Six-time world champion Marc Marquez was upstaged by his brother Alex in afternoon practice heading into the first race weekend of the MotoGP season at Buriram in Thailand on Friday. The start of the new MotoGP season has been overshadowed by the absence of world champion Jorge Martin.

Marc Marquez says the margin for improvement over the rest of the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix weekend is “small” but is already “on paper” the rider to beat. The eight-time grand prix world champion topped FP1 at Buriram on Friday morning and was set for a clean sweep in the afternoon until he was pipped by his brother Alex Marquez by 0.052s.

Six-time world champion Marc Marquez warned on Thursday that he has the fire back in his belly ahead of MotoGP's season-opening race in Thailand. "I think many times this season we will fight.

Marquez gets first blood as the 2025 MotoGP season begins at Buriram

Ducati have opted to use 2024 engines, despite testing the newer spec, while Marquez still produced fearsome race simulations in preseason testing. “This is the first time that the Bologna factory, in a very long time, who have been the pinnacle of MotoGP are standing still,” Jack Appleyard reported from the Buriram paddock.

Six-time world champion Marc Marquez fired a warning heading into the first race weekend of the MotoGP season by going fastest in opening practice at Buriram in Thailand on Friday. The start of the new MotoGP season has been overshadowed by the absence of world champion Jorge Martin.