The rookie Italian has shown flashes of speed throughout 2022, guiding his 2021-spec Ducati to the front row in a wet/dry qualifying at Mugello and taking a maiden podium at Assen prior to the summer break.
In a tight qualifying at Buriram, Bezzecchi smashed the existing lap record to claim his first pole in the premier class with a 1m29.671s.
The 15-minute pole shootout session got underway in dry conditions with Bezzecchi’s VR46 teammate Luca Marini setting the reference lap with a 1m31.747s.
That only stood as the fastest lap for a few seconds as Jack Miller shot to the top of the order with a 1m30.270s, which he bettered moments later with a 1m30.106s.
The Motegi race-winner was unable to complete the session, however, as an issue on the rear of his Ducati as he exited his garage for his second run in the closing stages forced him back into his box.
Teammate Francesco Bagnaia was only ninth at the end of the opening run, with Pramac’s Jorge Martin leading the way after posting a 1m29.893s moments after Miller had gone top.
When he returned to the circuit for his second run on fresh soft rubber, Bagnaia – who goes into Sunday’s race 18 points behind championship leader Fabio Quartararo – deposed Martin with a 1m29.775s.
This was good enough to keep him second when Martin returned to the top of the order with a 1m29.692s to dip underneath the outright lap record.
Behind him, Bezzecchi was just 0.041s adrift as the VR46 rider came through the third of four sectors.
Crossing the line with a 1m29.671s, Bezzzecchi shot to the top of the order – though had a nervous few minutes wait as Martin clicked through the second sector fastest of all.
But the Pramac rider couldn’t hold the lap together, with Bezzecchi holding onto his maiden pole.
Bagnaia completed the front row, with championship leader Quartararo fourth with a 1m29.909s on the factory Yamaha ahead of fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco on the sister Pramac Ducati.
Gresini’s Enea Bastianini completed the second row in sixth, with Miller left in seventh after his later issues.
Marc Marquez topped the Q1 session and began Q2 on a used soft tyre, which put him sixth when he boxed for his second run.
Quick across his final lap, the Honda rider lost the rear on the way into the last corner and ended up eighth as a result with a 1m30.133s.
Luca Marini will start ninth on the second VR46 Ducati, 0.543s behind teammate Bezzecchi, with Suzuki’s Alex Rins, KTM’s Miguel…
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