UTTAR PRADESH
\nMiguel Oliveira delivered a wet-weather masterclass to win the Thai MotoGP on Sunday, but world champion Fabio Quartararo finished 17th and saw his lead at the top slashed to two points.
\nPortugal\u2019s KTM rider Oliveira took the chequered flag ahead of Australia\u2019s Jack Miller, with title contender Francesco Bagnaia of Italy third.
\nHe is now just two points behind Yamaha\u2019s Quartararo in the standings with three races left.
\nIt was a nightmare day for France\u2019s Quartararo and Spain\u2019s Aleix Espargaro (third in the title chase) hardly had a great time either.
\nHe came 11th on his Aprilia in the first MotoGP in Thailand since 2019 and is 20 points off Quartararo. The title race is too close to call.
\nAustralia is up next, in two weeks, and Ducati\u2019s Bagnaia smells his chance.
\n\u201cIt will be very important to be competitive but it won\u2019t be easy,\u201d the man with all the momentum said after closing the gap once more on Quartararo.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s one of my favourite tracks. I feel we can do something good.\u201d
\nThe race was delayed for almost an hour because of heavy rain over the Buriram circuit and it played out in treacherous conditions.
\n\u201cEvery time we get a chance to ride on the wet I\u2019m always super fast,\u201d Oliveira said after upstaging the title contenders. For Miller it was a second podium finish in a row, after his victory last weekend in Japan. He is fifth in the championship standings. \u201cI was pushing hard there, I didn\u2019t give up on victory,\u201d Miller said. \u201cIt\u2019s not an easy task in these conditions.\u201d
\nMiller is due to get married next weekend, ahead of his home grand prix, and said he would have been in \u201ctrouble\u201d if the race had been postponed.
\nSpanish six-time MotoGP world champion Marc Marques (who has won twice previously in Thailand) showed he is back to near full fitness, placing fifth behind flying Frenchman Johann Zarco.
\nItalian rookie Marco Bezzecchi clinched his first MotoGP pole position on Saturday but could only manage a 16th placing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UTTAR PRADESH Miguel Oliveira delivered a wet-weather masterclass to win the Thai MotoGP on Sunday, but world champion Fabio Quartararo finished 17th and saw his lead at the top slashed to two points. Portugal\u2019s KTM rider Oliveira took the chequered flag ahead of Australia\u2019s Jack Miller, with title contender Francesco Bagnaia of Italy third. He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":287094,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-287067","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n