Marc Marquez beats brother Alex to win season-opening Thailand GP

Marc Marquez wins Thailand Grand Prix ahead of brother Alex, with Bagnaia in third, dominating on Ducati debut.

Six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez continued his perfect start with factory Ducati as he completed a weekend double at the season-opening Thailand Grand Prix on Sunday, finishing ahead of his younger brother Alex.

Pole-sitter and sprint winner Marc Marquez made an electric start in hot and humid conditions at the Buriram International Circuit but Alex, who had qualified second on the grid, took the lead on the seventh of the 26 laps.

Marc snatched back the lead with three laps remaining, however, to win the opening race of the MotoGP season for the first time since 2014.

Twice MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez's new teammate, came in third to complete an all-Ducati podium.

"Yesterday, I was happy. Today, I'm super happy," Marquez told reporters. "I mean, this is a dream! It's a dream start my new journey with Ducati like this in Thailand where I won my last four championships, to be here with my brother — incredible."

Marquez had looked dominant all weekend and it seemed only a matter of time that he would overtake Alex, who is four years his junior, as he finished 1.732 seconds ahead.

The 32-year-old Spaniard extended his lead at the top of the MotoGP world championship with 37 points, eight more than second-placed Alex and 14 ahead of Italian Bagnaia.