Marc Marquez secured a dominant victory at the 2025 Thai MotoGP Sprint race held at Buriram, marking his successful debut with Ducati. Starting from pole position, Marquez led the entire race, finishing with a time of 19 minutes and 35.005 seconds. His brother, Alex Marquez, also put on a strong performance for BK8 Gresini Ducati, finishing second just 1.185 seconds behind.
Francesco Bagnaia, riding for the Ducati Lenovo Team, rounded out the podium with a third-place finish, crossing the line 3.423 seconds behind the leader. Ai Ogura made headlines as the top rookie, earning fourth place riding for Trackhouse Aprilia, followed closely by Franco Morbidelli of VR46, who took fifth.
The race unfolded over 13 laps, and Marquez maintained control primarily due to his effective use of soft tires on both ends. After initially losing the second position to Bagnaia at Turn 1, Alex Marquez quickly regained it and then settled behind his brother. The Marquez brothers demonstrated impressive teamwork, gradually pulling away from the rest of the pack. Bagnaia, tasked with defending against the burgeoning threat of Ai Ogura, had to push hard on his harder front tire, which included battling fiercely for position.
Franco Morbidelli was largely isolated, placing fifth after Jack Miller—a teammate at Pramac—fell out following a crash on lap seven. This incident propelled KTM's Pedro Acosta to sixth after he broke free from a spirited battle with teammate Brad Binder and Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo, who finished seventh and eighth respectively.
Joan Mir and Johann Zarco displayed fierce competitiveness as they vied for top Honda honors, both fighting to secure the ninth-place position and eventually finishing one behind the other. Mir crossed the line first, followed closely by Zarco, who secured the last point of the race.
Marco Bezzecchi faced challenges early on, losing valuable time after spinning his rear wheel at the start but managed to recover to 12th. Notably, reigning champion Jorge Martin was not present due to injuries sustained prior to the race, with Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori stepping up to take his place.
While the race concluded with dramatic on-track action, significant upgrades have been made this season. Triumph showcased their latest advancements with new shifting technology now implemented within the Moto2 class, aimed at enhancing performance across the board.
Triumph's Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent, stated, "The new shifting pattern enables riders to seamlessly shift gears without struggling through neutral, enhancing on-track performance. The modifications are part of our commitment to continuous improvement since becoming the exclusive engine supplier for Moto2."
Rider feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, confirming the potential for improved racing dynamics during this season. Iqra Hamid, Triumph’s Senior Design Engineer, echoed the sentiment, mentioning, "The development of our new race shift system is another step toward improved performance. Every year we push to break performance records and this year is no exception."
The interest and updates infused within the championship set high expectations for the upcoming races, igniting fan excitement already evident during this season opener. Carlos Ezpeleta, Dorna Sports' Chief Sporting Officer, praised Triumph's level of innovation, noting how their approach to Moto2 has invigorated the platform and the potential for showcasing cutting-edge technologies during premier class racing.
Overall, the event was not just another race but also marked the beginning of what promises to be another thrilling MotoGP season. The performance from both the established stars and the up-and-coming talent like Ogura sets the stage for intense competition, highlighting the sheer unpredictability and excitement MotoGP fans have come to love.