Under the sweltering Southeast Asian sun, the Marquez brothers—Marc and Alex—delivered an electrifying performance in the 2025 Thai MotoGP Sprint to secure a 1-2 finish.
The 2025 MotoGP season kicked off in spectacular fashion at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, showcasing a mix of resilience, surprises, and challenges as they battled for valuable points in this high-octane opener.
Riding for the Ducati Lenovo Team, Marc Marquez dominated the 13-lap 2025 Thai MotoGP Sprint from start to finish, securing a lights-to-flag victory that marked a triumphant debut on his new Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
His victory was not only a testament to his skill but also a historic moment as he became the first rider since Casey Stoner in 2007 to win on their Ducati factory debut.
Starting from pole position, the six-time MotoGP World Champion executed a flawless launch off the line taking an early lead that he would never relinquish.
Marc’s calculated approach allowed him to maintain a steady gap over his younger brother Alex Marquez who rode impressively to secure second place on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati GP24 machine.
The younger of the Marquez brothers recovered from a slow start to reclaim second place from Francesco Bagnaia at Turn 3 on Lap 1. Despite Marc’s dominant pace out front, Alex held his ground admirably finishing just 1.185 seconds behind.
Meanwhile, Bagnaia rounded out the 2025 Thai MotoGP Sprint podium. The two-time MotoGP Champion had initially slotted into second at the start but was overtaken by Alex Marquez early on.
Although he tried to close the gap to Alex in the latter stages of the race, Bagnaia ultimately settled for third after fending off a spirited challenge from rookie Ai Ogura. While Bagnaia’s performance was solid, it was clear that he lacked the pace to contend with either of the Marquez brothers on this occasion.
One of the standout performances of the day came from Ai Ogura, who made an astonishing MotoGP debut aboard his Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP25.
The reigning Moto2 Champion qualified fifth and quickly moved up to fourth during the opening lap. He displayed remarkable composure and skill as he shadowed Bagnaia for much of the race.
Ultimately finishing fourth just 4.392 seconds behind Marc Marquez, Ogura earned widespread praise from both fans and fellow riders. His ability to adapt so quickly to MotoGP machinery suggests that he could be a breakout star this season.
Meanwhile, Franco Morbidelli delivered a consistent performance to claim fifth place on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati. Although he briefly dropped behind Jack Miller early in the race, Morbidelli regained his position and delivered a relatively solitary race thereafter.
Pedro Acosta finished sixth for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing after an eventful 2025 Thai MotoGP Sprint race that saw him battle through traffic and recover from early setbacks. Acosta’s teammate Brad Binder also impressed with a strong start from 14th on the grid, ultimately finishing eighth.
Between them was Fabio Quartararo in seventh place aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1. Quartararo’s performance underscored Yamaha’s ongoing struggles with competitiveness compared to Ducati and KTM machinery.
Joan Mir brought home ninth place for Honda HRC Castrol in what was arguably one of his better rides in recent memory. Despite being compromised at the start due to his evasive action when Marco Bezzecchi nearly collided with other riders off the line, Mir managed to recover well and secure valuable points for Honda.
Bezzecchi himself could only manage 12th after his early mishap despite showing promise during pre-season testing.
The 2025 Thai MotoGP Sprint also saw its share of retirements and disappointments. Jack Miller crashed out while running in sixth place after losing control of his Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP machine mid-race.
Meanwhile, Fabio Di Giannantonio of VR46 Racing was forced to retire due to mechanical issues just as he appeared poised to break into the points.
Notably absent from the season opener was defending World Champion Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing Team Gresini. Martin suffered multiple injuries during pre-season testing and subsequent training sessions, ruling him out of both the Thai GP and the upcoming race in Argentina.
