Marc Márquez added another highlight to his career at the Thai Grand Prix on March 2, 2025. Making his debut with the factory Ducati team, the Spanish rider combined accomplished riding with an effective strategy to take the Grand Prix victory and make a perfect start to his new chapter at Ducati.
Starting from pole, Marc Márquez made a strong getaway and quickly took a clear lead. The race then took an unexpected turn. On lap seven, he suddenly slowed at Turn 3, allowing his younger brother Álex Márquez to pass and take over at the front. There was initially speculation that the six-time MotoGP world champion had a mechanical problem, but he quickly regained speed and followed closely behind his brother, suggesting that the move had been deliberate to manage tyre pressure.
As the race approached its conclusion, Marc Márquez showed his strength. His Ducati combined speed and stability as he gradually pulled clear of his rivals. He ultimately crossed the line 1.732 seconds ahead to win the Grand Prix. Having also won Saturday’s Sprint, he completed a double victory for the weekend.
Álex Márquez also delivered a strong race. Although he could not match his older brother’s pace in the final laps, he held on to second, securing a one-two for the brothers and a memorable result for Spanish fans.
The other factory Ducati rider, Francesco Bagnaia, pursued the Márquez brothers throughout the race. Despite a strong final push, he finished third, 2.398 seconds behind the winner.
VR46’s Franco Morbidelli finished fourth, while rookie Ai Ogura impressed on his MotoGP debut by beating several more experienced riders to fifth. Born on January 26, 2001, the Japanese rider first made his mark in the Asia Talent Cup before progressing through the ranks.
Ogura began racing full-time in Moto3 with Honda Team Asia in 2019. He stepped up to Moto2 in 2021 and finished eighth in the championship in his first season, before winning the Moto2 world title in 2024. His performance in Thailand’s MotoGP race added to the anticipation surrounding his future.
LCR rider Johann Zarco started twelfth and finished seventh, making him the best-placed Honda rider. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and Tech3’s Enea Bastianini also earned solid results in eighth and ninth respectively.
Raúl Fernández and Joan Mir retired after crashes. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta crashed on lap three, rejoined the race and eventually finished only nineteenth.
Victory in Thailand marked another milestone in Marc Márquez’s career and gave Ducati a strong start to the new season. As the championship develops, further strong performances are expected from Márquez and Ducati, while rookies such as Ogura will continue to bring fresh energy to the racing.
2025 MotoGP Round 1 Thai Grand Prix race results
| Pos. | No. | Rider | Team | Laps completed | Total time | Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 93 | Marc Márquez | Ducati Team | 26 | 39’37.244 | — | 25 |
| 2 | 73 | Álex Márquez | Gresini | 26 | 39’38.976 | +1.732 | 20 |
| 3 | 63 | Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Team | 26 | 39’39.642 | +2.398 | 16 |
| 4 | 21 | Franco Morbidelli | VR46 | 26 | 39’42.420 | +5.176 | 13 |
| 5 | 79 | Ai Ogura | Trackhouse | 26 | 39’44.694 | +7.450 | 11 |
| 6 | 72 | Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia | 26 | 39’52.211 | +14.967 | 10 |
| 7 | 5 | Johann Zarco | LCR Honda Castrol | 26 | 39’52.469 | +15.225 | 9 |
| 8 | 33 | Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 26 | 39’57.173 | +19.929 | 8 |
| 9 | 23 | Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 26 | 39’57.297 | +20.053 | 7 |
| 10 | 49 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | VR46 | 26 | 39’58.790 | +21.546 | 6 |
| 11 | 43 | Jack Miller | Pramac | 26 | 39’59.559 | +22.315 | 5 |
| 12 | 10 | Luca Marini | Honda | 26 | 40’01.184 | +23.940 | 4 |
| 13 | 54 | Fermín Aldeguer | Gresini | 26 | 40’02.004 | +24.760 | 3 |
| 14 | 88 | Miguel Oliveira | Pramac | 26 | 40’03.341 | +26.097 | 2 |
| 15 | 20 | Fabio Quartararo | Yamaha | 26 | 40’03.700 | +26.456 | 1 |
| 16 | 12 | Maverick Viñales | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | 26 | 40’06.014 | +28.770 | 0 |
| 17 | 42 | Álex Rins | Yamaha | 26 | 40’08.339 | +31.095 | 0 |
| 18 | 35 | Somkiat Chantra | Idemitsu Honda LCR | 26 | 40’08.724 | +31.480 | 0 |
| 19 | 37 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 26 | 40’19.359 | +42.115 | 0 |
| 20 | 32 | Lorenzo Savadori | Aprilia | 26 | 40’24.071 | +46.827 | 0 |
| DNF | 25 | Raúl Fernández | Trackhouse | 22 | 34’16.402 | 4 laps | 0 |
| DNF | 36 | Joan Mir | Honda | 14 | 21’26.705 | 12 laps | 0 |
Results checked against MotoGP official Grand Prix classification (© DORNA, 2025). The table includes riders officially recorded as non-finishers, without a time or disqualified. Revised classifications are used when published.
