Marc Márquez and Ducati Lenovo Team are triumphant in the Thai GP

• First win with the Borgo Panigale red colours for Marc Márquez, who is back atop the standings for the first time in 93 GPs
• Alex Márquez is second with the Ducati of the Gresini Racing Team, Franco Morbidelli (VR46 Racing Team) is fourth

Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team have achieved the maximum result in the opening race of the season in Thailand at the Chang International Circuit. Francesco Bagnaia made it to the chequered flag in third place at the end of the 26-lap encounter.

Following a perfect start from pole, Marc gave up the lead to Alex on lap seven. Márquez still stayed on his brother’s tail and eventually overtook him at turn 12 with four laps left, before making his way to the race win. Pecco had a good start but could not defend the second position he took at turn two. In the closing stages he tried to bridge the gap, eventually crossing the line 0.6s shy of second place.

Márquez leads the championship standings after season opener with maximum points, 37. Bagnaia is third, 14 points in arrears. Ducati leads the manufacturers’ standings (37 points), with the Ducati Lenovo Team on top of the team standings (60 points).

The second Grand Prix of the season will take place at Termas de Río Hondo in Argentina on March 14-16.

Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st
“It was truly the perfect weekend. Results aside, the important thing is the incredible feeling I have with the bike and the team. The strategy for the race was to push hard in the early stages to create a gap and then try to manage it. As the laps went by, however, I noticed I was at the limit with regards to the front-end tyre pressure and I had no choice but to give up one position. It was really hard to be in Alex’s slipstream with this heat as I struggled breathing properly. I waited for the right moment to retake the lead and create the right margin, and things went as I had hoped. I’m happy.”

Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 3rd
“I was expecting a bit more today but honestly speaking, the race was a very long one and I couldn’t bridge the gap. I tried to get closer to Alex, but each time I was less than half a second away from him, I ended up struggling grip-wise. I tried everything I could but my feeling wasn’t perfect today. We lost 14 points this weekend, but we need to look forward and try our best in Argentina. It’s not my favourite circuit, and this one wasn’t either, but we’ll do our best to get a good result.”

Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“Marc did an incredible race, especially as with this heat it isn’t easy to stay in another rider’s slipstream for so many laps. He was excellent. We know that this is not one of Pecco’s favourite tracks and he wasn’t completely comfortable with the bike this weekend, and in this sense two third-place finishes are good; we’re at the very beginning of the championship, after all. Three Ducati machines on both podiums as well as on the front row, so I’d say we’re fully happy with the results.”