Marc Marquez explains problem in Thai MotoGP - three laps from “disaster”

Marc Marquez confirms he dropped out of the lead on lap seven of the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix due to a tyre pressure warning, and was three tours away from a penalty.

The factory Ducati rider made a perfect start to the 2025 season, as he registered the pole/sprint/grand prix clean sweep at Buriram.

It marks his first season-opening victory since 2014, while an eight-point championship lead sees him top the standings for the first time since he was last world champion in 2019.

Marquez was cruising in the early stages of the grand prix, but dropped out of the lead when he slowed exiting Turn 3 on lap seven.

He says this was due to a front tyre pressure warning, which meant he only had three laps to rectify before being hit with a penalty.

“Yes,” he replied when asked by TNT Sport if he had a tyre pressure issue.

“It was super demanding the race, because the feeling was super good in the beginning. I said ‘Ok, I’m cruising’, and already I opened a gap.

“But then I realised the tyre pressure was not enough, and then I was looking for a slipstream.

“And I had only three laps of margin, and for that reason I only overtook Alex with three laps to the end because since I don’t complete the laps I didn’t overtake him.

“But it was quite critical, because with a penalty it was a disaster. But we worked together with the team, we’re a team and we did it.”

As per the regulations, riders must ride within the 1.8 bar of pressure minimum for at least 60% of a grand prix. Failure to do so results in a 16-second time penalty.

Marquez says he changed his riding style over the weekend to avoid pushing over the limit, and he reckons this meant the initial pressure set in his tyre before the race wasn't enough. 

"I'm new in the team and still they need to know me," he said. 

"Sometimes when I have the pace on the race on Sunday, I'm changing the riding style, I'm riding different. I'm pushing the front less because it's where you can crash and it's the only thing I don't want to do. 

"And I changed quite a lot the riding style because in this race track I was able to ride in two, three different ways with the same lap time. So, maybe changing the riding style, that pressure was not the correct one. But it's experience for the future." 

Alex Marquez will win races, warns his brother

Marquez sat behind his brother Alex Marquez until the end of lap 23, when he passed him at Turn 12 and darted to the chequered flag by 1.7s.

The eight-time world champion branded the Thai GP as “dream”, but warned that Alex Marquez will win races in 2025 having finished runner-up all weekend at Buriram.

“It’s a dream. I cannot ask for more,” he added.

“We started this new journey with the pole position, double victory in the sprint and main race.

“I want to say thanks to the team because for me it’s important to feel good on the bike but even more so in the box, with Marco Rigamonti and all the mechanics, I feel super good - even the team managers.

“I feel like they know me from 10 years ago. But I feel super good, and this gave me the confidence.

“I’m riding in a very good way. Sharing that weekend with my brother is something unreal for my family. I cannot imagine the feeling of my father, mother and all the family.

“But I cannot ask for more. If you ask my brother, he would say ‘ok but next time opposite’. But believe me that he will win races this year, he’s riding super good.”