Quartararo pushes M1V4 top speed to 337.5 km/h to close first practice at Thailand Grand Prix.
“El Diablo” Fabio Quartararo, the French star rider from Monster Yamaha MotoGP, pushed the M1V4 race bike’s potential by raising its top straight-line speed impressively to 337.5 kilometers per hour. He ended the first practice session of the 2026 MotoGP season opener, the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, in 16th place after hard work with his team at Chang International Circuit, Buriram province, on Friday, 27 February.
The 2026 PT Grand Prix of Thailand completed its first two official practice sessions amid unstable weather conditions, with rain clouds covering the circuit area. Especially during the Practice rounds, rain was possible at any time, forcing all teams to carefully manage their track time, tire choices, and bike setups to suit the continually changing track surface throughout the day.
During the qualifying practice to determine entry into Q1 and Q2, Quartararo, number 20, clearly demonstrated the improved top speed of the M1V4 by reaching a peak speed of 337.5 kilometers per hour. This signals a positive aspect of the new V4 engine package. However, the team remains focused on adjusting the bike’s balance in cornering to enhance overall performance before Saturday’s qualifying rounds.
The first practice results showed Quartararo finishing 16th with a lap time of 1 minute 29.884 seconds, 1.358 seconds behind the leader. Meanwhile, his Spanish teammate Alex Rins, number 42, finished 20th, trailing by 1.776 seconds.
Jack Miller, number 43 from Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP, ranked 19th, 1.608 seconds behind, followed by Turkish rookie Toprak Razgatlıoğlu in 21st place, 1.839 seconds off the pace. All four riders continue working closely with their engineers to find the optimal bike setup ahead of the crucial weekend stages.
Saturday’s program on 28 February will feature qualifying sessions to set the starting grid, followed by the sprint race. The main race is scheduled for Sunday, 1 March, amid high expectations from Thai motorsport fans eagerly following the new season’s start.