Six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was fastest  in the MotoGP warmup session Sunday morning at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on Michelin control tires, the Sprint race winner led the 22-rider field with a time of 1:29.460 around the 2.82-mile (4.55 km) circuit.

Alex Marquez was second-best with a 1:29.822 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici, and the two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia jumped up the order to third with a time of 1:29.885 on his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25. 

The full-length MotoGP race is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. Local Time.

Marc Marquez won the MotoGP Tissot Sprint race Saturday afternoon at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on Michelin control tires, the Six-time MotoGP World Champion won the 13-lap race by 1.185 seconds.

Alex Marquez was the runner-up on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici.

Saturday perfection: Marc Marquez soars to stunning Sprint victory. The six-time MotoGP Champion fends off Alex Marquez to earn a first gold medal of the season as Bagnaia holds off Ogura for P3. 

The triple in Thailand is well and truly on for Marc Marquez as the new Ducati Lenovo Team recruit pockets a scintillating Tissot Sprint victory to secure a perfect Saturday to ignite his 2025 title charge. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) backed up his front row in qualifying with a P2 to earn his first Saturday silver medal, while Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) earned some valuable points after having to settle for P3 in the first Sprint of the campaign.

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. 

Tune into the first Grand Prix of the season at 15:00 local time (UTC +7) from Buriram. You do not want to miss it.

Matteo Bertelle earned pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his LEVELUP-MTA KTM on Pirelli control tires, Bertelle topped the 26-rider field with a lap time of 1:40.400.

Stefano Nepa was the best of the rest with a 1:40.482 on his SIC58 Squadra Corse Honda, and Jose Antonio Rueda claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:40.496 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo.

Moto3QualifyingResults

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Stunning Bertelle takes first Moto3™ pole. In tune all weekend, the #18 will go from the front of the grid for the very first time. 

The Moto3™ World Championship’s first pole-sitter has been set after a tight and competitive qualifying session in Buriram. With track temperature rising close to the 60-degree centigrade mark, it was a hotly contested session and one with many key topics. Taking honours come the conclusion of it all, Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL-UP MTA) continued his mighty form from throughout the weekend to bag a first career pole.

After the first runs in Q1, it was home hero Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Team Asia) who stole the show and was P1 with five minutes remaining ahead of a host of rookies, such as Alvaro Carpe, Valentin Perrone and replacement rider, Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power), in place of Noah Dettwiler. Carpe toppled Buasri for top spot but both went through to Q2 for the first time, along with Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Aspar Team) and Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing), the Brit likewise making a first-time appearance in Q2.

It was a whole different story in Q2 though as they faced the likes of Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL-UP MTA) and Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), all of whom topped sessions during the weekend. Bertelle was strong from the start and led the field after the first flying lap and on his second, towed teammate Joel Kelso into P2, with the strategy working well for the team at the midway point. Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) hauled himself into P3 before the second and final stint of fast laps got underway.

Opting to set lap times on his own, Yamanaka climbed into the top ten whilst the main train of riders were all in a group and would have three timed laps to give it all they’ve got for pole. Their penultimate lap was the one that saw many of them improve, with Carpe jumping to fifth and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) one place ahead of him. Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was another late improver going up into P2, one place ahead of Rueda who carried on his form but it’s a first pole for Matteo Bertelle, his first front row since Sepang 2023.

Ogden held onto fourth with Lunetta eventually taking fifth, just ahead of top rookie Carpe. The third row is the best of the Leopard Racing Honda’s with David Almansa, ahead of Kelso, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) who completes the top ten.

Manuel Gonzalez earned pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard turned a 1:34.634 to top the field of 28 riders.

Italian rider, Celestino Vietti was second-best with a 1:34.670 on his Team HDR Heidrun Boscoscuro.

Spaniard Aron Canet claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:34.839 on his Fantic Racing Lino Song Kalex.

American Joe Roberts was 27th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex. 

Moto2QualifyingResults

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

On song Gonzalez grabs Buriram pole. The Spaniard edges out Q1 graduate Vietti in an intensely fought first Moto2 fight for pole position of 2025. 

Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) is your first Moto2™ polesitter of the season as the Spaniard converted his impressive Test and Thai GP Practice pace into a Saturday afternoon P1. Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun) came through Q1 to grab P2 and land a lap just 0.036s off Gonzalez’s 1:34.634, with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) 0.205s shy of pole in P3.

The bulk of the fastest laps came once the riders had slotted fresh rubber into their Triumph-powered machines, with four tenths of the second splitting the fastest nine riders in Q2. Behind the leading trio comes Senna Agius as Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP see their riders spearhead Row 1 and 2 for the opening race of the season – a top job from the Australian sophomore.

Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) and Darryn Binder (ITALJET Gresini Moto2) – the South African also coming through Q1 – will launch from P5 and P6 respectively. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) notched up his best time late on, the British rider starts P8 behind seventh place Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing) and ahead of ninth quickest Alonso Lopez (Team HDR Heidrun).

Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) completed the top 10, while Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) acted as the fastest rookie – the Spaniard launches from P15, just behind 14th place Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia). 

Tune into the opening Moto2™ race of the season, from Thailand, at 13:15 local time (UTC+7).

Marc Marquez claimed pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25 on the dry 2.82-mile (4.55 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:28.782 to top the field of 22 riders.

His brother, Alex Marquez was the best of the rest with a 1:28.928 on his BK8 Gresini Racing Ducati desmosedici.

Marc Marquez’s teammate, Francesco Bagnaia claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:28.955. 

Row-two qualifiers included Prima Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller (1:29.090), the rookie Ai Ogura (1:29.134) on his Trackhouse MotoGP Team Aprilia RS-GP and Franco Morbidelli on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati (1:29.171).

More, from a press release issued by Dorna: 

Marc Marquez storms to maiden factory Ducati pole in Buriram. New in the factory Ducati team, the six-time MotoGP™ World Champion was straight down to business and will start the Sprint and Grand Prix from pole. 

The first gloves-off track action of the season lit up the Chang International Circuit as the PT Grand Prix of Thailand’s qualifying sessions headlined Saturday morning. With big names needing to come through from Q1, it was always going to be a blockbuster affair but the form book came true right at the head of the field with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) snatching a maiden factory Ducati pole on his debut for the team.

Q1 SCRAMBLE: Pecco in close company

The first part of qualifying? Get through to Q2; having been caught out at the end of Practice yesterday, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) had to clear Q1 and cement himself in the 12-rider shootout. After two laps, he was already straight down and on pace that would have been more than good enough on Friday to put him straight through and thus bagged a slot to move to Q2.

After the first runs were done, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was sitting pretty but with the second half of the session to go, anything was possible. The #49 was shuffled back due to some big surprises; Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP™) put in two laps to propel himself into contention and despite late attempts by Di Giannantonio and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), the Australian held on and partnered ex-teammate Bagnaia into Q2. Home-hero Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) goes from P21 for his home debut.

Q2 SHOOTOUT: The Marquez brothers vs Bagnaia

The 15 minutes fired up with Pecco the first rider to bank a lap time but it wasn’t as quick as his Q1 effort; teammate Marc Marquez did however rocket into P1 with a lap time good enough to challenge – but not quite surpass – Pecco’s lap record from 2024. Brother Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP™) was right behind the #93 whilst rookie sensation Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Racing MotoGP) was a surprise in third as the first runs came to conclusion. Pecco had slipped to P5 ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) but a frenetic showdown was building for the last six minutes.

FINAL MOMENTS: late improvers and yellow flags

Having come through Q1 with the #63, Miller followed him to set a stonking lap time, good enough for the second row in P4. Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) went onto row two too with P6 whilst 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.

As quickly as they were withdrawn, they were back out for a second time due to a fall for Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), hampering Marc Marquez’s latest attempt. Even with pole seemingly sorted, he had one final lap to try and set a new lap record and had his brother ahead on track as a reference. In the end, it wasn’t to be and the #93 took a maiden factory Ducati pole ahead of his brother in P2 and teammate in P3.

THE CHARGE BEHIND: Miller and Ogura steal headlines

With a very impressive return to Prima Pramac and indeed on their debut with Yamaha, Jack Miller took P4 and his best qualifying result since he was P5 in Austria last year. Ogura was an astounding P5 on his debut and top Aprilia, with Morbidelli just 0.037s adrift of the rookie in sixth. A late lap from Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) sees him as best KTM in heading up the third row in P7, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing MotoGP) in the middle of the third row and with a best Buriram qualifying performance, ahead of Bezzecchi who will have hoped for more. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), Joan Mir and Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) rounded out the running and will be in a fierce battle for points.

Matteo Bertelle led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Bertelle used his Pirelli-shod LEVELUP-MTA KTM to lap the 2.82-mile (4.55 km) track in 1:40.931, which led the field of 25 riders. 

SIC58 Squadra Corse’s Stefano Nepa was second-best with a time of 1:41.166.

Jose Antonio Rueda, piloting his Red Bull KTM Ajo, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:41.191.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Brilliant Bertelle lands Buriram Friday honours. The Italian sets the only 1:40 lap time in PR as Nepa and Rueda complete the first competitive top three of 2025 in Moto3™. 

Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP-MTA) set the only sub-1:41 lap time of Moto3™ Practice at the PT Grand Prix of Thailand to head into the first qualifying day of 2025 as the rider to beat. The Italian’s 1:40.931 was a couple of tenths quicker than compatriot Stefano Nepa’s (SIC58 Squadra Corse) best effort in P2, as Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda completed the top three as the lightweight class got to grips with a fresh Friday afternoon schedule. 

Now in line with MotoGP™, Friday’s Practice outing is where it counts in the fight to get straight into Q2. Conditions were tougher than the cooler morning temperatures, and that reflected in the times. Most riders improved later into the session, as expected, with Bertelle dipping his toes into the 1:40 bracket on Lap 14 of 17.

And no one was able to get within two tenths. Nepa, Rueda and fourth place Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) – this morning’s pacesetter – were the only riders who sit under three tenths away from the #18. Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) rounded out the top five as the 2024 Rookie of the Year settles into life as a KTM rider.

Despite a late crash at Turn 5, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) safely made it into the top 14, as did Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) after the Japanese rider crashed at Turn 9 in FP1. Unfortunately for Furusato’s teammate and home hero, Tatchakorn Buasri, a fast off at Turn 4 towards the end of the session ended his hopes of a first Q2 entry – the Thai star finished P16. 

Free Practice 2 takes place at 8:40 local time (UTC +7) before the first qualifying sessions of the season get underway at 12:50.

Diogo Moreira led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Chang International Circuit, in Thailand. Riding his Italtrans Racing Team Kalex on Pirelli control tires, the Brazilian lapped the 2.82-mile (4.55km) road course in 1:35.030, topping the field of 28 riders. 

Manuel Gonzalez was second-best with a time of 1:35.088 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex. 

Deniz Öncü did a third-fastest 1.35.228 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex. 

American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 19th with a best time of 1:35.692 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Moreira beats Gonzalez in tightly contested Practice. The Brazilian tops the timesheets ahead of qualifying in Thailand as Öncü and Aji impress on Friday. 

Friday in the Moto2™ class belongs to Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) after the Brazilian’s 1:35.030 was just enough to mean FP1’s runaway pacesetter, Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), was forced to settle for P2 following a late crash. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ended Practice inside the top three, the Turk 0.198s away from Moreira’s personal best effort. 

As expected, a late flurry of time attacks – apart from early session leaders Gonzalez and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) – decided the top 14. Mario Aji (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) stuck his name in the hat for ride of the day as the Indonesian landed a 1:35.259 on his 10th flying lap to clinch P4, with 2024 Malaysian GP podium finisher Jorge Navarro (KLINT Forward Factory Team) rounding out an unexpected top quintet.

A last lap attack from Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) saw the British rider rise from P17 to P7, as three tenths of the second split P1 to Aron Canet (Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO) in P11. Having sat second in the early exchanges, Baltus just held on to the final automatic Q2 spot in P14, with race winners such as Celestino Vietti (Team HDR Heidrun), Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Tony Arbolino (Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha Moto2) missing the cut.

Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) was just 0.8s away from top spot, but the rookie ended Friday in P23. That’s how brutally competitive Moto2 was – and looks like it will be in 2025 – on Friday afternoon as the season bursts into life in Buriram.

Next up: Free Practice 2 at 09:25 (UTC +7), before qualifying begins at 13:45.