Fabio Quartararo “is the meat in the Ducati sandwich”

Marco Bezzecchi took a shock pole position in Buriram on Saturday, while reigning MotoGP champion Quartararo was fourth.

He leads the 2022 MotoGP standings by 18 points but Francesco Bagnaia will start Sunday’s race in third, and could have an advantage due to the amount of Ducati teammates around him.

• Thailand MotoGP Qualifying full results

Laverty said to BT about Quartararo: “He’s got to be happy with that. He’s the meat in the Ducati sandwich - three in front of him, three behind him!

“Leading off the second row gives him a run into Turn 2.

“He has given himself a good opportunity to battle the Ducatis from lap one.

“It won’t be easy to hold off the Ducatis on lap one.

“Another miracle from Fabio.”

What happened to Jack Miller?

Last week’s winner of the Japanese MotoGP, Jack Miller, qualified in seventh.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Sylvain Guintoli said to BT. “He had been using the medium rear tyre a lot this weekend.

“I’m not sure he’s using softs tomorrow because he did a very strong run in FP4 with mediums.

“It must be a bike problem.

“Jack has the best race pace.”

Bezzecchi said ‘oh really!’

Mooney VR46 Ducati rider Bezzecchi went fastest, much to his own surprise, on Saturday.

“He didn’t see that coming! He put a perfect lap together and I like his attitude,” Guintoli said.

“You know, as a rider, when you are on a fast lap, you’re going quick, making no mistakes, getting the most out of your rear grip.

“He was surprised that he was able to go so fast.

"He wasn’t able to see the screen. In parc ferme they said ‘first place’ and he said ‘oh really!’"