Buriram MotoGP Test Recap: Marquez Leads Ducati to Pre-Season Dominance
Hourly results…
| 2025 Official Buriram MotoGP Test – 6pm (Day 2 – FINAL) | |||||
| Rider | Nat | Team | Time | ||
| 1 | = | Marc Marquez | SPA | Ducati Lenovo (GP25) | 1:28.855s |
| 2 | = | Alex Marquez | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP24) | +0.179s |
| 3 | ^1 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP25) | +0.205s |
| 4 | ˅1 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.278s |
| 5 | = | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP25) | +0.523s |
| 6 | ^3 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +0.544s |
| 7 | ˅1 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | VR46 Ducati (GP24) | +0.599s |
| 8 | ˅1 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.731s |
| 9 | ^7 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.751s |
| 10 | ^1 | Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +0.762s |
| 11 | ˅3 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP25)* | +0.781s |
| 12 | ˅2 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) | +0.877s |
| 13 | ^1 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP25) | +0.877s |
| 14 | ˅1 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) | +0.928s |
| 15 | ^3 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) | +0.982s |
| 16 | ˅4 | Johann Zarco | FRA | LCR Honda (RC213V) | +1.027s |
| 17 | ˅2 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.207s |
| 18 | ˅1 | Fermin Aldeguer | SPA | Gresini Ducati (GP24)* | +1.230s |
| 19 | ^1 | Miguel Oliveira | POR | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) | +1.234s |
| 20 | ˅1 | Somkiat Chantra | THA | LCR Honda (RC213V)* | +1.610s |
| 21 | = | Lorenzo Savadori | ITA | Aprilia Test Rider (RS-GP25) | +2.352s |
New factory Ducati signing Marc Marquez finished 2025 pre-season testing on top of the MotoGP timesheets, delivering a searing Grand Prix race simulation pace. Marquez and factory teammate Francesco Bagnaia decided to start the new season with last year’s GP24 engine, chassis, and aero package after experimenting with the GP25 upgrades.
Alex Marquez, despite a strong run, was denied a sweep of all three winter tests by his brother. Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta solidified their third and fourth positions, with Honda’s Joan Mir improving to sixth. Ducati showed strength with Bagnaia fifth on the timesheets.
Race Simulation Highlights
The final afternoon of testing included long runs, providing valuable data on race simulation performance. Marc Marquez, with 23 laps, averaged 1 minute 30.378 seconds. Pedro Acosta (22 laps) clocked in at 1m 31.016s, and Alex Marquez (23 laps) managed 1m 31.071s. Notably, Alex encountered a few issues but persevered until the end.
Sprint Simulation Results
Marco Bezzecchi led the Sprint simulation with 1m 30.093s, followed closely by Joan Mir at 1m 30.282s. Brad Binder, Jack Miller, and Fabio Quartararo also showcased strong performances.
Key Strategy Reveal
Ducati’s decision to revert to last year’s GP24 configuration for the first races signals a cautious approach to the new season, prioritizing reliability and adapting to expected track conditions in the early stages.
Team Performances Throughout the Test
Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta demonstrated strong potential, confirming the team’s competitive edge. Gresini Ducati continued to show depth with Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer, while HRC faced some challenges as seen with Joan Mir and Johann Zarco.
Yamaha and KTM Strategies
Yamaha struggled somewhat compared to previous tests, with Jack Miller and Alex Rins finishing in the top ten but facing issues during the long runs. KTM, represented by Brad Binder and Maverick Viñales, showed improved consistency, indicating promising adjustments have been made.
Re-entry Prospects
The season opening Thai Grand Prix on February 28th will see a return of injured reigning champion Jorge Martin, should his recovery continue favorably. VR46’s Fabio di Giannantonio remains sidelined. Raul Fernandez, who sustained injuries at Sepang, completed testing in Buriram, further demonstrating his resilience.
Conclusion
The Buriram MotoGP test showcased strong performances especially by Ducati and Alberto, while Yamaha and Honda faced challenges. KTM continued to show steady progress. As the season approaches, all teams are poised to execute their strategies effectively, setting the stage for exciting competition.
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