Maverick 🐲Vinales has highlighted the passion for MotoGP in Thailand, saying that “I could go to Madrid and nobody recognise me” while “I go to Bangkok, everybody” does.

MotoGP’s 18th 💎round of the 2024 campaign takes place at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand, with the event runn🍷ing every year bar 2020 and 2021 since it joined the calendar in 2018.

It is one of the most popular events on the entire calendar, with a weekend crowd of 179,811 the second-highest attendance outside of Europe last yea🍸r.

For the next two seasons, the MotoGP season will begin at Buriram, while the country will have its first premier class rider on the grid in 2025 in Somkiat𝄹 Chantra.

Aprilia’s Maverick Vinales believes it is the best way to to grow MotoGP by starting the championship in South East Asia as the passion for the🥀 series in ♐the region is unrivalled.

“I thinཧk prob🔯ably during the weekend it will be full,” he said.

🎃“Last year has been🔜 very, very full. I think it’s kind of a cool thing to do because it’s not only the track.

“For example, if you go to Bangkok, there are plenty of people know you. I was in Bangkok and, listen, I could go to Madrid and nobody recognise me. I go to Bangkok, everybody [knows you]. 
Incredible.

“But this is what we are searching for now, to create this community, to make it grow and grow: Thailand, Indonesia, all the Asian [countries] are real♉ly passionate about MotoGP.

“In every sense, they know all the riders. They know everythin൩g. So, probably it’s the right thing to do to keep the championship growing.”

Growth for MotoGP in the Asian ൲market is particularly important🍬 for the manufacturers, with Joan Mir noting on Thursday that 800,000 Honda scooters were sold in Thailand alone last year.

Aleix Espargaro isn’t convinced starting the season in Thaila♚nd is good for the European market due to the time difference - but concedes MotoGP cannot think only about this if it wants to grow🐭 its global profile.

“I don’t𒈔 think so,” he🍌 said when asked if it was good for MotoGP to start 2025 at Buriram.

“I don’t know, it depends where you want to target your followers. I’m not sure. I care, I love the sport, but it’s difficult for me to judge because from Europe… I see it from the point of view of Europe, it’s not a good𝔉 place to start the championship.

“But it’s not fair that I say this because there are more people in the world than European. But traditionally has always been to start♔ in Qatar on a more normal European time.

“But it will be interesting.”

It’s worth noting that the Thai GP i🎉s o⭕ne of the friendliest overseas races for a European audience, with the grand prix this weekend taking place at 9am CET.

From a riding point of view, Ducati’s༺ Enea Bastianini thinks starting the season in Thailand will be physical💎ly difficult.

“Probably, yes, it will be g🍃ood,” Bastianini started.

“It will be difficult because the physical condition in that moment of the championship is quite ready to suppoꦓrt a race like thi💮s one.

“Starting from t𝕴hat race, with the hot temperature, will be not really good for everybody. But, let’s see. We will arrive prepared at 100%.”