Marc Márquez stays grounded after Thai GP Sprint win as MotoGP fortunes can change quickly

    On March 1, 2025, Marc Márquez delivered a commanding lights-to-flag victory in the Thai Grand Prix Sprint. The rider who had just joined the factory Ducati team was nevertheless keeping his feet on the ground, stressing that the competitive picture in MotoGP can change from one day to the next.

    The six-time MotoGP champion had already shown impressive form in testing ahead of the 2025 season opener, making him the clear favourite at Buriram. On Saturday, he comfortably took pole in qualifying before dominating the half-distance Sprint. The factory Ducati rider ultimately finished more than a second ahead of his younger brother Álex Márquez on the Gresini Ducati and three seconds clear of team-mate Francesco Bagnaia.

    Márquez acknowledged that his “perfect” Saturday had lived up to the fans’ high expectations, but felt it was too early to draw conclusions about the pecking order among the teams and riders. “Today was certainly an important day because expectations of me were very high. I tried to use my experience and race without letting those expectations affect me. In the end, we did it. We took pole, won the Sprint, and my brother finished second as well, which makes me very happy. But this is only the first Saturday of the new season, and it is only Saturday. Things can change at any moment in sport. I am happy, but I am not getting carried away because I know tomorrow’s race is just as important,” he said.

    The 32-year-old demonstrated experience and maturity in the Buriram Sprint. Although he could have extended his advantage, he kept the gap at around one second. Márquez admitted he had something in reserve and had avoided pushing flat out because doing so could increase the risk of mistakes. “Over the years in MotoGP, I have learned that it does not matter whether you win by one second or three. Today I tried to control the gap to second place while understanding what we still need to adjust for tomorrow’s Grand Prix. There were two or three braking points where I still had some margin, but if I had used that margin, the outcome might have been less certain. So I chose to ride consistently. That is the most important thing,” he said.

    Speaking to Spanish broadcaster DAZN, Márquez discussed those considerable expectations further and reiterated why he no longer takes unnecessary risks in MotoGP. “The first race of the season is always difficult. Even when you want to pull away, you can feel all the expectation and anticipation around you. In particular, you cannot read the messages your friends send. They always say you will win and dominate, but reality is different. This is a world championship, and every mistake has a cost. I just wanted to race as I did in testing and avoid taking excessive risks. When I feel good, I will push. If the situation is unclear, I will settle into my rhythm and complete the race step by step,” he said.

    Márquez’s Thai GP Sprint performance was undoubtedly impressive, but, as he himself pointed out, MotoGP is full of uncertainty. Fans now waited to see whether he could carry that form into tomorrow’s Grand Prix and take another victory against a strong field.

2025 MotoGP Round 1 Thai Grand Prix Sprint results

Results checked against MotoGP official Sprint classification (© DORNA, 2025). The table includes riders officially recorded as non-finishers, without a time or disqualified. Revised classifications are used when published.