"I mean the championship is, we can say, over,"
Andrea Dovizioso told the pre-event press conference on Thursday in
Buriram. With five races to go and a total of 125 points at stake,
Marc Márquez leads
Dovizioso by 98 points. Mathematically, the title is still open, but you would be not be wise to bet against
Márquez winning the championship this season. In FP1,
Marc Márquez demonstrated both why he is leading the championship, and how the championship isn't over until it has been put beyond mathematical doubt. On his first run of the weekend, the
Repsol Honda rider went out and posted a string of laps in the 1'31s, a second or more clear of his rivals. On his second run, he repeated that pace, becoming even more consistent. On his third run, he exited with new soft tires, front and rear, with the intention of putting in a quick lap to secure a spot in Q2 on Saturday. It was the same strategy as in
Aragon: go out in FP1, and if you feel good on the bike, post a lap good for Q2 at ...
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