In stifling heat, the Buriram race lived up to all its promises, delivering an opening top 10 finish that would have defied many a prediction. To round off the spectacle, the Thai Grand Prix attracted a record 224,634 spectators over the weekend, including 99,778 on Sunday. The season is well and truly underway!
Thai Grand Prix: a first masterstroke in Thailand!
MotoGP Sachsenring: Make history with two! That was our headline eight months ago. We could have just added a #2. Except that last year in Germany, they went 2 and 3. This time, it's Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who demotes to the 3ᵉ step of the podium.
Relying on the basis of the GP24 engine, Marc Marquez (Gresini Ducati) once again imposed his law. Starting alone in the lead, the Spaniard let his brother Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) through on the seventh lap to manage his front tire pressure. At the halfway point, he regained the lead and went on to claim victory, the first sibling double in MotoGP history. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) completed the podium, but was never able to trouble them.
Also, by winning in Buriram, MM93 wins the first Grand Prix of the season for the first time since 2014. "Am I in a dream? Pinch me, please!" An unforgettable moment for the siblings, and a proud thought for their loved ones. Their performance is all the more remarkable in that they will have dominated the whole weekend, not just the GP.
Marc Marquez warned us a few days ago that his brother would be the big revelation of the preseason:
He's the surprise of these tests, and I'm not just saying that because he's my brother. He was the fastest in Barcelona and Malaysia.
Behind the leading trio, Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) put up a good fight against Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia). The Japanese rookie impressed on his Aprilia, scoring a total of 17 points over the weekend. P5 in Qualifying, P4 in Sprint, P5 in Grand Prix... Not since Mr. Marquez in 2013 has a rookie made a better debut in the premier class. His team-mate Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) confirmed the potential of the Italian machine, while the injured Jorge Martin can take comfort in his team's performance, but will have his work cut out when he returns.
A harrowing 2025 season ahead for Pedro Acosta (KTM)?
"We lacked consistency": in an interview with MCN, Pedro Acosta didn't mince his words when analysing his first season in MotoGP. Despite a solid sixth-place finish in the championship and five podiums to his credit, the young Spanish prodigy is already taking a hard look at his past season.
By accumulating just two points behind Brad Binder, then KTM leader and now Acosta's team-mate (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), he proved that he was already a serious contender. But the key to progress lies in consistency, a point he intends to improve this season. The 20-year-old's first crash was in Thailand. His numerous crashes illustrate the limits of an aggressive driving style in a category where the slightest mistake is paid for dearly.
After Thailand, Pedro Acosta wondered:
With my pace, I think I could have aimed for the top 5. We need to find out why the bike unloads so easily from the rear. (GPOne)
Since his debut in the premier class, his status has changed. The "Shark of Mazarrón" now wears a factory rider's outfit, which is not without its responsibilities, especially when it comes to the development of his bike: the RC16 vintage 2025.
Johann Zarco soars, Fabio Quartararo drags on...
One week ago, Johann Zarco (Honda LCR) hit the ground running during a training session on the Alcarras circuit in Catalonia, setting a new track record. A state of grace that he carried over into the race. The Frenchman recorded his best Sunday since joining the team with a solid seventh place in Buriram. First Honda rider after the crash of Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) and after a struggling sprint (10ᵉ), Zarco was able to take advantage of the endurance of his rear tire to move up the hierarchy. "I can fight in the zone I was expecting, that of the top ten. You can feel that there's a potential to exploit, but it's not easy to reach," he confided at the finish, 15 seconds after the winner.
"It's been a great race... We were wondering how we were going to get to the finish!"
CANAL+ MotoGP (@CanalplusMotoGP) March 2, 2025
Johann Zarco debriefs his race #ThaïGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/YqSVmG2Rtm
Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) experienced his first disappointment. Far from his desiderata, he quickly found himself outside the Top 15, dropping back as the laps went by, before finally picking up a symbolic point. His team-mate Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha), faced with the same problems, confirms the difficulties encountered by the team: "I had to ride at 110% every lap. With four laps to go, the bike was already unmanageable."
Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli acknowledges the strategic errors:
In view of the results, the choice of tires was probably not the right one.
Meanwhile, Jack Miller, a newcomer to Yamaha Pramac, kept his YZR-M1 in the Top 10, which reopens the debate on basic set-up and riding style.
During the pre-season, we were treated to the "What if?" running gag concerning Fabio Quartararo. What if this season was one of renewed standing for "El Diablo" and Yamaha? The last few days have somewhat dampened French hopes. "Deserved for Johann! Bad luck for Fabio... but he's still got the whole season to fine-tune his Yamaha for next winter's tests". These are the kind of comments - a little mocking - that have been made about the 2021 world champion. The latter has been under fire ever since he extended his contract, with fans of the sport criticizing him for prioritizing salary over sportsmanship. His response : "I think 99% of the people who criticized me would have done exactly the same thing if they'd been in my shoes (Legend)
MotoGP 2025: results, standings, calendar...
Buriram Motorcycle Grand Prix 2025 race results :
MotoGP 2025 riders' standings after the GP of Thailand (02/03/2025)
For those who still had reservations about MM93's adaptation to Ducati, expectations are already materializing in the standings: Marc Marquez is leader of the MotoGP world championship for the first time since 2019. He leaves Thailand eight points ahead of his brother Alex and fourteen ahead of teammate Francesco Bagnaia. Despite a poor performance from Acosta, KTM has twice finished in the top ten.
1. Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) 37 points
2. Álex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) 29 points
3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) 23 points
4. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) 18 points
5. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) 17 points
6. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) 10 points
7. Bad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 10 points
8. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) 9 points
9. Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) 7 points
10. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) 6 points
MotoGP 2025 race calendar
On Thursday February 13, Carmelo Ezpeleta and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya announced the extension of the latter's contract with MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports until 2031. The Motul Grand Prix de la solidarité de Barcelona was named best Moto Grand Prix of 2024. It was also one of 28 bids submitted to join the calendar, but as the CEO of Dorna Sports reminds us, "we can only organize 22".
1. Thailand Grand Prix (Chang International Circuit), March 2. Winner: Marc Marquez (Ducati)
2. Argentine Grand Prix (Termas de Río Hondo), March 16
3. Grand Prix of the Americas (Circuit of the Americas), March 31
4. Qatar Grand Prix (Losail Circuit), April 13
5. Spanish Grand Prix (Circuit de Jerez), April 27
6. French Grand Prix (Circuit Bugatti - Le Mans), May 11
7. British Grand Prix (Silverstone Circuit), May 25
8. Grand Prix of Aragón (Motorland Aragón), June 8
9. Italian Grand Prix (Mugello), June 22
10. Dutch Grand Prix (TT Circuit Assen), June 29
11. German Grand Prix (Sachsenring), July 13
12. Czech Grand Prix (Automotodrom Brno), July 20
13. Austrian Grand Prix (Red Bull Ring), August 17
14. Hungarian Grand Prix (Hungaroring), August 24
15. Catalan Grand Prix (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya), September 7
16. San Marino Grand Prix (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), September 14
17. Japanese Grand Prix (Twin Ring Motegi), September 28
18. Indonesian Grand Prix (Circuit Mandalika), October 5
19. Australian Grand Prix (Phillip Island), October 19
20. Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang International Circuit), October 26
21. Portuguese Grand Prix (Algarve Circuit), November 9
22. Valencia Grand Prix (Ricardo Tormo Circuit), November 16.
Main photo credit: Dazn Spain
Share
