MotoGP: Marc Marquez wins Pole and Sprint in Thailand

New to the factory Ducati team, six-time MotoGP™ World Champion Marc Marquez won the Thailand GP pole and Sprint race on Saturday at the Chang International Circuit.

Qualifying

The Q3 pole shootout was fired up with Francesco Bagnaia the first rider to bank a lap time, but it wasn’t as quick as his Q1 effort. Ducati factory teammate Marc Marquez did however rocket into P1 with a lap time good enough to challenge – but not quite surpass – Bagnaia’s lap record from 2024.

Brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was right behind the #93 while rookie sensation Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Racing MotoGP) was a surprise in third as the first runs came to conclusion. Bagnaia had slipped to P5 ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) but a frenetic showdown was building for the last six minutes.

Having come through Q1 with the #63, Miller followed him to set a lap time, good enough for the second row in P4. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) went onto row two too with P6 while double MotoGP Champion Bagnaia responded and put himself in P3. With just less than three minutes to go, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) fell at Turn 3, bringing out the yellow flags for a brief moment.

Marquez’s attempt to set a new lap record fell short when Honda rider Joan Mir fell, but he still had secured the pole in his first-ever race as a factory Ducati rider.

Qualifying Results (Starting Grid)

*Received 3 place Grid Penalty

Sprint Race

Marc Marquez stormed to victory in the GP of Thailand Sprint Race. The six-time MotoGP Champion fended off brother Alex Marquez to earn a first gold medal of the season while Francesco Bagnaia held off Ai Ogura for P3.

It was lights out for 2025 and Marc Marquez made the dream launch from pole position to pocket the holeshot. Pecco slotted into an early P2 but on the run into Turn 3, Alex Marquez stole P2 back. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) swooped around the outside at Turn 1 to clinch an early P4, with Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) P5.

At the start of Lap 3, Marquez – of the Marc variety – was 0.6s clear of his younger brother Alex. Bagnaia was a further second off the tailpipes of the Gresini star, with Ogura keeping the two-time MotoGP Champion on his toes. And a lap later, it was still the case – Ogura was shadowing Pecco, with the latter losing touch on the top two in the early stages.

After a shocking launch that saw him drop to the rear of the field, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) was making good progress. The Italian was P14, but Aprilia’s attention was on Ogura in P4, who was still shadowing Bagnaia.

Drama unfolded for Miller with seven laps left, the Aussie was on the floor at Turn 8 from P6, which promoted Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) to top Yamaha in P6. That was soon P7, as a small error at Turn 8 allowed Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to carve through.

Back at the front, Marc Marquez was 1.1s clear of Alex Marquez heading into the closing five laps. Bagnaia was 1.2s in arrears of the #73 and now, the Italian was the fastest rider on track. Ogura was now 0.5s behind Bagnaia, with Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) a lonely P5.

Three to go. Between the top three, it was pretty much as you were. Ogura’s podium hopes were seemingly slipping away as the Japanese star dropped to 0.8s off Bagnaia, but the rookie sensation has 1.8s to play with back to Morbidelli.

Two to go. Bagnaia’s efforts of trying to close down Alex Marquez for P2 had run out of steam and heading onto the final lap of the first Sprint of 2025, Marc Marquez was able to cruise home. The perfect Saturday was secured for the six-time MotoGP World Champion and for the first time since 2019, the #93 was at the summit of the MotoGP World Championship.

In the end, it was a comfortable P2 for Alex Marquez as Bagnaia claimed P3 to open his points account for the year.

Ride of the day goes to rookie Ogura, a magnificent P4 sees the reigning Moto2 World Champion finish less than a second behind Pecco, 1.3s ahead of Morbidelli and over six seconds ahead of last year’s rookie star Acosta.

It was P6 for the #37, P7 for Quartararo, P8 for Binder and a hard earned P9 for Honda HRC Castrol’s Joan Mir as the 2020 World Champion and Japanese manufacturer see light at the end of the tunnel.

Pole position, Tissot Sprint win… can Marc Marquez notch up a perfect weekend in Thailand to really launch his factory Ducati career into life heading to Argentina? He’s going to take some stopping, but don’t discount Alex Marquez and Bagnaia just yet.

Sprint Race Results

* Rookie