being competitive in Thailand. The rain and conditions did not mix plus visibility put elements of doubt into his mind. In this sport, once you are afraid or hesitate, it becomes an internal and external battle. The goal was to stay upright and at least get a point or two. The fact Bagnaia finished in third was hard for Quartararo to accept because this weekend, the conditions put pressure on the title race and the Monster Energy Yamaha rider basically traded places with Bagnaia with zero points achieved. The last remaining races are vital for Quartararo to defend his title.
Fabio Quartararo #20:
“Rain fell at the worst possible time for us. We had not much wet track time before the race started - just a few minutes. The first laps of the race were really tricky. I was pushed wide by Jack in Turn 1 and it only got worse from there. I was trying to find a good feeling, but in Turn 4 I had a moment, and the visibility was really bad. I'm sorry for the Thai fans. I had hoped to do a better race in front of them. We have an idea why we struggled that much, but we will investigate more to improve for the future. We'll try to come back stronger in Australia.”
- In terms of Gresini Racing, it was a positive event for Enea Bastianini. He is still hunting for the title though even in a poor qualifying situation, he still managed to finish strong. “The Beast” wants more and is hungry for success each time he hops onto the Ducati machine. He believes in himself, and this is nice to see because the expectations are sometimes unrealistic. This “Beast” will go down fighting!
Enea Bastianini #23:
“I’m quite happy. Too bad for the start as my mapping was inadequate and I couldn’t push as hard as I could have during the first lap. I was able to change it and stayed with the same settings for the whole race. The first ten laps were quite difficult, and I can’t deny I was scared… you couldn’t see a thing. Then the rain lowered its intensity and I think sixth today was our real goal. We got it and it’s good. Now we need to keep believing in the last three races, the classification is very tight at the top with many potential winners.”
- Johann Zarco looked to put the pressure on Bagnaia though some may say he pulled back and played the team card for the title. His comeback was strong, although with the pace he had at the end of the race, we thought he would have been standing on the podium. There was hesitation and it was clear during the race. We want to see every rider race their own race and not be held back by team orders. Of course, we know it is a team sport, however, Prima Pramac Ducati is a team as is Lenovo Ducati. Therefore, it should be a free choice to race hard, fast and going for the victory or podium without restriction.
Johann Zarco #5:
“In a certain way a positive day, I made a great comeback. Too bad because with a few more laps I could have played for the win.”
- Aleix Espargaro managed to hit Brad Binder and because of the ambitious move, he ended up with a long lap penalty and this resulted in a poor race result. However, A Espargaro looks at it with a positive mindset that points were gained and there is still every opportunity to win the title. The Spanish rider feels better with the Aprilia machine after a rocky couple of races where his pace lacked and his body language representative of someone feeling like the world is on top of their shoulders. A Espargaro will be coming to Phillip Island, Sepang and Valencia with a warrior attitude: to fight and go hard. The ultimate prize is up for grabs after all!
Aleix Espargaro #41:
"I was competitive today. I had a good pace and I managed to make up a lot of positions. Then there was the contact with Brad which I personally feel was a normal racing situation since I was already alongside him on the straight going into the corner on the inside (to his right). That cost me an eternal long-lap penalty and then I kept pushing but I couldn’t do any better than eleventh. Anyway, we’re leaving Buriram with multiple positive points. First of all, I’m headed home to my family and I’ll be able to prepare as best as possible for the upcoming races on two circuits where we’ll have fun. Then there’s the fact that we closed the gap behind Fabio who, as championship leader, is still the man to beat."
- The dynamic Marc Marquez finished fifth, putting his shoulder to the test and making other riders realise they must be ready for his manoeuvres of attack. The Repsol Honda rider put on a superb display of courage in mixed conditions and is beginning to find his rhythm once again with the Honda. The rest of the field should be worried because MM93 is putting the Honda machine, a weaker bike for most, at the front of the pack. He is hunting! We are super excited to see the multi–World Champion in Australia, Malaysia and Spain as the remaining events are sure to make the competition interesting.
Marc Marquez #93:
“I am happy with the race overall; I was again able to do a solid race – avoiding mistakes and staying calm at the start. Wet races are always very long so you need to be careful. Then I was feeling better, and I gained time on the group ahead, but it was impossible to overtake Bagnaia. The acceleration of the Ducati is very strong. We keep on working and trying to improve everything, it has been a good weekend where we were competitive in the wet and the dry. Now we have a week off to recover a bit and keep on training to be strong for the final three races of the year.”
We look forward to bringing you more trackside insight as we enjoy the last remaining races of the 2022 season journey. Who do you think will be World Champion?
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