#THAWorldSBK: Will Kawasaki continue their supremacy in Thailand?

Kawasaki dominate the statistics in Buriram. They won 7 times out of 8, missing out only last year in Race 2, when Davies won for Ducati. That became the only Buriram race without Kawasakis on the podium, as their best rider was Rea in fourth. Their podium tally at Chang International Circuit is 12 and it is exactly the sum of their rivals (Ducati 6, Aprilia and Yamaha 2, Suzuki and Honda 1).
Kawasaki qualified three times out of four on pole here with Jonathan Rea, missing out only in 2016, Race 1 (van der Mark, Honda). Last year they claimed here their 110th win; their tally is now 127.

Last year Chaz Davies interrupted Kawasaki dominance here, winning in Race 2 and making Buriram the 42nd track in which Ducati claimed the top step of the podium. Ducati is second for podium finishes here: 6 to Kawasaki’s 12. The Italian manufacturer qualified once for the front row at Chang International Circuit, with Melandri 3rd on the grid in 2017. Buriram is also the only track in the current calendar where Ducati has not started from pole yet. The Italian manufacturer claimed pole in no less than 40 tracks in its history.

Yamaha were a serious contender for the win in Race 2 last year, when both Lowes and Van der Mark led, but had to eventually surrender to Chaz Davies: van der Mark finished 2nd and Lowes 3rd, the best placements for Yamaha here. The Japanese manufacturer improved constantly in Buriram: their best result was a 6th twice in 2016; a 5th and a 4th in 2017; a 2nd and a 3rd last year. This is one of just four tracks on the current calendar where Yamaha has not taken pole with Imola, Laguna Seca and San Juan. Similarly, the Thai race venue is one of the three current tracks where Yamaha has not won at, with Imola and San Juan. (in San Juan WorldSBK raced only last year).

Honda so far recorded one podium placement in Buriram, when Michael Van der Mark was third here in Race 1, 2016. In the same year Michael Van der Mark recorded his maiden pole here: incidentally, that is the last Honda pole to date, and the only one not recorded by Kawasaki here.
Similarly, to pole position, the Thai circuit was the stage of the last front row in qualifying for Honda, last year with Leon Camier. Honda won on 30 different tracks in its history: Buriram is one of the 10 tracks where they climbed on the podium but have yet to win.

The best result for BMW at Buriram is a 5th place, scored by Markus Reiterberger in Race 1, 2016 and by Jordi Torres in Race 2, 2017. Last year Loris Baz, the only BMW rider present, was 11th and 12th.