Rain came in thick and fast
during the Moto2 race, causing
first a red flag and then for race
organizers to declare the result,
giving Tony Arbolino (Marc VDS
Kalex) the win, but the deluge
meant the MotoGP riders—after a
lengthy delay—would have to race
the circuit having had no wet-
weather running all weekend.
The water became a head-
ache for several riders but none
more than World Champion Fa-
bio Quartararo (Monster Energy
Yamaha), who started fourth on
the grid behind first-time polesit-
ter, Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney
VR46 Ducati), with the front
row completed by Jorge Martin
(Alma Pramac Ducati) and chief
title rival, Bagnaia.
Quartararo was forced wide
by Jack Miller at turn one and
steadily fell back down the order,
finishing lap one an incredible
17th. Crashes for Remy Gardner
(Tech3 KTM) and Luca Marini
(Mooney VR46 Ducati) meant
Quartararo would yo-yo up and
down the outer points scoring
places, eventually finishing a dis-
consolate 17th and his second
zero-points score in three races.
For Bagnaia, the race was an
early Christmas gift with his first
full wet-weather MotoGP podium
(not including the interrupted
2021 Austrian MotoGP), and he
closed to within two points of the
title lead heading into Australia
and Phillip Island in two weeks.
The championship effectively
starts from zero with 75 points
up for grabs.
MYOWNRACE
63 FRANCESCO BAGNAIA
3RD MOTOGP
"I am thrilled with this third place," Bag-
naia said. "It was a long and very intense
race. I knew my poten al in the wet was
this and not the one shown in Japan. From
the beginning, I tried to push, trying to
lose as li le ground as possible, but it was
not easy. By the end, the front re was
gone, and the riders behind were ge ng
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."
41 ALEIX ESPARGARO
11TH MOTOGP
"I was compe ve today," Espargaro
said. "I had a good pace and I managed
to make up a lot of posi ons. Then there
was the contact with Brad which I person-
ally feel was a normal racing situa on
since I was already alongside him on
the straight going into the corner on the
inside [to his right]. That cost me a long-
lap penalty and then I kept pushing but
I couldn't do any be er than eleventh.
Anyway, we're leaving Buriram with mul-
ple posi ve points."
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 40 OCTOBER 4, 2022 P61
(Above) Miguel
Oliveira was
sublime in the
wet, hitting the
front with 11
laps to go and
holding firm until
the finish. (Left)
Jack Miller's
second place
means he's now
within an earshot
of the title lead
with three races
remaining.
