On February 28, 2025, the new MotoGP World Championship season got under way at Buriram in Thailand. In the eagerly awaited opening practice session on Friday, Ducati rider Marc Márquez made an immediate impression by topping the timesheets and starting the season strongly.
There was plenty of anticipation at Buriram as the teams and riders prepared to demonstrate their potential in the first practice session. Márquez looked in excellent form on his Ducati. During the 45-minute session, he initially went quickest with a 1m29.592s lap before consolidating his lead with an impressive 1m29.423s, making himself the centre of attention.
VR46’s Franco Morbidelli improved late in the session to take second, although he remained almost two tenths behind the six-time MotoGP champion. Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo also impressed in third, giving the Yamaha team a welcome boost. Pramac rider Jack Miller was fourth on his M1, adding another strong result for Yamaha.
Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi and Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura finished fifth and sixth respectively. Gresini’s Álex Márquez, Pramac’s Miguel Oliveira and Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Maverick Viñales also completed the session successfully and took their places on the timesheets.
Two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia had a more difficult session. Márquez’s Ducati team-mate finished only tenth, seven tenths off the leading time. Johann Zarco was the best-placed Honda rider in eleventh, while Honda’s factory riders, including Joan Mir, were still searching for their best form and trying to close the gap to the front.
The opening practice results gave the teams a clearer basis for planning the Grand Prix. Márquez’s strong performance provided Ducati with a solid start to the new season and heightened expectations for his race. The other riders were equally determined to improve and would push hard in the remaining practice sessions and the Grand Prix. With the competitive battle already taking shape, anticipation for the 2025 MotoGP Thai GP continued to grow.
2025 MotoGP Round 1 Thai Grand Prix Free Practice 1 results
| Pos. | No. | Rider | Team | Best lap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Ducati Team | 1’29.423 | 18 |
| 2 | 21 | Franco Morbidelli | VR46 | 1’29.581 | 20 |
| 3 | 20 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | 1’29.765 | 19 |
| 4 | 43 | Jack Miller | Pramac | 1’29.840 | 20 |
| 5 | 72 | Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia | 1’29.851 | 21 |
| 6 | 79 | Ai Ogura | Trackhouse | 1’29.919 | 21 |
| 7 | 73 | Álex Márquez | Gresini | 1’29.944 | 20 |
| 8 | 88 | Miguel Oliveira | Pramac | 1’30.018 | 19 |
| 9 | 12 | Maverick Viñales | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 1’30.054 | 15 |
| 10 | 63 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Team | 1’30.141 | 19 |
| 11 | 5 | Johann Zarco | LCR Honda Castrol | 1’30.219 | 19 |
| 12 | 10 | Luca Marini | Honda | 1’30.233 | 14 |
| 13 | 36 | Joan Mir | Honda | 1’30.241 | 19 |
| 14 | 54 | Fermín Aldeguer | Gresini | 1’30.269 | 17 |
| 15 | 37 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 1’30.385 | 25 |
| 16 | 35 | Somkiat Chantra | Idemitsu Honda LCR | 1’30.471 | 17 |
| 17 | 49 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | VR46 | 1’30.537 | 18 |
| 18 | 33 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 1’30.640 | 24 |
| 19 | 42 | Álex Rins | Yamaha | 1’30.696 | 19 |
| 20 | 23 | Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 1’30.722 | 17 |
| 21 | 25 | Raúl Fernández | Trackhouse | 1’31.040 | 20 |
| 22 | 32 | Lorenzo Savadori | Aprilia | 1’31.844 | 18 |
Source: MotoGP official Free Practice 1 classification (© DORNA, 2025).
