Marco Bezzecchi
The 2025 MotoGP season is finally here, and the first stop is the Thailand Grand Prix. Our expert writers at MotoGP News have predicted which riders will make the headlines.
Francesco Bagnaia won the race last year, edging championship rival Jorge Martin by just under three seconds. Martin took the lead at the start, but a mistake opened the door for the Italian.
The big news in the lead-up to that race was that title holder misses out through injury. Just weeks after a severe highside in the Sepang Test, Martin fell again in a private training session.
It’s only been four months since the last race in Buriram, with the event taking on a new slot for 2025. This is where the anticipated title fight between Bagnaia and new Ducati teammate Marc Marquez truly begins.
Which rider will take pole position for the 2025 Thailand Grand Prix?
David Comerford: Ducati still look dominant, and it’s hard to overlook Marc Marquez on his debut. He was the class of the field in the Buriram Test, though there wasn’t a direct comparison with Bagnaia. Only the Italian will know how much pace he had in reserve.
However, rivals in the pit lane appeared genuinely scared by the lap times they were seeing from the six-time world champion. On that basis, the question isn’t whether Marquez will be on pole – it’s how many tenths he’ll be on pole by.
Shay Rogers: Marc Marquez was dominant during pre-season, which you can never draw too many conclusions from, but he was stunningly consistent to go with it. No one seemed able to match Marquez over race simulations either, so this is a rider on a new bike that is seemingly comfortable straight away.
The way he has adapted to the Ducati bike has been admirable and it reflects in his performance on track. Expect him to set the tone at the first available opportunity and stamp some authority over Francesco Bagnaia. Testing at the same track just a matter of days ago proves that he should have a slight advantage over his Italian teammate from lap one.
Kyle Archer: Qualifying for the Thai Grand Prix will mark the first chance riders have to stake their case in the championship fight. But, potentially more importantly for Ducati, it also offers Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez the chance to show that they are the Bologna Bullets’ No1 rider.
Marquez set the pace on both days of the Buriram Test as the Spaniard continued to embed himself with the Borgo Panigale factory. Franco Morbidelli backs Marquez to set the pace at the Thai GP, too, but Bagnaia cannot be ruled out of the fight for pole position this Saturday.
While Bagnaia was 0.844s and 0.523s behind Marquez on both days of the Buriram Test, the 2024 Thai GP pole winner will no doubt slash his deficit to the six-time MotoGP champion in qualifying. The two-time title-winner is an expert at studying data on a Friday night to react.
Ducati endlessly take advantage of their factory and satellite bikes providing heaps of data in the Friday practice sessions to come back for qualifying in a much stronger position. Bagnaia made use of Ducati’s data to score pole six times last year – only Jorge Martin (7) took more.
Tyler Rowlinson: Ducati still look the dominant force heading into the Thailand Grand Prix. While many could see their decision to switch to the 2024 engine as standing still, they should have the pace in Buriram to command the field.
It is hard to look past Marquez for pole. The Spaniard blitzed the field in testing and looked comfortable on the so-called ‘GP24.9’, putting him in good stead for the Grand Prix.
Track temperatures will be high with the scorching weather leaving Mat Oxley fearing a ‘safety issue’ in Thailand. But that will do little to deter Ducati and Marquez as he looks a certainty for pole position.
Who will finish on the podium at the Thailand Grand Prix?
David Comerford: Marc Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia and Alex Marquez in that order. Ducati may be running a so-called ‘GP24.9’ after going with last year’s engine, but even though some would call that standing still, they still have the speed to sweep the podium positions. Marquez should convert pole, with Bagnaia limiting the championship damage by finishing second.
It’s feasible that the most exciting battle this weekend is for third place. The younger Marquez brother is well-placed, though Franco Morbidelli will also be a contender. Marco Bezzecchi is perhaps an outsider, but Aprilia are still an unknown quantity.
Shay Rogers: Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi. This may be the surprise pick to some, but there’s a reason that Bagnaia is a multiple MotoGP champion. Peter Bom says Bagnaia’s mindset makes him ‘untouchable’ – expect it to be of use this weekend.
He’s a calm and relaxed figure. He won’t be panicking about the pecking order and knows that the majority of the points are won on a Sunday. Ducati is his team, he’s been with them for such a long time, that even if he starts the weekend slow, he should have plenty of setup solutions to fix any issues he may face.
Ducati are flabbergasted Marquez cannot start well ‘at all’, and this could be where he gets overtaken on Sunday. Marco Bezzecchi has been a bright light for Aprilia so far this pre-season, and they’re often quick early in the season. He should be able to fend off any threat posed by the KTM or satellite Ducati riders.
Kyle Archer: Ducati dominated MotoGP last year and it would be foolish to think anything but a repeat of the Bologna Bullets’ reign of terror will continue this term. The Thai Grand Prix will mark the first of many rounds that Ducati dictate and likely see their bikes lock out the podium places.
Even if one of the six riders on Ducati machinery falls in the Thai GP, it would be surprising if anyone else gets on the rostrum. Their most likely rival Pedro Acosta reluctantly admits KTM still have a chatter issue, leaving Alex Marquez to join Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia.
Alex Marquez made full use of Ducati supplying Gresini with a GP24 bike for 2025 to end the Buriram Test in P2. The Spaniard was also only 0.179s slower than his brother Marc with the factory Ducati team on Day 2 of the Buriram Test after being 0.465s behind in P2 after Day 1.
Tyler Rowlinson: Marc Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia, Alex Marquez. The Ducatis looked the strongest from two days of testing in Buriram, making it hard to put it past the manufacturer locking out the top three.
Marquez will convert pole to victory with teammate Francesco Bagnaia close behind.
The former has the upper hand at this stage in the Ducati intra-battle, and this win could allow for more ‘mind games’ from Marquez as he searches for a seventh title. Of the satellite Ducati’s, Marquez’s brother Alex Marquez looked the most confident. The GP24 still has a competitive edge and the Gresini rider looks in a good position to capitalise after testing.
Who is the rider to watch at the Thailand GP?
David Comerford: Of the four satellite Ducati riders, Alex Marquez looked the most comfortable over the winter. He’s settled at Gresini and has adjusted seamlessly to the GP24 – no surprise, perhaps, given the bike’s dominance last season.
Franco Morbidelli retains the same bike this year and looks reinvigorated after swapping Pramac for VR46. Like Marquez, he should be aiming for a victory in the first four rounds before MotoGP returns to Europe and the development race escalates.
Fabio di Giannantonio will need time to adapt after missing most of pre-season testing through injury. In theory, he has the best equipment, but his best results should come from Spain onwards.
Shay Rogers: Yamaha’s pre-season surprised just about everyone. They were rapid in Sepang before dropping off a little in Buriram. They have taken a clear step over the winter though, which should allow Fabio Quartararo to compete in the top 10 of every event.
Somewhere with enough chaos, a podium may even be on the cards too. He’s an experienced champion at this stage, hungry to fight towards the front again after a dismal 2024. Expect him to take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way and possibly ride his way to a spot inside the top six this weekend.
Yamaha needs a good result to get a bit of a feel-good factor going within their garage again. It would be excellent for team morale.
Kyle Archer: One of the major storylines to watch in the 2025 MotoGP season is how Yamaha will fare as the Iwata outfit continue their fight back toward the front of the field. But Fabio Quartararo was a beacon of hope for Yamaha in the Buriram Test, so will be one to watch in the Thai GP.
The 2021 MotoGP champion finished Day 2 of the Buriram Test in P8, albeit 0.731s down on Marc Marquez’s chart-topping pace. Jack Miller’s instant adaptation to the Yamaha M1 even saw the Pramac rider come P10 to further highlight Yamaha’s potential ahead of the Thai GP.
Quartararo being one with the Yamaha bike after six, full seasons on the M1 should see him lead the Japanese brand’s hopes in Buriram. The Frenchman will also be desperate to begin the new season by bettering his best result of the 2024 campaign of P6 secured in Malaysia.
Tyler Rowlinson: Aprilia’s optimism was shattered after Jorge Martin’s crash in Sepang. While they will be hurting from the Spaniard’s absence in Thailand, they have every reason to be excited by Marco Bezzecchi.
The Italian has stepped up after Martin’s injury, producing brilliant times and runs in testing. Bezzecchi exceeded Aprilia’s expectations, which will give them confidence knowing they have two riders capable of competing.
A podium may be too much of a stretch for Aprilia at this stage but they could be more than capable later on in the season. Bezzecchi will be in good stead to perform after a solid pre-season and could cause a stir at the front with the Ducatis.
Which rider will be the biggest disappointment in Buriram?
David Comerford: This isn’t a slight on Pedro Acosta. In fact, based on testing, it looks almost certain that he’ll be the quickest KTM rider, particularly with the new Tech3 duo struggling.
Acosta should qualify well, maybe even competing with Marquez jr and Morbidelli. But temperatures are going to be searing, and KTM experienced ‘horrific’ tyre issues last week.
Perhaps they’ve found a way to mitigate them, but they certainly haven’t had much time. Acosta could well tumble down the order if he runs out of rubber at the end of the race.
The other option is to be especially easy on the tyres throughout, but even then that will see him lose touch with the Ducatis. Fans will be disappointed after Acosta’s thrilling rookie season.
Shay Rogers: It sounds a bit harsh on Alex Marquez considering how promising he has looked so far in 2025, but there’s going to be more performance to come from the factory teams. Ducati know what they have and Marquez’s Gresini bike is likely to reach its ceiling before anyone else’s machines do.
The pressure to extract the most from his bike while he has an advantage, at the earliest opportunity, will get to him in the heat. He will struggle to cope with the limelight and fail to finish inside the top five as a result.”
Kyle Archer: The biggest disappointment of the 2025 season-opener is already written in MotoGP history with 2024 riders champion Jorge Martin to miss the Thai Grand Prix. The Aprilia rider picked up yet further injuries after crashing in his bid to return from his highside in the Sepang Test.
How the first independent champion since Valentino Rossi in 2001 fared after moving from a satellite Ducati at Pramac to the factory Aprilia outfit was to be one of the main storylines at the Thai GP. But Aprilia now face a longer wait to see how Martin will stack up on their bike.
Martin’s absence will not be the sole disappointment at the 2025 Thai Grand Prix, though. It is not improbable that Pedro Acosta also disappoints in his first race for KTM Factory Racing after the Spaniard moved up from Tech3 in only his second season on the premier class grid.
Acosta came third in the 2024 Thai GP for his fifth and final podium as a rookie following the GASGAS Tech3 rider’s rise from P7 on the grid – including his fantastic fight with Jack Miller. But KTM had horrible tyre wear during the Buriram Test to threaten Acosta’s Thai GP hopes.
Tyler Rowlinson: KTM raised the most questions from pre-season with their struggles with the rear tyre in Buriram. While the factory team have shown they have some pace over one lap, it is clear the Tech3 riders are struggling.
Enea Bastianini has found it difficult to adopt his Ducati riding style to the KTM bike with him being well off the pace in testing. It seems an easy prediction given he was clearly struggling with the RC16, but Tech3 have been very blunt about their chances in 2025. Nicolas Goyon says Bastianini and Maverick Vinales cannot fight for top positions this season.
For someone who won two races in 2024 with Ducati, Bastianini is set for a challenging start to the season as he looks to adjust to a tricky new bike.
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