But before engines on, it was time to talk in the pre-event Press Conference and with so much unknown on the horizon, there was plenty to say.

Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was joined by his closest chaser Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Andrea Iannone (Team Suzuki Ecstar), his teammate Alex Rins and Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro in the Press Conference, with talk kicking off with the pre-event in Bangkok for Marquez.

“It was a tough day,” says the number 93 of his day in the Thai capital. “It was even hotter than here! But we had a good day, including riding the tuk tuk in the city! And I know a bit more about Bangkok because I’d never visited. Then last night I got to Buriram.”

Now he’s arrived, it’s reset for racing – with the goal the same as always; fighting for the win.

“The mentality is the same like in Aragon, Misano, Red Bull Ring…” affirms Marquez. “Try to start on Friday with the mentality of fighting for the victory on Sunday. Try to prepare all weekend to be ready on Sunday and see if we can be ready to fight for the victory, or if we have to take points. It’s the best way. But you have to take some risks over the weekend and be in good shape from FP1. It will be important.

“We tested here but I think all manufacturers now have arrived with a different balance and it will be interesting to understand now what the level is.”

Next up was Andrea Dovizioso, one of those who has gained a lot of momentum since that first test in Thailand. It wasn’t a timesheet-topping test for the Italian then, but does the track look good for the Ducati on paper? “The first half of the track yeah,” he says, but “the second half is a bit slow, second gear and we struggled in the test. But we only did the test and we haven’t raced here, and the tyres are completely different to the test. The situation with the speed of the riders is different to February so anything can happen! For sure we’ll start with good speed but we’ll see how the tyres are. In the test we tried something but the grip was very low.”

And that final corner? On paper, it looks set up for some late-race fireworks…

“For sure, I think this kind of corner could be an important corner in every class,” he begins. “But to think about the last corner we have to think about a lot of different things. The first is the heat. The heat is high, maybe even more than Malaysia and it’s very hard for everyone. The bike is very hot, that will affect the race – and the tyres will. It’s impossible to know much now…”

The heat was also on the tip of the tongue of Valentino Rossi – for whom Chang International Circuit counts as the 37th career venue. But first, the nine-time World Champion talked about racing in the region.

“It looks like we spend more and more time in this part of the world because the passion for MotoGP is very high,” begins Rossi. “It’s also important for all the manufacturers. It will be interesting to race in Thailand for the first time. On paper it will be hard because the track isn’t fantastic for the M1 but we’ll try. Like Andrea said, the weather is difficult because it’s very very hot, and it can rain every day. So first we hope for a dry race! We did the test here and it wasn’t great but we’re in a difficult moment so we have to try and concentrate.”

Nevertheless, the Italian remains an impressive third in the Championship – and he’s focused on consistency to retain it: “Given the speed we’ve demonstrated during the season, being in third is a good achievement,” says Rossi. “I have 29 points of advantage above Maverick but also above Jorge, who is strong during this last part of the season. So I think it will be difficult to keep the third place but we’ll try and stay consistent.”

Compatriot Iannone, meanwhile, struggled more in the test – but was on the podium once again in Aragon. Much like Dovizioso, he won’t yet be drawn on the unknown quantity of the weekend.

“In Aragon it was a good race for us, me and Alex, and for Suzuki,” says Iannone. “We pushed a lot from the beginning and stayed close to Marc and Dovi, but here is a different rack for us. During the test I struggled a lot here but Alex did less than me so that’s a positive. But I’ll only have an idea about the weekend tomorrow when we start. I hope we can start well, and then we’ll see.”

And Rins? He was also positive about Aragon – but the Spaniard had top pace in pre-season testing at Chang International Circuit, too. “I think Aragon was a really good weekend, two weeks before the race we tested as well and it was a good test. But during the race we learned a lot. I was struggling a bit with the front in the last bit and I tried to overtake Andrea to take the podium but I was close to crashing. But we’re on a good level and have a competitive bike,” he confirms. And Thailand?

“The test was good and I was able to be fast. I think and hope the bike will handle the track well. I like it a lot, there are a lot of fast corners, two or three slow corners but the layout is fine for me, and I think it could be good for our bike.”

Later going back to the point of learning from Honda and Ducati, Rins says he had a lot to report back: “I saw a lot on their bikes that I can tell Suzuki, what we’re missing or where they have an advantage…”

Aleix Espargaro, meanwhile, was the final rider to give his thoughts on the weekend. Off the back of an amazing sixth place in Aragon, the Aprilia rider says spirits are high again after the top result.

“Aragon has been a good track for me but we didn’t have amazing pace on Saturday…but this season we struggle in qualifying and then in the race we’re more competitive,” he explains. “We did a good job in the sessions, I did a super start and managed to stay close to the top guys. It’s not just that it was P6 but the gap to the leader wasn’t very big. It’s a bit of a break because it’s been a difficult season. I would say the bike is slightly better than last season but everyone improved so much.”

Now the question remains as to who has improved since testing at Buriram – and what the race weekend will bring. Friday sees Free Practice begin from 9:00 (GMT +7) local time, and the race is on Sunday 7th October at 14:00.

 The minister and his entourage, including Sports Authority of Thailand governor Kongsak Yodmanee, inspected the venue in Buri Ram where the PTT Thailand Grand Prix gets underway from today until Sunday.

Weerasak checked several areas in the complex such as the media centre, international broadcasting centre, local media centre, sponsors’ booths, spectator stands and other facilities for riders and fans.

He was impressed by the preparation, saying Thailand and Buriram were now ready for the inaugural MotoGP.

“Even though it’s our first time hosting a MotoGP, we have carried out the tasks perfectly ranging from the circuit, accommodation, transportation and restaurants,” said the minister after the inspection.

Thailand has signed a three-year deal, at a cost of US$3 million (Bt 98m) per year, to host the world’s biggest motorcyle race in the northeastern province from 2018-2020.

Valentino Rossi meets his fans in Bangkok on Wednesday.

More than 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the event and up to Bt2 billion income is predicted by the government for each race.

The best riders in the world, including defending world champion and heavy favourite Marc Marquez of Honda, Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati, currently No 2 in the championship standings and seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi of Kawasaki, are already at the circuit to prepare for the practice sessions on Friday and Saturday.

Buri Ram is the 28th circuit to hold a MotoGP race since it replaced the 500cc class as the premier class of motorcycle Grand Prix racing in 2002.

In addition, Thailand is the 20th different country to host a MotoGP race since 2002 and the 7th different Asian country to host a Grand Prix after Qatar, Turkey, Japan, Malaysia, China and Indonesia.

The Chang International Circuit venue will be the 37th different circuit that Rossi has raced at during his Grand Prix career.

The Italian is the most successful rider in the MotoGP class in Asia with 14 wins: Sepang (5), Losail (4), Suzuka (2), Shanghai (2) and Motegi (1). He has won a total 89 wins with three manufacturers Honda, Ducati and Yamaha.

Buri Ram is one of just four circuits on the current Grand Prix schedule where Valentino Rossi has not had a MotoGP victory yet, along with Austin, Texas, the Red Bull Ring in Austria and Aragon, Spain.

The 21-year-old entered the record books on September 30 when she won by a single point in the Superbike Supersport 300 division on the French circuit of Magny-Cours.

Riding a Kawasaki, Carrasco fought her way up from 25th to finish 13th at the season decider, calling her achievement “unbelievable”.

MotoGP’s three leading riders were full of praise when quizzed about her win ahead of the inaugural Thailand Grand Prix.

“I was very happy, it was so important for the motorcycle world,” said MotoGP frontrunner and fellow Spanish rider Marc Marquez.

“It’s not a man’s world, women can be very fast on the bike. It’s not only about the physical condition, also it’s about skill and mentality,” added Marquez.

His sentiments were shared by Italians Andrea Dovizioso and Valentino Rossi, who both trail Marquez on points going into Sunday’s race.

Dovizioso called it an “important result” while Rossi said it was a “great achievement” that could inspire other women.

“I hope that for Ana it is good for the future of her career,” Rossi said.

“Maybe this result can push some other girl to race.”

When pressed if she could compete at the MotoGP level, Rossi said it was a big leap but that the difference had nothing to do with gender.

“For me from the 300 (division) to the MotoGP is still a long way,” he said.

The riders also fielded questions about the hot weather and the new track, which was built only a few years ago in Buriram, a sleepy Thai town that is pouring investment into sports.

The Chang International Circuit is the only Formula One grade track in the country. It will be put to the test this weekend for its first hosting of the MotoGP, the 15th leg in this year’s 19-race motorcycling season.

More than 100,000 people are expected to attend, straining the resources of rural Buriram, where tents have been pitched near the track after hotels quickly booked out.

In Pool B, Thailand leads the way with three points. Ariya Jutanugarn and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong pulled out a tight 2-and-1 win over their Japanese foes, while Moriya Jutanugarn and Pornanong Phatlum dropped the final hole to halve their match.

South Korea shot to the top of Pool A in front of a home crowd at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, where 32 of the best female golfers from the eight top-ranked countries teed off at the LPGA team event.

Two-time major winner Park and 10th-ranked Kim In-kyung beat Candie Kung and Phoebe Yao of Taiwan 1-up.

The victory was followed by a 2-up win by South Korea’s Ryu So-yeon and Chun In-gee over Taiwan’s Teresa Lu and Hsu Wei-Ling, giving the hosts four points.

“We did struggle a bit on the front nine but I think we pulled out the win because we were really supporting each other the entire way,” said world number three Ryu after the win.

This is the third edition of the tournament, and the first to be held outside the United States.

Top-seeded South Korea are trying to win their first International Crown after finishing third in 2014 and second in 2016.

England trail South Korea in second place in Pool A with three points, followed by Australia with one point.

Thailand finished day one with a win and a tie over Japan to lead Pool B, which also includes the US and Sweden.

After three days of fourballs, the top two teams from each pool and one wild-card team will advance to the singles event on Sunday, after which the team with the most points will claim the title.

The Thais, whose only two defeats have been in tiebreakers against both Russia and the United States, won 25-22, 15-25, 25-19, 25-17 to drop Azerbaijan’s win-loss record to 2-3.

Sittirak Onuma led the Thai scoring with 24 points, including 21 spikes, and Kanthong Malika added 16 – all of them spikes.

For Azerbaijan, Polina Rahimova top-scored with 25 points, including 22 spikes, and Jana Kulan noteched 14 with 13 spikes.

The Thais started the match without two of their key players, Kokram Pimpichaya and Kongyot Ajcharaporn, due to injury and, in their absence, the veterans Wilavan, Onuma and Malika took the game to Azerbaijan.

The tall Azerbaijan spikers knew they would have to work hard for their points against the sprightly Thai defence and so it proved as Thailand led 16-14 at the second TTO of the first set.

As the set progressed, Aynur Imanova, Jana Kulan and Polina Rahimova began to find a way past the block and through the ground defence and Thailand needed a TO with their lead cut to one at 21-20.

The ever reliable Wilavan, leaping prodigiously from her 1.74-metre frame, closed out the first set 25-22 on Thailand’s second set point.

Azerbaijan tried to step it up in the second set. Rahimova sent over a scorching ace, Yelyzaveta Samadova spiked powerfully from the left and the signs looked good with a four-point advantage.

With Olena Hasanova and Kulan adding to the tally, Azerbaijan led 16-12 at the second TTO. Rahimova was finding her groove and the Azerbaijan block kept Thailand at bay as they took the second set 25-15 for 1-1.

Onuma’s spike from the left early in the third set had the crowd gasping and Thailand led 8-6 at the first TTO. The players returned and produced an incredible rally in which Wilavan retrieved the ball hanging over the back-court board and Pleumjit finished at the net – summing up everything captivating about the Thai game.

Pleumjit was becoming more influential as the third set progressed and Nuekjang Thatdao – the tallest member of the Thai team at 1.84m – pulled off a crashing block to extend the Thai lead.

Although Natalya Mammadova gave Azerbaijan hope, the superb Thatdao ended the third set 25-19 for 2-1 Thailand.

In the fourth set, Samadova, captain Odina Aliyeva and Rahimova led the Azerbaijan response but they were starting to look tired in the face of the non-stop blue barrage on the other side of the net.

Malika, Onuma and Wilavan, together with the middle blocking team of Thatdao and Pleumjit, were sensing victory and maintained their furious pace. The Nootsara-Pleumjit combination clicked into gear and the Thais were home 25-17.

A strongly worded IOC statement warned that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) must tackle governance issues at its upcoming congress or it could face sanctions.

“The Executive Board of the IOC today expressed its ongoing extreme concern with the grave situation within the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and its current governance,” the board said in a statement.

“These include the circumstances of the establishment of the election list and the misleading communication within the AIBA membership regarding the IOC’s position.”

The executive board, meeting in Buenos Aires where the Youth Olympic Games begin on Saturday, said the troubles in the AIBA affect “not just the reputation of AIBA and boxing but of sport in general”.

“Therefore, the IOC reiterates its clear position that if the governance issues are not properly addressed to the satisfaction of the IOC at the forthcoming AIBA Congress, the existence of boxing on the Olympic programme and even the recognition of AIBA as an International Federation recognised by the IOC are under threat.”

The IOC warned in July that boxing could still be axed from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics if the AIBA did not put its house in order.

In February the IOC said they were worried by the nomination of Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov for the AIBA’s interim presidency.

However Rakhimov, who has been linked to organized crime by the US Treasury Department, is now the only candidate for the presidency to be voted on at the AIBA congress in Moscow in November.

In attempting to force change at the AIBA this year, the IOC had already suspended financial contributions from the IOC to the AIBA.

Even though the IOC believes sweeping change is needed at the AIBA, the governing body voiced support for boxers themselves.

“At the same time we would like to reassure the athletes that the IOC will — as it has always done in such situations and is currently doing at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 — do its utmost to ensure that the athletes do not have to suffer under these circumstances and that we will protect their Olympic dream.”

Ronaldo’s denial came as lawyers for his accuser said they had obtained damning correspondence between the footballer and his legal team.

The case has threatened the reputation of the Portuguese superstar, arguably the world’s best footballer, with Las Vegas police this week saying they would reopen their file on the matter.

“I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me,” he tweeted in Portuguese and English.

“Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in,” said the 33-year-old Juventus forward.

“My clear conscious (sic) will thereby allow me to await with tranquility the results of any and all investigations,” he added on his Twitter feed @Cristiano, which has nearly 75 million followers.

Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo, in a 32-page lawsuit filed last month with a district court in Nevada, of raping her on June 13, 2009.

Las Vegas police this week said they were reopening a case filed on that date but did not identify the victim or the alleged perpetrator by name.

Complicating matters, Jacinto Rivera, a spokesman for the department, told AFP Mayorga did not identify Ronaldo by name at the time of her complaint and was “uncooperative.”

Mayorga’s lawsuit, however, said she had named the footballer to police “within weeks of the initial report.”

– ‘She said no’ –

Larissa Drohobyczer, one of Mayorga’s lawyers, told reporters that whistle-blowing website Football Leaks had provided documents that showed correspondence between Ronaldo and his team of fixers around the time of the incident, which they are considering making public.

According to the alleged leak, Ronaldo told his fixers: “She said ‘no’ and ‘stop’ several times,” in his written correspondence to them.

Mayorga alleges she was pressured into signing a nondisclosure agreement in 2010 to keep the alleged rape secret and is seeking at least $200,000 in penalties and damages.

The complaint was first reported by the German magazine Der Spiegel. Lawyers for Ronaldo have reportedly threatened to sue the magazine over the story.

In the suit, Mayorga said she met Ronaldo, who was then 24 years old, on the evening of June 12, 2009 at the Rain Nightclub in the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

It said she accepted an invitation to join Ronaldo and others in his penthouse suite to “enjoy the view of the Las Vegas strip.”

– #MeToo movement –

She was invited to join guests in a hot tub but declined because she did not have a bathing suit, the complaint said.

Ronaldo offered her clothing and then followed her into a bathroom where she was going to change clothes, it said.

After she refused his demand to perform oral sex and said she wanted to leave, Ronaldo pulled her into a bedroom and anally raped her while she screamed “no, no, no,” according to the suit.

“When Cristiano Ronaldo completed the sexual assault of the plaintiff, he allowed her to leave the bedroom stating he was sorry, he was usually a gentleman,” it said.

The lawsuit said Mayorga reported the alleged assault to police the same day and was examined at a local hospital.

It said the assault left her with “severe emotional and bodily injuries including but not limited to anal contusions, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression.”

Under pressure from Ronaldo’s “fixers,” Mayorga settled the case “in exchange for a payment of $375,000 and non-disclosure of the sexual assault,” the lawsuit said.

It claimed the agreement should be voided because she was “incompetent and lacked the mental capacity to participate in negotiations and settlement of her claims due to the injuries suffered during the initial sexual assault.”

Leslie Stovall, another lawyer for Mayorga, told reporters his client had suffered years of trauma as a result of the alleged attack, but had found the strength to speak out thanks to the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault at the hands of powerful men.

“The MeToo movement and the women who have stood up and disclosed sexual assaults has given Kathryn a lot of courage, and has enabled her to come forward,” he said.

Ronaldo is a five-time winner of FIFA’s men’s player of the year award.

The Portuguese striker, a married father of four, left Real Madrid this year to join Juventus for 100 million euros ($117 million).

Four-time world champion Marc Marquez of Spain is full of confidence ahead of the inaugural PTT Thailand MotoGP in Buriram this weekend.

The 25-year-old Repsol Honda rider will have his work cut out – the race will also feature his two Italian arch-rivals: Andrea Dovizioso of Ducati and seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi of Yamaha.

With six circuit wins over the season, including the last stop in Spain at the Motorland Aragon 11 days ago, Marquez sits atop the Championship standing with 246 points, 72 ahead of Dovizioso with Rossi third on 159.

An impressive result at the Chang International Circuit would enhance the Spaniard’s hopes of achieving his stated goal of claiming his fifth world title.

“I’m coming here in a very good position for the Championship. I just won the last race at the Motorland Aragon. So my confidence is quite high,” said Marquez as he posed patiently for photographers and TV crews at the Wat Ratchanatdaram temple in Bangkok.

The venue is familiar territory for Marquez, who came over for February’s Winter Test , allowing him and his team to get to know the circuit and the immediate environment.

“The tests here were good, we were really fast. But now it’s rainy season, everything can happen. We will wait to see the situation and I will try to do my best,” added the man from the town of Cervera in the Catalonia region.

“When I saw the circuit for the first time, I thought it would be an easy track – but it was quite tricky because the first part was a long straight.

“My favourite was the last part with the really fast chicane. The last corner was too tricky to be very precise but it was nice to ride because of the nice surface,” added the man dubbed “the Ant from Cervera”, who arrived in Thailand on Tuesday night.

“We will try to fight for the victory on Sunday but I also need to think about the championship situation.

“We need to finish all the races, so I can’t take risks but will try to take control and take points for the championship.”

The 41-time-MotoGP expects to receive plenty of support from Thai fans and a huge turnout at the Chang International Circuit over the next few days.

“ During the [Winter] Test , there were so many people in the grandstand, which was very nice,” he added, “so I’m looking forward to see a lot of people on the race weekend too.”

Marquez and fellow Honda rider Nakarin Athiratphuwapat, who will be competing in the Moto3 race, also took part on Wednesday in a video shoot which will be used to promote the tournament.

The Spaniard was riding his RC213V and a local tuk-tuk (three-wheeled taxi) on Rattanakosin Island.

Apart from the race, there will also be other activities and entertainment this weekend, including a Muay Thai Expo and bouts on Friday, a Chang Music Connection concert on Saturday and a live performance by the famous girl group BNK48 on Sunday.

7-time world champion Valentino Rossi of Yamaha YZ-RM1 meets his fans in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Michelle Bartsch-Hackley led the American scoring with 23 points, including 17 spikes, and middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo added 17 points with seven blocks.

For Thailand, Kongyot Ajcharaporn top-scored with 23 points but suffered a knee injury and left the arena in a wheelchair. Kanthong Malika and captain Thinkaow Pleumjit both scored 14 points.

The Americans made a great start against Thailand, who were missing their injured leading scorer Kokram Pimpichaya. Michelle Bartsch-Hackley was quickly into her attacking groove on the left, and middle blockers Foluke Akinradewo and Rachael Adams both showed their skill with quality spikes.

The USA block was efficient from the first whistle and the Thai spikers were pressured into errors, notably Kanthong Malika and Sittirak Onuma. The Americans led 16-8 at the second TTO but called a TO at 19-14 after a Pleumjit-inspired Thai team fought back in typical style.

The Americans regrouped, returned and romped away to claim the first set 25-17.

In the second set, Thailand continued to be thwarted by the superb USA block and also had problems with the swirling serves of Akinradewo. The large and noisy group of Thai supporters high in the arena had little to cheer about in the second set as the USA reached the second TTO ahead 16-7.

It was plain sailing for the USA, who built on this lead with a crashing spike from southpaw Kelly Murphy on the right, a crunching Akinradewo block and an Adams ace.

The spring-heeled Wilavan and ever-alert captain Pleumjit lifted Thai spirits for a while but winners were few and far between as the Thais were made to work overtime for every point. The USA closed out the second set 25-16 for 2-0.

The third set brought a remarkable turnaround as the Thai block toughened up and the defence became more coordinated.

As the Thais battled their way back, the noise levels in the stands grew significantly louder as the Thai supporters realised all was not lost.

The Thais stayed close through Kongyot Ajcharaporn, Wilavan and Pleumjit and the gap was only two points, 16-14, at the second TTO.

The Americans were labouring at this point, having been knocked out of their rhythm, and amazingly Thailand held three set points at 24-21.

Needless to say they relied on the skipper Pleumjit to finish the job 25-23 at the third time of asking and pick up Thailand’s first set of the match to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

Now the Americans had a real match on their hands in what was becoming a fascinating battle of styles.

Akinradewo, captain Jordan Larson and Murphy tried to restore order as the USA held a slender advantage, 16-15, at the second TTO as Wilavan, Malika and Ajcharaporn maintained Thailand’s high-speed attacks.

The Thais were jumping for joy when a Pleumjit block took them to 19-18, forcing the USA into a TO. When play resumed, Ajcharaporn had to be carried from the court after slipping – a worrying moment for the team.

They put this upset behind them and again finished strongly to win the set 25-21 thanks to some incredible digging and defence that baffled the Americans as the ball just kept coming back. With amazing agility, they finished off the moves with some piercing spikes through the USA defence.

Murphy’s spiking and blocking proved decisive as the USA turned around ahead 8-6 ahead and the Thai serve spluttered down the home stretch.

With three match points at 14-11, Kimberly Hill finished it down the middle for 3-2 USA.

Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Buriram, the main settlement of a steamy rice-farming area playing the unlikely host to the Thailand Grand Prix.

Organising a MotoGP, the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, is already a victory — but there is speculation that Formula One could be next in the sights of Buriram, whose racetrack is F1-certified.

With a population of just 30,000, Buriram has boomed in recent years on the back of multi-million-dollar investment in sports infrastructure.

In 2011 came the ‘Thunder Castle’, a 32,600-capacity stadium for Thai Premier League football champions Buriram United.

Three years later followed the $60 million, Hermann Tilke-designed Chang International Circuit, which will now host one of the biggest sports events in Thai history.

Buriram got the nod for MotoGP after Bangkok scrapped moves towards a suggested Formula One night race on the streets of the Thai capital.

The MotoGP, which starts with practice sessions on Friday and culminates on Sunday, represents a step into the international limelight for the rural backwater.

Thailand has paid about $3 million a year for the rights to hold the race for three years, according to local media.

Some riders have already grumbled about the track being less exciting than others and about the addition of an extra leg, extending the season to 19 races.

Humidity and possible heavy rains, which are common in the Southeast Asian country at this time of year, could be a worry as well.

– The ‘Baron of Buriram’ –

The season, now in its 15th race, is reaching its endgame with Marc Marquez closing in on a fifth MotoGP world title, with a 72-point lead in the standings.

“Thailand promises to be unpredictable,” Jamie Klein, UK editor of Motorsport.com, told AFP.

“Nobody can be totally sure what to expect, which opens up the possibility of a surprise winner or an upset.”

Marquez said he felt confident but he admitted that the weather may be a factor.

“The test has been good, we were very, very fast but now they told me that it’s rainy season and everything can happen,” he said.

The burden of arranging a world-class event requires levels of manpower and organisation previously unseen in Buriram.

Nearly 1,700 police officers will be on duty, hotels with 60 rooms or more are fully booked, and only small resorts outside of the provincial city or on Airbnb are available.

Campsites have also sprung up on online travel sites like Booking.com.

Securing the race is another feather in the cap for Newin Chidchob, an ex-politician-turned-sports mogul dubbed ‘the Baron of Buriram’ whose rural power base has made him a key political broker.

Newin is eyeing a complete transformation of his hometown from an up-country pit stop to a hub which will draw three million people a year.

Thousands of jobs, hotel rooms and hundreds of restaurants have already followed in the wake of the stadium’s construction.

– ‘Global recognition’ –

For the money spent on the MotoGP, the payback is expected to run into billions of Thai baht (tens of millions of dollars).

Big-name sponsors include duty-free giant King Power — which also owns Leicester City Football Club — Thai beer company Chang, energy and banking firms as well as Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing app Grab.

After MotoGP, there is much talk that Newin may try to entice the much bigger and higher-profile Formula One, fulfilling a long-held aspiration in Thai tourism and sports.

The mix of small towns and F1 has not always been sucessful, however. The Korean Grand Prix was dropped from the Formula One calendar only three years after it was unveiled in the rural county of Yeongam in 2010.

For now it is a guessing game as to whether Thais will show up in numbers. In a country where the daily minimum wage is about $10, tickets start at $60 for a seat in the stands and creep into the hundreds for VIP areas.

However, the early signs are good as tickets from the official MotoGP site are sold out.

“We have to evaluate after this first-year event,” said Wandee Tiansawatkit, an advisor to the Buriram Hotel Club, adding that sentiment was “upbeat” about the race.

With millions of dollars at stake, the Thai government says it is prepared for the challenges.

“This is an important opportunity for our country to earn global recognition,” Ruj Saeng-udom, the deputy governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, told reporters.