• MotoGP Thailand, Buriram - Friday Praꦏctice Results

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

Martin’s Pram♔ac 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 p🎶retty fast lap.

“Almost, he can race without taking care of me. At t💎he moment he is very fast and he can be🀅 fast whenever he wants.

“No, there is no di🦩scussion between riders, or any indication from [team manager Gino Borsoi] to us, or to me.”

'18 riders within five-tenths is rare'

Zarco was fourth-fastest in Friday practice at B♕uriram.

His title-chasing teammate Martin topped both 🐽sessions.

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

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

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

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

“After w💙e put on the 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, from non-competitive to super-comp♕etitive.

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

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