• MotoGP Thailand, Buriram - Friday Practic🅷e Results

Martin trailed championship leader ജFrancesco Bagnaia by 27 points heading into this weekend’s Thailand MotoGP, and is the in-form rider with eight races (including sprints) remaining.

💦Martin’s Pramac Ducati teammate - who won his first premier class race last weekend in Phillip Island - was asked if his bosses had issued any team orders.

“Not yet, no,” he said.

“M🥂artin is so fast. Even with the first today, he got a pretty fast lap.

“Almost, he can race without taking care of me. At the moment he is very fast and he can be fast wheneve꧃r he wants.

“No, 👍there is no discussion between riders, or any ind💖ication from [team manager Gino Borsoi] to us, or to me.”

'18 riders within five-tenths is rare'

Zarco was fourth-fastest in Friday pr🔥actice at Buriram.

His title-chasingꦓ teammate Martin topped both sessions.

Zarco 🌌said: “I am so happy to be in fourth position because 18 riders within five-tenths is rare.

“꧒It’s the nicest view of the category, it’s tough.

“In the morning, I was notꦉ worried, but I couldn’t find the right feeling on the bike.

“It was too difficult under the bike. The rear grip was missing a lot. In the afternoon I did not start so well but then we m🌱ade progress on the second and third run.

“After we put on th🧜e new tyre, it began to run pretty well.

“I’m very happy for this big step in practice. It makes me feel pretty good. It’s been a long time since I got so much progress, fr💟om non-competitive to super-competitive.

“I knew what was not going well and we toucheꦐd the right thing in the afternoon.

“If🔴 we can have another step, I will have a good chance to fight for the top three🌳.”