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Buriram MotoGP Saturday Sprint Race Notes: A New Order, A Rising Star, And Why The Race Was Processional

By David Emmett |

We are off and running. The first points in the 2025 MotoGP season have been handed out, and we have a championship. So far, it is running pretty much as it did last year: three Ducatis on the podium and a race that was spaced out and predictable pretty much from the start. But that didn't stop the Saturday Sprint race at Buriram from being interesting, if not exciting to watch.

The atmosphere more than made up for the lack of on track action. The grandstands were once again packed with enthusiastic and loud MotoGP fans, vindicating Dorna's decision to start the season in Buriram instead of Qatar. That may not suit European broadcasters - a 9am CET start time is less attractive to TV audiences than either 3pm for a race in Europe or 6pm for Qatar.

(And yes, I am aware that the 3pm Buriram time is much more convenient for viewers in Australia, and to an extent on the West Coast of the US. The trouble is, TV audience sizes in those countries are nowhere near what they are in Spain, Italy, France, and the UK.)

The counter argument - that what the audience want is a scintillating race they will remember for a long time - would be better served by Qatar. The Lusail International Circuit always manages to serve up a thriller, whether it be sprint race of GP. So why couldn't Buriram do the same?

1
2025
MotoGP
Buriram, Thailand
Aprilia
Ducati
Ai Ogura
Alex Marquez
Francesco Bagnaia
Marc Marquez
CormacGP
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Comments

I am surprised Aprilia are content with having Savadori as their test rider. He clearly hasn't got the pace - over 2 seconds / lap down in this race - to test the bike at the top level. It's even more surprising that they let Aleix go.

I enjoy seeing the Gulf livery on Ogura's bike, as I do the Castrol livery on Zarco's. Old-school petro-sponsors! I know Repsol was a petro-sponsor, but not one I remember from "long ago."

I must be odd. I live in Australia but streamed the sprint delayed at night to free the day up to do things. I typically prefer the races in Europe as I can watch them live at night or really early the next morning if live timing is too unreasonable. Streaming you can watch all three classes on a Sunday in about two hours if you go past all the padding.
Very pleased to see Ogura's performance as I like riders that have come by different routes legitimately and his speed promises well for Martin being able to get serious results on the Aprilia when fit.

Same thoughts re:timing for me as an Australian viewer. European races are ideal timing, Qatar/Americas I don't mind because I can stream them first thing in the morning and skip the guff in between, but when it's on during the day - the time that should be most convenient - I've got other things to do!

Totally agree. European times lend themselves nicely to watching the races a bit later on Sunday evening in Oz. Just hope Jack can stay on his bike and finish more races this year.