MotoGP Round 9 | Marc Marquez magical at Mugello | Marc Marquez emerged from an all-time great battle to take a 93rd win in all classes, ahead of Alex Marquez and a late charge from Fabio Di Giannantonio. Report: MotoGP/Ed Stratmann
Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP
A quality 1:44.634 lap late into a phenomenal MotoGP Practice session at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy saw Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #12) spoil Ducati’s opening day party. Top Gun flew highest to beat Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) by 0.110s on Friday afternoon, as the Italian’s teammate Marc Marquez made sure both factory Ducatis were inside the top three at the end of play.
100 not out. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) has become the first rider ever to reach triple figures and take 100 pole positions across all classes after narrowly beating teammate Francesco Bagnaia to a Saturday morning P1 at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy. Marquez’s all-time lap record, a 1:44.169, was just 0.059s quicker than Bagnaia’s best effort, as Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73) claimed a front-row start having got within a tenth of pole in a memorable Mugello Q2.
Read our previous MotoGP news here…
Moto2
Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #12) was the long-time leader in the session and remained on top at the end of Moto2 Practice at Mugello, as the Czech rider finished ahead of Boscoscuro’s Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team #13) and Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18).
For the second consecutive Grand Prix, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #19) would launch the Moto2 race from pole position after the Brazilian beat Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #44) on Saturday afternoon thanks to a 1:49.745. Meanwhile, Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2 #75) started on the front row for the first time this season in P3.
Moto3
David Almansa’s (Leopard Racing #22) 1:55.535 handed the Spaniard top spot on Friday at the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy, as a pair of Japanese stars completed the leading trio – Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) and Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #6).
He left it late, but he did it in style, as Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) clinched his first Moto3™ pole at Mugello, and the #83 rookie even charged round the outside of a fellow frontrunner in his rush for glory. Carpe’s 1:54.733 put him a couple of tenths ahead of teammate and Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99), with Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power #19) taking third to continue his impressive form at Mugello.
Saturday
Tissot Sprint
Mugello always delivers the goods, and 2025’s Tissot Sprint was no different, as racing fired up on Saturday afternoon. Having secured a 100th career pole, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was primed to stamp his authority on Italian soil, and that’s exactly what he did – even if he did it a harder way than he’d have preferred.
There was drama before the lights even went out for polesitter Marquez, who seemed to be distracted by something as the Sprint got underway, costing him places on the run down to San Donato. The holeshot was grabbed by Bagnaia, whilst Alex was now in second.
Further back, all kinds of drama unfolded as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #33) fell after contact with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49), leaving Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5) nowhere to go as both fell. The incident was initially investigated, but no further action was taken. There was another faller at the end of the first lap, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) crashing at Turn 15 before he completed the first lap.
Lap 2 was a real corker as Marc, now already back into P3, was alongside brother Alex and teammate Pecco into Turn 1, three abreast as they fought for the lead. The #93 initially hit the front but ran himself and his brother Alex wide as Mugello specialist Bagnaia had the inside for the exit. Getting their elbows out, the #63 and #73 went head-to-head into Turn 2, with the Gresini Racing Ducati coming out on top. Pecco was pushed back further at Turn 4 with Marc coming by, reasserting his authority in the factory colours.
Elsewhere, there was a big battle for fifth place as both Di Giannantonio and teammate Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #21) duked it out with themselves and also a fading Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #20). Quartararo began dropping back further when Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team #25) came through.
On Lap 4, the #93 made his move to lead ahead of his brother, both now a second clear of Pecco in third. But it wasn’t all done, as both initially seemed to latch back on to the #93. However, with just 4 laps to go, it was looking like a battle for P1, as Alex homed in on Marc, and then another for P3, as Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) began to close down double Champion Bagnaia. The gap was just three tenths going into the penultimate lap, but in the end, it was to remain the same. Further back, Quartararo’s challenging Sprint was made worse as Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54) came through to steal the last point.
At the front, Marc Marquez converted his 100th GP pole to strike in his teammate’s backyard. Another Marquez 1-2 with Alex in second, as Bagnaia’s run of wins at Mugello ended. Viñales showed great pace despite being unable to snatch a podium in the closing stages, but a solid fourth gave him encouragement for Sunday.
“We gave a good show and won the sprint race, and that was not the main target – the main target was to not lose a lot of [championship] points. I hope all these Italian fans enjoyed the show, because the comeback was super nice,” Marquez reflected.
Tissot Sprint Race Results
- Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
- Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.441s)
- Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+2.561s)
- Maverick Viñales Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+3.099s)
- Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+4.139s)
Sunday
MotoGP
Mugello often delivers some magic, and in 2025, it didn’t fail to deliver again. Some all-time great opening laps saw the three heavyweights at the top of the title race go bar to bar in an epic start to the Brembo Italian GP. Having to work hard for a 93rd win across all classes but securing it nonetheless and taking Ducati to victory at home, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) fended off Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), whilst a late burst from Fabio Di Giannantonio saw him pick Pecco’s pocket for P3 on the penultimate lap.
As the lights went out, it was a drag race between Marc Marquez and Bagnaia down towards San Donato for the first time, initially going to the #93, before his teammate stormed back through at Turn 2 and led the opening lap of his home Grand Prix.
Lap 2, and it was absolutely head-to-head – the battle we all hoped for coming into 2025 burst into life. Marc Marquez hit the front again at Turn 1 and held position ahead of his teammate, who even had a look at Turn 6 but thought better of it. On Lap 3 it was Bagnaia’s turn to retaliate at Turn 1, but the #93 got under his teammate, only for the #63 to bash his way back into the lead for Turn 2. Marc Marquez barrelled back through two apexes later, but Pecco wasn’t done yet, aiming to turn it tight at Turn 5. But there, he kissed the rear end of the #93 Ducati ahead, allowing Alex Marquez through and dropping to P3.
Lap 4 was just as explosive, as Bagnaia got himself back into second round Turn 1 before pouncing on Marc Marquez immediately at Turn 2 in a carbon copy of his earlier move. He made that stick and held the lead until Marc Marquez tried again at Turn 1 but headed in deep. Bagnaia slipped back through and held off the #93 for the rest of the lap until it almost all came undone for the #63 at the final corner, as he was forced into an incredible front-end save.
Into Lap 7, the #93 pounced again, this time back into P2 as Bagnaia was now forced to take third for the time being. Two laps later, Marc Marquez then struck for the lead as he chipped his brother’s advantage back down and pounced.
Behind, there was big drama in the battle for fourth, and potentially what could have been the battle for the podium. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) was taken out by Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) as the Italian made contact on the way through, spelling the end of Viñales’ Italian GP and leaving a bitter taste after a strong Sprint. Morbidelli was handed a Long Lap Penalty, which he then also served incorrectly and, therefore, was issued another. This promoted his teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio into P4, which would go on to have consequences.
More bad luck struck down the field, this time for Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP #43), who retired with a clutch problem. Meanwhile, Morbidelli’s Grand Prix, after two Long Laps, was now a battle with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), with the Spaniard having his strongest weekend of the season.
Further up the road, fellow Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) had worked his way into the top five amidst the incidents ahead of him, whilst the battle between top KTM was now between Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and teammate Pedro Acosta, something that went Acosta’s way with five laps to go at Turn 1.
Just behind the all-orange battle, Ai Ogura’s (Trackhouse Racing MotoGP #79) Grand Prix was also noteworthy, moving from 21st on the grid into the top ten with four laps remaining as he returns to form from injury.
Back in the podium scrap and with brothers Marc and Alex now in settled P1 and P2 respectively, it was a stellar ride from Di Giannantonio to decide the final step on the podium. With a late turn of searing pace, the #49 managed to hunt down a struggling Bagnaia and then got ahead of him at Turn 6. He wasn’t giving up on P2 either, hunting down the #73 and coming up only just short. As Marc Marquez crossed the line to take an incredible 93rd win across all classes. Alex Marquez took second by a matter of metres, as Diggia’s charge was forced to stop at P3.
Bagnaia took fourth after that stunning first few laps, as he ultimately came up short of the podium – a difficult result for the much-decorated home hero. Fellow home hero Bezzecchi took fifth for Aprilia Racing on their home turf too, ahead of Morbidelli in P6 after his adventures.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Marquez insisted. “To wear the red colours, it’s a Ducati track, three Ducatis on the podium – to win here with the red colours, I already understood this morning it was super special for them, even for me, because I feel part of them. Happy to take 37 points from this amazing weekend.”
MotoGP Race Results
- Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
- Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.942s)
- Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+2.136s)
- Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+5.081s)
- Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+9.329s)
Check out the full MotoGP race results here…
MotoGP Championship Points
- Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 270
- Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 230
- Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 160
- Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 128
- Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team LCR – 120
Moto2
It wasn’t easy, but winning from P8 on the grid was made to look like it on Sunday afternoon by Moto2 Grand Prix winner Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) as the title race leader claimed a classy fourth win of the season. The Spaniard fended off an impressive challenge from second place Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2), as Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) earned P3 after an absolute throwdown with Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team).
Polesitter Moreira got the launch he would have wanted, but the star of the start was Gonzalez. The title race leader was up to P3 from eighth on the grid, but that was soon P4, for chief rival Canet grabbed P3 into T10, as a great battle at the front played out on the opening laps. Nine riders were split by 1.3s, with the chasing pack 0.7s adrift.
On Lap 7 of 19, Arenas led from Gonzalez and Canet, with Moreira fourth as a small gap appeared between the leading quartet and Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). Then, on the same lap, Gonzalez led the chase for victory for the first time – but not for long. Arenas led again, with the top four now a second clear of the likes of Salač, Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #28) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo #53).
Gonzalez’s pace, once he hit the front again, was proving too hot for everyone bar Arenas. Moreira and Canet had dropped to over a second behind the front two. And with six laps to go, Gonzalez’s lead was over 0.5s for the first time. And with four to go, the lead was up to just north of a second. This was Gonzalez’s race now, as a fierce fight between Canet and Moreira played out for the final rostrum spot.
The duo weren’t giving each other an inch. A proper elbows-out, fairing-bashing scrap rolled on and on in brutal glory, and all this allowed home hero Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team) to latch onto the back with half a lap to go. But in the end, Canet held onto P3 after an almighty dogfight at the chequered flag, with Gonzalez eventually clinching victory by 1.4s ahead of Arenas.
Moreira held Vietti behind, as the Brazilian and Italian finished P4 and P5.
Moto2 Race Results
- Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
- Albert Arenas Italjet Gresini Moto2 (+1.409s)
- Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+3.648s)
- Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+3.745s)
- Celestino Vietti Beta Tools SpeedRS (+3.813s)
Moto2 Championship Points
- Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 143
- Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 134
- Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 103
- Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 94
- Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 85
Moto3
It seems poetic: Marc Marquez took his first Grand Prix pole in France, first podium in the UK and first win at Mugello. 15 years later, history repeated itself. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) battled from the third row to lead home a rookie 1-2 ahead of Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team #71) in a classic Moto3 scrap at Mugello.
Grabbing the holeshot, polesitter Carpe maintained his place, and the front three on the grid were the top three in the early stages, with Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) trading paint on the opening lap behind.
Three riders fell on the second lap on the exit of Turn 5, with Vicente Perez (GRYD MLav Racing Team #32), Ricardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team #54) and Ruche Moodley (DENSSI – Racing Boe #21) all out. Another contender fell from the top six at the start of Lap 3; David Almansa (Leopard Racing) out after contact with rival Ogden.
By Lap 6, Quiles led the way and battled with Rueda, whilst Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #94) had put in a miraculous opening third of the race, climbing from 20th on the grid to P4 and the podium fight by Lap 6, scrapping with fellow home hero Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse #58).
There was a close moment on Lap 7 for David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3 #73) at Turn 10, with Perrone in the lead battle from the back of the grid. Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) was also in the mix on his comeback ride, leading briefly by the end of Lap 7. Fernandez’s charge was short-lived, though, as he and Lunetta crashed at Turn 1 under braking. The home charge came to an end a few corners later for the #94 of Pini, who crashed on the exit of Turn 12 after contact with Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA #66).
Foggia led at Turn 1 onto the last lap, but he and Carpe swapped places at Arrabbiata 1 and 2, allowing Quiles to come back into the battle, and he was P2 by Turn 12. Into the last corner, he hit the front, and despite Carpe’s best efforts in a slipstream battle, the #28 wasn’t going to be denied on the line. He took his career-first win – at the same place as Marc Marquez in 2010 – ahead of Carpe and home-hero Foggia, who was back on the podium for the first time since Buriram in 2022.
Rueda extended his Championship lead with P4 – coming from as low as 15th at one point – whilst Muñoz was fifth.
Moto3 Race Results
- Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team
- Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.006s)
- Dennis Foggia CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team (+0.066s)
- Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.102s)
- David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.212s)
Moto3 Championship Points
- Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 162
- Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 106
- Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 105
- Joel Kelso LEVELUP – MTA – 93
- Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 85
How Did the Aussies Do?
Despite Jack Miller powering from 13th to 10th early on in the Sprint, his ongoing struggles with the hard tyre meant he dropped to 16th in the sweltering conditions. Wanting more on Sunday, sadly things didn’t work out for Miller, who retired on lap 10 with a clutch issue when in contention to grab some vital points. Even though a poor start saw Senna Agius (#81) relegated back to 23rd, he deserved immense credit for coming back to secure 13th in the stacked Moto2 class.
Despite a solid ninth in qualifying for Joel Kelso, ninth was the best he could muster in the race, as an incident with Guido Pini hindered his hopes of finishing any higher. Although Jacob Roulstone (#12) led for the first time in a Moto3 race, luck wasn’t on his side, for he had to avoid two crashes around him, which dropped him way back. To his credit, he admirably kept pushing to claim a solid 13th. He’ll extract the positives and hope to carry his momentum into Assen next weekend.
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