Team Gresini MotoGP scored points with both riders today as Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez were fourth and fifth in today’s Thai Grand Prix sprint race.
 
On one side, Marc lost a few points from today’s winner Bastianini in the battle for the championship top three, even though the fifth place on the grid and the crash in Q2 may have led to far worse consequences. Still, he bagged valuable points, with an exciting battle against the Desmosedici GP24 machines ahead – as tomorrow’s race is the real target for the weekend.
 
Alex Marquez, on the other hand, did not fully shine in qualifying this morning (he was fifth), while he managed to put together a spectacular comeback after recovering three positions at the starts and finishing not far from the frontrunners. The crash by Acosta opened him the doors to the top five. Five, key points were secured in the battle for the top ten in the championship, with Espargaro and Bezzecchi now only six and seven points away, respectively.

4^th - MARC MARQUEZ #93 (3^rd in the championship standings with 351 points)
“Before the sprint race began, I was confident in my chances to battle for the podium, but I hadn’t taken Enea into consideration. I managed to achieve the target of a second-row qualifying result and I also started well because I was second at turn three, but today we didn’t have the pace to stay with the frontrunners. Tomorrow’s realistic goal is to finish as high as today.”
 
5^th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (12^th in the championship standings with 130 points)
“It was a good Saturday and let’s say so far a good weekend, too. Without slipstream it wasn’t an easy job to carry out in today’s race, but it went well and I’m happy. Tomorrow’s race is going to be a long one and we’ll need to manage the tyre wear as soon as we can for the end of the race – and there are valuable points up for grabs.”

The eighteenth Grand Prix of the season, currently underway at the Buriram International Circuit, has seen a Friday characterised by milder-than-usual (especially for the region) temperatures and good track conditions, with Marc and Alex Marquez immediately competitive in the morning FP1 (in which they were fourth and fifth, respectively). 
 
In the afternoon session – the one that counts the most – both riders were able to hit the target: Marc set the new outright best lap of the track in what was his first Thai weekend on a Ducati and Alex also managed to finish in the top ten, being now among the candidates for the Thai GP pole position. 

1^st - MARC MARQUEZ #93 (1’29.165s)
“It was a good Friday, but our goal for tomorrow – at least the realistic one - is to qualify on the front two rows. I know where we’re losing ground and where we can improve, we’re suffering in the first two sectors and it won’t be easy tomorrow.”
 
8^th - ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (1’29.613s)
“We did quite a few changes to the bike set-up, and they worked, and the main thing is that we’re in Q2. We still need to do a lot of work and focus on tyre choice, which is something that we still have to evaluate.”

ACT Adventure Country Tracks e.V. has opened a new chapter with the eighth track of the ACT series. For the first time in ACT history, a track crosses two countries: Montenegro and Albania. This challenging adventure was meticulously prepared in multiple stages, starting with the first scouting missions in spring and culminating in a full team scouting in September.

The new track starts near the Croatia track and can be seamlessly connected with the Greece track, thus linking these popular ACT routes. With more than 50% of the route being offroad and a difficulty level rated as "hard," this track is particularly suited for experienced adventure bikers looking to tackle the final offroad challenges of the Balkans with their large touring enduros.

One of the track’s standout features is its flexibility: Over the course of 6 to 7 days, riders can follow various alternative routes with different difficulty levels. Some sections even offer exciting onroad detours. Additionally, the more difficult offroad sections at the end of the tour can either be spread out over two days or entirely enjoyed on-road, making ACT Montenegro and Albania one of the most versatile and thrilling adventure trips in the entire ACT lineup.

Thanks to the support of numerous sponsors, this year also provided the opportunity to test an impressive variety of vehicles and products. In addition to the well-known Yamaha Teneres and the Triumph Tiger, KTM, Husqvarna, MV Agusta, two special Touratech BMWs, an Edelweiss Suzuki, and two Ducatis were part of the team. Equipped with the latest products from Garmin, GoPro, Sena, Metzeler, and Earpeace, as well as apparel from REV'IT!, Nexx, and Touratech, the team had the chance to thoroughly test the gear under extreme conditions. The expedition was also supported by Ford, Good Souls, and Westerfeld Logistics.

The first videos of this adventure will be released in the coming weeks on Instagram and Facebook. The official film premiere of the new ACT movie will take place on December 6, 2024, at the Cinenova Cinema in Cologne. In addition to the ACT team, many partners and sponsors, ACT ambassador Charley Boorman will also be present, having experienced his third ACT track. After the premiere, guests will have the opportunity to exchange stories about the routes and their experiences with club members, partners, and fellow riders.

In addition to the cinema premiere, the film will be released as usual on December 25 at 8:00 PM on the ACT YouTube channel.

The Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island started with a one-two that, despite not leading to a KO, is still an important sign for the weekend Down Under. Marc Marquez dominates the Friday action in the only session of the day (the morning free practice were cancelled due to adverse weather condition) as he topped the timesheets almost the entire time, while getting close to the outright lap record towards the end of Practice.
 
It was an excellent Friday also for Marc Marquez, who set the second quickest time of the day in his very last attempt, finishing one tenth shy of his brother. Both Gresini Racing standard bearers will battle for pole position directly from Q2 in the #AustralianGP. 

1^st - MARC MARQUEZ #93 (1’27.770s)
“I always adapt quickly to track conditions, but surely the others will improve their performance tomorrow and we’ll all be very close. Qualifying will tell a lot about the possible sprint race goals. Alex was incredibly quick and without his mistake on the last lap he would have been ahead of me. It wasn’t an easy day as we needed to attack in each lap, plus the new asphalt is always a factor especially on Friday.”
 
2^nd - ALEX MARQUZ #73 (1’27.872s)
“It was probably one of my best-ever laps. I made the most of Marc’s reference ahead of me in the first two sectors, then I put in some extra of my own. The feeling with the bike was there and so was the one with the circuit, which bodes well for the remainder of the weekend. I don’t know why things seems to be better with anticlockwise circuits this year, but it’s a good thing nevertheless. Obviously, Sunday’s penalty will have its impact, especially considering the good feeling, but we’ll deal with it.”

THE unmistakable sound of classic motorcycles and the buzz of enthusiasts filled the Stafford County Showground this past weekend for another hugely successful Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show sponsored by Carole Nash.