Michelin reveals what caused Marc Marquez’s dramatic Thai GP tyre puncture
Aggressive kerbs and high track temperature have been cited as key factors behind Marquez’s Buriram retirement
Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
Michelin has issued an initial explanation for the tyre failure that forced MotoGP champion Marc Marquez into a sudden retirement at the Thailand Grand Prix.
The factory Ducati rider was chasing Raul Fernandez for third place with five laps remaining when the rear rim of his GP26 failed at Turn 4. Marquez was fortunate to avoid crashing as the tyre rapidly deflated and partially detached from the wheel.
Several other riders reported tyre-related issues in hot conditions at Buriram, with Marquez’s former Honda team-mate Joan Mir also registering a DNF. However, Marquez’s failure was the most spectacular of all – and caused the most damage.
After the race, Marquez suggested the issue may have been triggered by contact with a kerb, although he remained puzzled as he hadn’t taken a different line at Turn 4.
Michelin’s MotoGP chief Piero Taramasso indicated there was no inherent defect in the tyre itself, pointing instead to a combination of aggressive kerbs and extreme track temperatures on a weekend where other riders also suffered from bent wheels.
"That's right, that's what Marc told us. He said, 'The only mistake I made was going wide'. He hit the kerb, the wheel bent, so the air came out and the tyre came off,” Taramasso told Canal+.
“It's a shame for him because at that point he was the fastest on the track. We had this problem all weekend, we had a lot of wheels that were bent when they came back under our pit tent because it was very hot.
“The material is really soft and the kerbs are very aggressive. For example, Jorge Martín's loss of pressure at the front yesterday was the same thing: he hit a kerb, the front wheel bent and the air came out. Jorge had a slow leak and Marc lost air all at once."
Davide Tardozzi: I’ve never seen something like this
Marquez’s tyre woes compounded a tough Sunday for Ducati, as its four-year podium streak in MotoGP came to an end.
Although Aprilia had been the dominant manufacturer for the majority of the weekend, Marquez remained in the hunt for a podium position, especially with Fernandez struggling with tyre degradation in closing stages.
Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi admitted he had never witnessed a similar failure in his time in MotoGP.
“Unfortunately, he went to the kerb at Turn 4, and he broke the rim,” he said. “That’s why he lost the air, and he was forced to stop. He hit the edge of the apex and he broke the wheel.
“No, I don’t remember that I’ve ever seen something like that. We could say that it was a mistake, but he has been really unlucky because many riders went out in Turn 4 and nobody had this problem.
“Anyway, it’s like this. [He said] he hit the kerb, he doesn’t know why, but the rim exploded.”
Photos from Thailand GP - Sunday
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Thailand GP - Sunday, in photos
Share Or Save This Story
No new Yamaha MotoGP engine until after French GP, says Fabio Quartararo
Aprilia on dominant MotoGP start: 'Ducati isn’t struggling, we did something special'
Where MotoGP’s penalty system still lacks clarity
Ryan Blaney completes Penske sweep as wreck-fest ties NASCAR Phoenix Cup caution record
Official race results: 2026 NASCAR Cup at Phoenix I
Juan Pablo Montoya spots one thing in Arvid Lindblad’s Max Verstappen fight that surprised him
Toto Wolff goes viral after hilarious Australian Grand Prix paddock mishap
Where MotoGP’s penalty system still lacks clarity
Five things we learned at the MotoGP Thai GP
Five MotoGP riders who need a big 2026 season
What we learned from the Thailand MotoGP test
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments