Marquez brothers dominate as Bagnaia struggles

Marc Marquez delivers an emphatic victory at the Thailand Grand Prix, leading a Marquez brothers one-two finish in his first race with Ducati.

Alex Marquez of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP and Marc Marquez of Spain and Ducati Lenovo Team celebrate during qualifying practice for the MotoGP of Thailand at Chang International Circuit on March 1, 2025, in Buriram, Thailand. Photo by Mirco Lazzari/Getty Images

By Randy Ahmad and Yuni Utomo

Marc Marquez made a stunning start to his 2025 MotoGP campaign, claiming a commanding victory at the Thailand Grand Prix on his Ducati debut. The eight-time world champion led from the front to secure a one-two finish with his younger brother, Alex Marquez, in a memorable race for the Marquez family.

The result was an emotional moment for their father, Julià Marquez, who expressed his pride in an interview with Sky Sports.

"My heart had already exploded on Saturday and again on Sunday," he said. "It's a beautiful emotion and I'm really happy."

Marc, who secured pole position in qualifying, showed his dominance in the sprint race by leading every lap and maintaining control over his rivals. Alex Marquez briefly dropped back into the pack but recovered well, putting pressure on reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia, who held second place for a short time before falling behind.

The Gresini Racing rider steadily closed the gap to his older brother, reducing the deficit to under a second at one stage. However, despite his best efforts, he was unable to mount a serious challenge for the lead.

The Grand Prix followed a similar pattern, with early drama at Turn 1 when Alex made contact with Bagnaia, briefly dropping him to third behind Ai Ogura. However, the younger Marquez quickly overtook both riders, reclaiming second place and setting his sights on Marc once again.

Bagnaia, who had hoped to mount a serious challenge, admitted he had no answer to the Marquez brothers' pace.

“I wasn't even close to stopping them,” Bagnaia said. “I tried, but it was like in the cinema. I was there behind, trying to catch them.

“I gave my all and couldn’t get close enough to Alex to attempt a move.

“Marc was playing with us all race. He had a problem with tyre pressure, but as soon as he decided to push, he pulled away by 2.3 seconds in three laps.

“He was much, much faster, and I need to improve. I have to learn what he’s doing better and close this gap, because the next two race weekends suit both of them, but I need to be closer.”

Marquez controls the race despite brief setback

Midway through the race, Marc appeared to slow down, raising speculation about a potential mechanical issue. This allowed Alex to briefly take the lead, but the elder Marquez quickly responded, reclaiming the top spot on lap 23 before sealing victory by 1.732 seconds.

Alex Marquez of Spain and BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP (L) and Marc Marquez of Spain and Ducati Lenovo (R) ride during the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram International Circuit on March 2, 2025, in Buriram, Thailand. Photo by Mohd Rasfan/AFP

Their father, Julià Marquez, was elated with the result but puzzled by his eldest son's strategy.

"I don’t know why Marc decided to stay behind Alex for most of the race," he said. "But it still remains an incredible joy as a father."

After parting ways with Honda in a mutual agreement, Marc's move to Ducati has already proven to be a game-changer. His father remains convinced that the switch will reignite his son's title ambitions.

"I knew Marc would be strong with the factory Ducati because the bike is competitive, and he has come back strong again."

With the Marquez brothers delivering a dominant performance, the Thailand Grand Prix has set the stage for a thrilling MotoGP season, with Ducati emerging as the team to beat.

More from MotoGP coverage

• Joan Mir crashes out of the Thai Grand Prix, citing severe bike overheating issues.
• Pedro Acosta questions KTM’s tyre unloading issues after Buriram setback.
• Francesco Bagnaia believes Marc Marquez had pace in reserve and could have won comfortably.