Marc Marquez Dominates Thailand on His Ducati Debut as MotoGP Enters a New Era

Even before a single championship point was scored in 2025, the warning signs were there. During February’s Buriram Test, Marc Marquez’s pace hinted at something ominous—much like the distant rumble of Jaws. When racing began under the Thai heat, the #93 confirmed it: he is the rider to beat once again.

Marc Marquez delivered a commanding victory on his Ducati debut at the Thailand Grand Prix, capping off an extraordinary weekend that also saw brother Alex Marquez shine. After a turbulent 2024 season for title favourites Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, Marquez’s return to full strength has dramatically shifted MotoGP’s competitive landscape.

A New Benchmark From the First Race of 2025

The only riders on the current grid to have beaten Marquez in dry, normal conditions—Alex Rins and Maverick Viñales—entered 2025 with new machinery and projects still maturing. Fabio Quartararo showed flashes of speed, but neither Yamaha nor Aprilia had the tools to challenge what once again looks like MotoGP’s most dominant force.

For almost the entire grid, the reality remained stark: very few have ever lined up beside Marc Marquez and emerged victorious. And in Thailand, no one did.

Cracks in the Armour Still Visible

However, 2025 hasn’t been flawless. The season so far has revealed rare missteps from the eight-time World Champion.

• At COTA, after a strategic gamble on the grid, Marquez slipped on the white line and made a costly mistake.
• At Jerez, pushing too hard saw him crash while Alex Marquez swept to a maiden MotoGP win.
• In France, his usually razor-sharp wet–dry judgement faltered, leaving Johann Zarco to make history with a statement victory.
• Silverstone, Hungary, and Barcelona each saw different riders—including Bezzecchi and Alex Marquez—join the exclusive club of riders who have beaten Marc Marquez at his best.

And yet, each setback was met with a reset. Each mistake was followed by a response. Each challenger discovered that even when vulnerable, Marquez remained the benchmark.

A Story of Setbacks, Surgeries and Survival

The true scale of Marquez’s resurgence becomes clear in numbers. Since his last championship in 2019, he has:

• Undergone five major surgeries on his right arm and shoulder
• Missed 30 races
• Crashed 108 times
• Endured a six-year gap between world titles, the longest in MotoGP history

Yet in 2025, he stood atop the podium again in Thailand, proving that the comeback was not a fluke—this is a reinvention.

Rivals Reload for 2026 as a New Era Beckons

The baton is shifting once again. Bagnaia’s masterful double win in Japan reminded the paddock that the reigning champion still has the firepower. Bezzecchi continues to push, Quartararo remains a future threat, and Alex Marquez has now beaten his brother head-to-head on pure pace.

But the challenge for 2026 will be even greater.
Marquez has undergone another surgery, has another reset in motion, and will begin testing the next evolution of machinery as new regulations loom in 2027.

MotoGP’s greatest comeback is now entering its next chapter.

The riders will meet again in Sepang for the first official test of 2026—where the chase to beat Marc Marquez begins anew.