Bezzecchi fires first salvo by winning Thailand MotoGP as Marquez retires

Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi won the FIM MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position on Sunday (March 1) as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel.

The Aprilia rider led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM's Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse's Raul Fernandez third.

Jorge Martin, the 2024 world champion, finished fourth after seeing the defence of his title wrecked by injury last season.

Trackhouse's Ai Ogura was fifth, followed by VR46's Fabio Di Giannantonio and KTM's Brad Binder.

Alex Marquez, last season's championship runner-up, did not finish the race after a late crash

Francesco Bagnaia, the 2022 and 2023 world champion, finished ninth after starting from 13th on the grid

Bezzecchi had crashed out of the Saturday's sprint while he was in the lead, ​but this ⁠time the Italian rider made no mistake as he stormed into a massive lead ⁠from ‌pole position and cruised to the finish to win ‌the season opener by over ⁠5sec.

It was also his third straight Grand Prix win stretching back to last season.

"Yesterday was a small mistake with a big consequence so it was important today to try to bounce back," said Bezzecchi.

"My pace was good with the medium, we worked it super-well all weekend, so I knew that I could be fast if I was in front.

"I tried my all to make a good start and the bike was perfect," he added.

The FIM MotoGP World Championship caravan moves to Brazil where the second race of the season will be held on March 22.