Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan
The countless testing sessions in Buriram just two weeks before the season opener didn’t go unnoticed. Riders made it clear that major changes would be hard to spot over the weekend since they had already pushed to the limit so recently.
One key difference, though, was the temperature. Jack Miller pointed out that back in February, the track was cooler, which gave the bikes more grip during braking.
Right now, the tyres wear out much faster, and many riders struggle with the heat.
The sprint race was especially tough. Unlike practice and qualifying, the grid was tightly packed, making things even worse. Franco Morbidelli said he could barely breathe while trying to close in on Ai Ogura, and Maverick Viñales felt it too.
When asked if he’d prefer the first race to be held at a different track than the ones used for testing, KTM Tech 3’s Pedro Acosta quickly said yes. He also added that, for him, the real start would be in Argentina.
Acosta said: “You come here with a work done… more or less. You know exactly what you need.”
He acknowledged that the decision made sense financially since moving to a different location in a short time would be costly. However, he still stood by his stance, wanting the first race to take place in a different environment from the testing tracks.
Earlier today, we saw the riders push through 13 intense laps. In less than 24 hours, they will be back on the grid for the first race of the season at Chang International Circuit, starting at 8 AM GMT.
It is a race you will not want to miss, so be sure to tune in for all the action.
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