Motor racing is back and it all starts in the “Land of Smiles” on Friday, February 28th. Defending Rider’s Champion Jorge Martin sits on the sidelines for at least the first two races of the campaign after suffering multiple fractures during a recent training ride. With that breaking news out of the way, here is your MotoGP season preview with dates, tips, point allocations and odds for the Thailand Grand Prix.
After reading our analysis, check out ourpartner sportsbooks to get valuable promotions and place your bets.
In addition to traditional sports betting on MotoGP, the Thailand Grand Prix has Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Real Money Gaming available in a Pick’Em style on Underdog. Although “fantasy games” might seem misleading, DFS is a significant and growing category within legal sports wagering. MotoGP fans are allowed to legally make better/worse picks with real money gaming in 30 states, including California, Texas & Wisconsin, where traditional sports betting is currently illegal.
MotoGP has penciled in 22 grand prix races this season, starting at the Chang International Circuit at the end of February and concluding on November 16th at the Valencian showdown. Every rider’s endurance is tested on race weekends as they battle it out in a sprint on Saturday followed by the main event on Sunday afternoon.
GP #
Dates
Grand Prix
Circuit
1
29th February – 2nd March:
Thailand Grand Prix
Chang International Circuit, Buriram
2
14th – 16th March:
Argentinian Grand Prix
Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo, Termas de Río Hondo
3
28th – 30th March:
USA Grand Prix
Circuit of the Americas, Texas
4
10th – 13th April:
Qatari Grand Prix
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail
5
24th – 27th April:
Spanish Grand Prix
Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, Jerez de la Frontera
6
8th – 11th May:
French Grand Prix
Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans
7
23rd – 25th May:
British Grand Prix
Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire
8
5th – 8th June:
Aragon Grand Prix
MotorLand Aragón, Alcañiz
9
19th – 22nd June:
Italian Grand Prix
Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, Scarperia e San Piero
10
26th – 29th June:
Dutch Grand Prix
TT Circuit Assen, Assen
11
10th – 13th July
German Grand Prix
Sachsenring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal
12
17th – 20th July:
Czechia Grand Prix
Automotodrom Brno, Brno
13
14th – 17th August:
Austrian Grand Prix
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg
14
21st – 24th August:
Hungarian Grand Prix
Balaton Park Circuit, Balatonfőkajár
15
4th – 7th September:
Catalan Grand Prix
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló
16
11th – 14th September:
San Marino Grand Prix
Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Misano Adriatico
17
25th – 28th September:
Japanese Grand Prix
Mobility Resort Motegi, Motegi
18
2nd – 5th October:
Indonesian Grand Prix
Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, Mandalika
19
16th – 19th October:
Australian Grand Prix
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Phillip Island
20
23rd – 26th October:
Malaysian Grand Prix
Petronas Sepang International Circuit, Sepang
21
7th – 9th November:
Portuguese Grand Prix
Algarve International Circuit, Portimão
22
13th – 16th November:
Valencian Grand Prix
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia
Team Lineups
Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira hogged the transfer headlines in the offseason, jumping ship to Prima Pramac. Miller returned to his old home after Pedro Acosta was promoted from Red Bull Tech3 to the Factory team. Oliveira departs the Trackhouse outfit after they opted to recruit Moto 2 rider Ai Ogura.
Team
Riders
Aprilia Racing:
Jorge Martin (Spain)+
Marco Bezzecchi (Italy)
Trackhouse MotoGP Team:
Raul Fernandez (Spain)
Ai Ogura (Japan)
Ducati Lenovo Team:
Francesco Bagnaia (Italy)
Marc Marquez (Spain)
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team:
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Italy)
Franco Morbidelli (Italy)
BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP:
Fermin Aldeguer (Spain)
Alex Marquez (Spain)
Honda HRC Castrol:
Luca Marini (Italy)
Joan Mir (Spain)
LCR Honda:
Johann Zarco (France)
Somkiat Chantra (Thailand)
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing:
Brad Binder (South Africa)
Pedro Acosta (Spain)
Red Bull KTM Tech3:
Enea Bastianini (Italy)
Maverick Vinales (Spain)
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team:
Fabio Quartararo (France)
Alex Rins (Spain)
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP:
Jack Miller (Australia)
Miguel Oliveira (Portugal)
+ represents an injured rider.
Points Allocations
The top placing riders in sprint and feature racers are awarded points for their efforts, but the latter event carried more weight. Winning a feature race gets you 25 points, while the same result in a sprint is worth 12 points. Only the top 9 riders receive a share of the pie in sprints, but points are handed out to the top 15 finishers in a Sunday race.
Feature Races
Position
Points Allocated
1st Place
25
2nd Place
20
3rd Place
16
4th Place
13
5th Place
11
6th Place
10
7th Place
9
8th Place
8
9th Place
7
10th Place
6
11th Place
5
12th Place
4
13th Place
3
14th Place
2
15th Place
1
Sprint Races
Position
Points Allocated
1st Place
12
2nd Place
9
3rd Place
7
4th Place
6
5th Place
5
6th Place
4
7th Place
3
8th Place
2
9th Place
1
Best Bets and Picks for the 2025 MotoGP Season
Top Picks and Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Marc Marquez
-175
$31.43
Francesco Bagnaia
+175
$55.00
Pedro Acosta
+900
$200.00
Marc Marquez (-175):
Veteran Marc Marquez lands in a scorching hot Thailand as the heavy favorite to clinch the race one. The Spaniard finished third in the Championship in 2024, recording three wins in the process. Chang International Circuit has been kind to Marquez in the past, giving him two victories in 2018 and 2019. The two victories make him the winningest rider in the field at this venue.
Francesco Bagnaia (+175):
Imagine winning 11 grands prix and still only finishing second in the Championship, that’s how 2024 played out for “Pecco” Bagnaia. He is back in Buriram to defend the title he won in 2024, setting the all-time lap record in the process. At +175 odds, he’s an attractive wager, giving his sublime form last year and his knowledge of this circuit.
Pedro Acosta (+900):
Wunderking Pedro Acosta stunned racing fans last season as he picked up five podiums for the proverbial Red Bull “B” team. He finished sixth overall in 2024, just behind his new teammate Brad Binder. One of his podiums was at this track towards the backend of the season.
Outsider Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Alex Marquez
+1600
$340.00
Marco Bezzecchi
+2200
$460.00
Brad Binder
+6600
$1,340.00
Alex Marquez (+1600):
The younger Marquez brother, Alex, had a tough campaign in 2024, picking up a single podium at the German Grand Prix. It was the first time in the MotoGP era that two brothers had shared a podium. He finished the season strong, crossing the line in fourth place in the final two races of the year.
Marco Bezzecchi (+2200):
Team Aprilla rider Marco Bezzecchi found himself outside the top 10 in the Championship race in 2025, but he’s worked hard in the offseason. The Italian recorded a solid testing run over four sessions in early February, averaging a finish of 3.25.
Brad Binder (+6600):
South African MotoGP pioneer Brad Binder claimed fifth spot on the standings in 2024, recording his fourth season inside the top six. He is a regular top 10 finisher, and is the rider you look to in tough conditions, where he isn’t afraid to take risks, as showcased in the Austrian Grand Prixwin in 2021. He rode on slicks in the pouring rain for the last five laps, while the rest of the field changed rubber.
Expert Pick for MotoGP Thailand 2025
The hype surrounds Marc Marquez who has won at Chang International twice in his career, the last one coming in 2019. However, we like Francesco Bagnaia who is the defending champion at this track and favorably priced at +175. The sportsbooks are paying approximately $55 for a $20 bet.
Where to Bet on MotoGP
Visit our partner sportsbooksto access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you anticipate the upcoming Grand Prix of Thailand. If you’re a newbie in the world of MotoGP betting, our comprehensive MotoGP Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.
The City of Buriram welcomes the best MotoGP riders back to paradise for the 2025 season opener. Will Marc Marquez answer the punters call and win his third Thai Grand Prix or can “Pecco” Bagnaia retain the title he won in 2024? No matter the result, we are just thrilled to have the sport’s finest battling it out at high speeds.
Tony Arbolino topped wet final practice at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, posting the fastest time of the Moto2 Free Practice Two with a 1:53.516 on his Pirelli-shod REDS Fantic Racing Kalex. Collin Veijer then claimed pole in Saturday qualifying, stopping the clock at 1:39.101 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex and setting the front of the grid for the Moto2 race weekend.
Veijer edged Alex Escrig into second with a 1:39.158, and Manuel Gonzalez took third with a 1:39.196. Senna Agius qualified fourth and Alonso Lopez fifth, the two separated by one-thousandth of a second. Veijer ran on Pirelli control tires. Joe Roberts qualified 20th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex with a 1:40.119.
Final practice was run in damp, wet conditions and produced much slower lap times than Friday. Arbolino’s 1:53.516 set the pace in the session, Mario Aji was second on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex with a 1:54.090 and Barry Baltus, Arbolino’s REDS Fantic Racing teammate, was third with a 1:54.149. Alonso Lopez was fourth, Senna Agius fifth, Alex Escrig sixth, Dani Munoz seventh, Dani Holgado eighth, Jorge Navarro ninth and Collin Veijer tenth. The session featured a 28-rider field. Earlier on Friday, Agius had set a new all-time Moto2 lap record at Jerez with a 1:38.973 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP Kalex, breaking Deniz Oncu’s 2025 benchmark of 1:39.564.
Ducati’s hopes at the Thai MotoGP in Buriram were derailed by mechanical problems and an unexpectedly poor team showing that left the factory without a podium. The result ended a long run of Ducati podiums — reported as an 88-race streak that began in 2021 — though sources differ on the precise race it began (reports cite the 2021 British GP and Aragon 2021). Aprilia dominated the opener, turning what had been a pre-race expectation of Ducati strength into a difficult weekend for the Italian marque.
The most dramatic failure came when Marc Márquez, who had begun the race on the front row and was contesting a podium, ran over the Turn 4 curb on lap 21 and suffered a deformed rear rim that caused an immediate loss of tire pressure and forced his retirement with six laps remaining. Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi said “the rim exploded,” and technical lead Piero Taramasso said rim damage had been visible all weekend amid extreme heat and an aggressive curb design. Márquez called the failure “very strange” and “unlucky,” said he did not believe Michelin or the track surface were to blame, and insisted there was “no panic” at Ducati. Tardozzi added the failure likely cost Márquez at least a third-place finish and warned it complicates his championship bid.
Other Ducati riders also suffered setbacks. Fabio di Giannantonio, the top Ducati finisher, recovered to sixth after a mysterious technical fault on lap six that he said produced overheating, reduced his pace and forced him to back off; he ruled out a direct tire failure but declined to specify the issue and said he believed he could have challenged for a podium. Franco Morbidelli finished eighth and Francesco Bagnaia ninth after a weekend of struggles; Alex Márquez and Marc Márquez both retired, Michele Pirro finished last as a replacement rider, and team members were left searching for explanations as engineers tried to understand why the bikes felt different from testing. With Ducati stunned and Aprilia celebrating a dominant day, team figures urged calm while investigations into the wheel and bike issues continued.
Yamaha has agreed to sign Ai Ogura for the 2027 MotoGP season, pairing the 25-year-old with Jorge Martin in the factory team and replacing Alex Rins, Motorsport reporter Oriol Puigdemont and other outlets have reported. Yamaha is delaying any public announcement while the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers Association (MSMA) and MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group finalize a five-year commercial contract.
Ogura won the 2024 Moto2 title and is in his second MotoGP campaign with Trackhouse Racing (Aprilia) after making his premier-class debut in 2025. He sits seventh in the championship after three rounds, with best finishes of fifth in Thailand and fifth in Brazil; reporters say he lost a podium opportunity to a technical issue and a mechanical failure in Austin ended his most recent race.
The Yamaha decision has triggered a wider rider-market reshuffle. The signing reduces options for Luca Marini, his camp has been told he is effectively ruled out for Yamaha, and it increases the likelihood Raul Fernández will remain with Trackhouse as that team will have a vacancy to fill. Reports indicate Honda’s (HRC) works squad appears set to pair Fabio Quartararo with David Alonso, sources say LCR seats are effectively sealed, and Dani Holgado has confirmed a move to Gresini Racing on a Ducati. Yamaha had considered promoting Izan Guevara or calling up Toprak Razgatlioglu from Pramac, but Razgatlioglu’s reported reluctance to leave Pramac and other market movements left Ogura as the chosen signing. Guevara enters the season with strong recent form and Yamaha has described him as having “explosive” premier-class potential.
MotoGP DFS has been gaining attention among motorsport enthusiasts in Minnesota. This is because it allows you to interact directly with MotoGP. It lets you make fresh picks for every event and adjust your strategy. In MotoGP DFS, you select riders and then predict whether their finishing position will be higher or lower than what …
Best Bets: MotoGP Thailand & 2025 Season Preview
Motor racing is back and it all starts in the “Land of Smiles” on Friday, February 28th. Defending Rider’s Champion Jorge Martin sits on the sidelines for at least the first two races of the campaign after suffering multiple fractures during a recent training ride. With that breaking news out of the way, here is your MotoGP season preview with dates, tips, point allocations and odds for the Thailand Grand Prix.
After reading our analysis, check out our partner sportsbooks to get valuable promotions and place your bets.
In addition to traditional sports betting on MotoGP, the Thailand Grand Prix has Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Real Money Gaming available in a Pick’Em style on Underdog. Although “fantasy games” might seem misleading, DFS is a significant and growing category within legal sports wagering. MotoGP fans are allowed to legally make better/worse picks with real money gaming in 30 states, including California, Texas & Wisconsin, where traditional sports betting is currently illegal.
MotoGP Schedule 2025
MotoGP has penciled in 22 grand prix races this season, starting at the Chang International Circuit at the end of February and concluding on November 16th at the Valencian showdown. Every rider’s endurance is tested on race weekends as they battle it out in a sprint on Saturday followed by the main event on Sunday afternoon.
GP #
Dates
Grand Prix
Circuit
1
29th February – 2nd March:
Thailand Grand Prix
Chang International Circuit, Buriram
2
14th – 16th March:
Argentinian Grand Prix
Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo, Termas de Río Hondo
3
28th – 30th March:
USA Grand Prix
Circuit of the Americas, Texas
4
10th – 13th April:
Qatari Grand Prix
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail
5
24th – 27th April:
Spanish Grand Prix
Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, Jerez de la Frontera
6
8th – 11th May:
French Grand Prix
Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans
7
23rd – 25th May:
British Grand Prix
Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire
8
5th – 8th June:
Aragon Grand Prix
MotorLand Aragón, Alcañiz
9
19th – 22nd June:
Italian Grand Prix
Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, Scarperia e San Piero
10
26th – 29th June:
Dutch Grand Prix
TT Circuit Assen, Assen
11
10th – 13th July
German Grand Prix
Sachsenring, Hohenstein-Ernstthal
12
17th – 20th July:
Czechia Grand Prix
Automotodrom Brno, Brno
13
14th – 17th August:
Austrian Grand Prix
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg
14
21st – 24th August:
Hungarian Grand Prix
Balaton Park Circuit, Balatonfőkajár
15
4th – 7th September:
Catalan Grand Prix
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmeló
16
11th – 14th September:
San Marino Grand Prix
Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, Misano Adriatico
17
25th – 28th September:
Japanese Grand Prix
Mobility Resort Motegi, Motegi
18
2nd – 5th October:
Indonesian Grand Prix
Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, Mandalika
19
16th – 19th October:
Australian Grand Prix
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Phillip Island
20
23rd – 26th October:
Malaysian Grand Prix
Petronas Sepang International Circuit, Sepang
21
7th – 9th November:
Portuguese Grand Prix
Algarve International Circuit, Portimão
22
13th – 16th November:
Valencian Grand Prix
Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia
Team Lineups
Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira hogged the transfer headlines in the offseason, jumping ship to Prima Pramac. Miller returned to his old home after Pedro Acosta was promoted from Red Bull Tech3 to the Factory team. Oliveira departs the Trackhouse outfit after they opted to recruit Moto 2 rider Ai Ogura.
Team
Riders
Aprilia Racing:
Jorge Martin (Spain)+
Marco Bezzecchi (Italy)
Trackhouse MotoGP Team:
Raul Fernandez (Spain)
Ai Ogura (Japan)
Ducati Lenovo Team:
Francesco Bagnaia (Italy)
Marc Marquez (Spain)
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team:
Fabio Di Giannantonio (Italy)
Franco Morbidelli (Italy)
BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP:
Fermin Aldeguer (Spain)
Alex Marquez (Spain)
Honda HRC Castrol:
Luca Marini (Italy)
Joan Mir (Spain)
LCR Honda:
Johann Zarco (France)
Somkiat Chantra (Thailand)
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing:
Brad Binder (South Africa)
Pedro Acosta (Spain)
Red Bull KTM Tech3:
Enea Bastianini (Italy)
Maverick Vinales (Spain)
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team:
Fabio Quartararo (France)
Alex Rins (Spain)
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP:
Jack Miller (Australia)
Miguel Oliveira (Portugal)
+ represents an injured rider.
Points Allocations
The top placing riders in sprint and feature racers are awarded points for their efforts, but the latter event carried more weight. Winning a feature race gets you 25 points, while the same result in a sprint is worth 12 points. Only the top 9 riders receive a share of the pie in sprints, but points are handed out to the top 15 finishers in a Sunday race.
Feature Races
Position
Points Allocated
1st Place
25
2nd Place
20
3rd Place
16
4th Place
13
5th Place
11
6th Place
10
7th Place
9
8th Place
8
9th Place
7
10th Place
6
11th Place
5
12th Place
4
13th Place
3
14th Place
2
15th Place
1
Sprint Races
Position
Points Allocated
1st Place
12
2nd Place
9
3rd Place
7
4th Place
6
5th Place
5
6th Place
4
7th Place
3
8th Place
2
9th Place
1
Best Bets and Picks for the 2025 MotoGP Season
Top Picks and Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Marc Marquez
-175
$31.43
Francesco Bagnaia
+175
$55.00
Pedro Acosta
+900
$200.00
Marc Marquez (-175):
Veteran Marc Marquez lands in a scorching hot Thailand as the heavy favorite to clinch the race one. The Spaniard finished third in the Championship in 2024, recording three wins in the process. Chang International Circuit has been kind to Marquez in the past, giving him two victories in 2018 and 2019. The two victories make him the winningest rider in the field at this venue.
Francesco Bagnaia (+175):
Imagine winning 11 grands prix and still only finishing second in the Championship, that’s how 2024 played out for “Pecco” Bagnaia. He is back in Buriram to defend the title he won in 2024, setting the all-time lap record in the process. At +175 odds, he’s an attractive wager, giving his sublime form last year and his knowledge of this circuit.
Pedro Acosta (+900):
Wunderking Pedro Acosta stunned racing fans last season as he picked up five podiums for the proverbial Red Bull “B” team. He finished sixth overall in 2024, just behind his new teammate Brad Binder. One of his podiums was at this track towards the backend of the season.
Outsider Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Alex Marquez
+1600
$340.00
Marco Bezzecchi
+2200
$460.00
Brad Binder
+6600
$1,340.00
Alex Marquez (+1600):
The younger Marquez brother, Alex, had a tough campaign in 2024, picking up a single podium at the German Grand Prix. It was the first time in the MotoGP era that two brothers had shared a podium. He finished the season strong, crossing the line in fourth place in the final two races of the year.
Marco Bezzecchi (+2200):
Team Aprilla rider Marco Bezzecchi found himself outside the top 10 in the Championship race in 2025, but he’s worked hard in the offseason. The Italian recorded a solid testing run over four sessions in early February, averaging a finish of 3.25.
Brad Binder (+6600):
South African MotoGP pioneer Brad Binder claimed fifth spot on the standings in 2024, recording his fourth season inside the top six. He is a regular top 10 finisher, and is the rider you look to in tough conditions, where he isn’t afraid to take risks, as showcased in the Austrian Grand Prix win in 2021. He rode on slicks in the pouring rain for the last five laps, while the rest of the field changed rubber.
Expert Pick for MotoGP Thailand 2025
The hype surrounds Marc Marquez who has won at Chang International twice in his career, the last one coming in 2019. However, we like Francesco Bagnaia who is the defending champion at this track and favorably priced at +175. The sportsbooks are paying approximately $55 for a $20 bet.
Where to Bet on MotoGP
Visit our partner sportsbooks to access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you anticipate the upcoming Grand Prix of Thailand. If you’re a newbie in the world of MotoGP betting, our comprehensive MotoGP Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.
The City of Buriram welcomes the best MotoGP riders back to paradise for the 2025 season opener. Will Marc Marquez answer the punters call and win his third Thai Grand Prix or can “Pecco” Bagnaia retain the title he won in 2024? No matter the result, we are just thrilled to have the sport’s finest battling it out at high speeds.
Related Posts
Veijer Beats Escrig to Jerez Pole; Gonzalez Third
Tony Arbolino topped wet final practice at Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto, posting the fastest time of the Moto2 Free Practice Two with a 1:53.516 on his Pirelli-shod REDS Fantic Racing Kalex. Collin Veijer then claimed pole in Saturday qualifying, stopping the clock at 1:39.101 on his Red Bull KTM Ajo Kalex and setting the front of the grid for the Moto2 race weekend.
Veijer edged Alex Escrig into second with a 1:39.158, and Manuel Gonzalez took third with a 1:39.196. Senna Agius qualified fourth and Alonso Lopez fifth, the two separated by one-thousandth of a second. Veijer ran on Pirelli control tires. Joe Roberts qualified 20th on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex with a 1:40.119.
Final practice was run in damp, wet conditions and produced much slower lap times than Friday. Arbolino’s 1:53.516 set the pace in the session, Mario Aji was second on his Idemitsu Honda Team Asia Kalex with a 1:54.090 and Barry Baltus, Arbolino’s REDS Fantic Racing teammate, was third with a 1:54.149. Alonso Lopez was fourth, Senna Agius fifth, Alex Escrig sixth, Dani Munoz seventh, Dani Holgado eighth, Jorge Navarro ninth and Collin Veijer tenth. The session featured a 28-rider field. Earlier on Friday, Agius had set a new all-time Moto2 lap record at Jerez with a 1:38.973 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP Kalex, breaking Deniz Oncu’s 2025 benchmark of 1:39.564.
Rim failure likely cost Márquez podium, harms Ducati bid
Ducati’s hopes at the Thai MotoGP in Buriram were derailed by mechanical problems and an unexpectedly poor team showing that left the factory without a podium. The result ended a long run of Ducati podiums — reported as an 88-race streak that began in 2021 — though sources differ on the precise race it began (reports cite the 2021 British GP and Aragon 2021). Aprilia dominated the opener, turning what had been a pre-race expectation of Ducati strength into a difficult weekend for the Italian marque.
The most dramatic failure came when Marc Márquez, who had begun the race on the front row and was contesting a podium, ran over the Turn 4 curb on lap 21 and suffered a deformed rear rim that caused an immediate loss of tire pressure and forced his retirement with six laps remaining. Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi said “the rim exploded,” and technical lead Piero Taramasso said rim damage had been visible all weekend amid extreme heat and an aggressive curb design. Márquez called the failure “very strange” and “unlucky,” said he did not believe Michelin or the track surface were to blame, and insisted there was “no panic” at Ducati. Tardozzi added the failure likely cost Márquez at least a third-place finish and warned it complicates his championship bid.
Other Ducati riders also suffered setbacks. Fabio di Giannantonio, the top Ducati finisher, recovered to sixth after a mysterious technical fault on lap six that he said produced overheating, reduced his pace and forced him to back off; he ruled out a direct tire failure but declined to specify the issue and said he believed he could have challenged for a podium. Franco Morbidelli finished eighth and Francesco Bagnaia ninth after a weekend of struggles; Alex Márquez and Marc Márquez both retired, Michele Pirro finished last as a replacement rider, and team members were left searching for explanations as engineers tried to understand why the bikes felt different from testing. With Ducati stunned and Aprilia celebrating a dominant day, team figures urged calm while investigations into the wheel and bike issues continued.
Yamaha signs Ai Ogura for 2027, pairs him with Jorge Martin
Yamaha has agreed to sign Ai Ogura for the 2027 MotoGP season, pairing the 25-year-old with Jorge Martin in the factory team and replacing Alex Rins, Motorsport reporter Oriol Puigdemont and other outlets have reported. Yamaha is delaying any public announcement while the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers Association (MSMA) and MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group finalize a five-year commercial contract.
Ogura won the 2024 Moto2 title and is in his second MotoGP campaign with Trackhouse Racing (Aprilia) after making his premier-class debut in 2025. He sits seventh in the championship after three rounds, with best finishes of fifth in Thailand and fifth in Brazil; reporters say he lost a podium opportunity to a technical issue and a mechanical failure in Austin ended his most recent race.
The Yamaha decision has triggered a wider rider-market reshuffle. The signing reduces options for Luca Marini, his camp has been told he is effectively ruled out for Yamaha, and it increases the likelihood Raul Fernández will remain with Trackhouse as that team will have a vacancy to fill. Reports indicate Honda’s (HRC) works squad appears set to pair Fabio Quartararo with David Alonso, sources say LCR seats are effectively sealed, and Dani Holgado has confirmed a move to Gresini Racing on a Ducati. Yamaha had considered promoting Izan Guevara or calling up Toprak Razgatlioglu from Pramac, but Razgatlioglu’s reported reluctance to leave Pramac and other market movements left Ogura as the chosen signing. Guevara enters the season with strong recent form and Yamaha has described him as having “explosive” premier-class potential.
How to Play MotoGP DFS in Minnesota
MotoGP DFS has been gaining attention among motorsport enthusiasts in Minnesota. This is because it allows you to interact directly with MotoGP. It lets you make fresh picks for every event and adjust your strategy. In MotoGP DFS, you select riders and then predict whether their finishing position will be higher or lower than what …