Marc Marquez maintained impressive form to claim Thai MotoGP pole position for his official race debut with the factory Ducati team.
The Chang International Circuit in Buriram witnessed an electrifying qualifying session as the six-time MotoGP World Champion demonstrated his class and adaptability, securing the top spot on the grid with a blistering lap time of 1m28.782s.
The Thai MotoGP pole shootout began with high stakes as several big names including reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia had to navigate through Q1 after struggling in practice.
The Ducati Lenovo rider wasted no time asserting his dominance in the first qualifying segment. His early laps were more than sufficient to secure a place in Q2 where he would join 11 other riders in the battle for pole position.
Jack Miller, making his debut for Prima Pramac Yamaha, also impressed in Q1 delivering two strong laps to clinch the final spot in the second session.
As Q2 commenced, all eyes were on Marc Marquez who had been relatively quiet during practice but was expected to shine under pressure. Initially, it was Bagnaia who set the pace with a strong opening lap, followed closely by Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM and Álex Márquez of Gresini Ducati.
However, the six-time premier class world champion quickly turned the session on its head with a stunning lap that placed him at the top of the timesheets.
While Marquez’s second attempt was hindered by yellow flags caused by crashes involving Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) and Joan Mir (Honda), his initial effort remained unmatched to ultimately claim 2025 Thai MotoGP pole position.
The remarkable achievement not only marked his maiden pole with Ducati but also set the tone for what promises to be an exhilarating 2025 MotoGP season opener.
Alex Marquez delivered a stellar performance to secure second place on the grid, just 0.146 seconds behind his elder brother. The result marked a significant milestone for the Marquez family as both siblings locked out the front row for the first time in their MotoGP careers.
Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia managed to salvage third place despite a challenging session rounding out an all-Ducati front row.
Jack Miller continued to impress on his Yamaha debut, timing his second run perfectly to benefit from a tow behind Bagnaia. His efforts earned him fourth place on the grid, putting him in a strong position for both the Sprint and main races.
Rookie Ai Ogura delivered one of the standout performances of the day after securing fifth place on his premier-class debut with Trackhouse Aprilia. The Japanese rider showed remarkable composure and speed, signaling that he could be a force to reckon with this season.
Pertamina VR46 Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli initially qualified sixth but will drop three places due to a grid penalty incurred during Friday’s practice session for impeding another rider.
The penalty promotes Pedro Acosta to sixth on Sunday’s Thai MotoGP starting grid. Acosta’s consistency throughout qualifying highlighted KTM’s potential this season despite being outnumbered by Ducati machines in Q2.
Further down the order, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia) and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Factory) secured seventh and eighth places respectively while Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo struggled to match his rivals’ pace but managed to qualify ninth.
Joan Mir and Johann Zarco completed the Q2 lineup in 11th and 12th positions after struggling ton deliver faster times during their flying laps.
Outside of Q2, Fabio Di Giannantonio made a commendable return from injury to qualify 13th for VR46 Ducati. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) and rookie Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati) rounded out the top 15, while Thailand’s own Somkiat Chantra faced a steep learning curve in his MotoGP debut.
The local hero will start from 21st on the grid but remains optimistic about showcasing his potential in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
