South Africa's Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Brad Binder, front, takes a corner during the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at the Buriram International Circuit.
Image: Mohd Rasfan / AFP
Six-time world champion Marc Marquez won the season-opening Thai MotoGP on Sunday to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new factory Ducati team, having also romped to Saturday's sprint.
The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732sec for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first chequered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third.
South Africa's Brad Binder, riding for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, finished in eighth position, almost 20 seconds behind the winner.
It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign.
He led from pole in stifling heat at Buriram and opened a comfortable 1.5 second lead over his younger brother by lap seven, when he suddenly slowed on turn three to lose the lead.
Whatever the problem was, it was short-lived, as Marc tucked into second spot and put relentless pressure on Alex as the brothers tussled for the lead, with Bagnaia lurking less than a second adrift in third.
"Yesterday I was happy, today I am super happy," said Marc Marquez. "I mean it's a dream."
Alex Marquez was made to work hard to hold the lead on his Gresini Ducati, and with four laps to go, Marc made his move, diving underneath at turn 12 and then disappearing off into the distance.
Franco Morbidelli was fourth and Japanese rookie Ai Ogura fifth on his MotoGP debut.
Marquez senior had been fast all week, going quickest in opening practice on Friday before being pipped by brother Alex in the afternoon session.
"For one moment I thought I might hold on to win," said Alex Marquez.
"But he was able to not use a lot of rear tyre and I was using up everything."
Marc Marquez enjoyed a strong pre-season with the factory Ducati, having joined from Honda, and is strongly fancied to win a first world crown since 2019.
Marquez and Bagnaia have been hailed as a factory Ducati dream team but some observers have cautioned that the high-octane mix of two fast high-profile racers could prove too combustible.
"I gave my all," said Bagnaia. "But Marc, he was playing with us all day. So maximum ambition was to finish in P2 but it we finished in P3."
The start of the new MotoGP season has been overshadowed by the absence of world champion Jorge Martin.
The Spaniard suffered fractures to his right hand and left foot in a horror crash during pre-season testing in Malaysia.
Then his Aprilia team said this week that Martin suffered another mishap in training and had to have more surgery.
Aprilia said Martin will also miss the next race, in Argentina in mid-March, with no time frame put on his return.
AFP