MotoGP 2025 Round 12 Report | Marc Marquez makes Ducati history

MotoGP 2025 Round 12 Report | Marc Marquez makes Ducati history, Five years on from rock bottom, the #93 became the first Ducati rider to win five GPs in a row as Aprilia and KTM celebrated Czech GP podiums. A fantastic weekend of racing, check it out. Report: MotoGP/Ed Stratmann

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

It was Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) who headed into Saturday’s compelling MotoGP action at the Tissot Grand Prix of Czechia at the summit after a very damp Friday afternoon Practice session. The championship leader set a 2:03.935 to lead Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5) by 0.469s, while Fabio Quartararo (#20) stuck his Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP in P3.

The storylines stretched further than the quickest trio, though, as reigning World Champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing #1) made an eye-catching return to finish P5.

Read our previous MotoGP race reports here…

Q1 to pole position equalled a great morning’s work for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) as the double MotoGP World Champion claimed his first pole of 2025. Late drama unfolded for his teammate Marc Marquez, but despite his final lap Turn 13 crash, the championship leader would launch from P2 on the grid as the factory Ducati duo were joined on the front row by Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP).

Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73), the rider second in the standings, was forced to settle for a third-row start in the Tissot Sprint and Grand Prix, which was his worst qualifying of the season.

Moto2

Moto3 may have been dry, but the dark clouds rolled back into Brno, and the rain came in buckets for Moto2. Leading the charge into Saturday and with the top 14 locked in for Q2 following a fast stint when it was dry, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team #16) hit the jackpot at the right time ahead of home hero Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #12), with Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18) pocketing a Friday top three.

Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #7) went from Q1 to pole position at Brno, edging out Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) by 0.020. Just to rub it in, the Belgian also set his lap behind the American. Roberts’ teammate Marcos Ramirez completed the front row, pushing Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) down to P4.

Moto3

Despite completing just four laps in FP1, later in the day Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) came to play in a dry Practice at the Tissot Grand Prix of Czechia, fronting the Moto3 field with a 2:05.840. Teammate and championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) was P2 and Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) completed the top three, as a late lap from Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power #19) pushed title-hunting Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36) into Q1.

Moto3 was frantic as ever during qualifying; Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #94) took pole position to lead the charge into Sunday, ahead of Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in second and David Muñoz (Liqui MolyDynavolt Intact GP) in P3. Muñoz’s back-of-the-grid start meant it was David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22) who returned to the front row on the grid in P3.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

It was the first-ever Tissot Sprint at Brno and a first pole start of 2025 for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).

Snatching the holeshot, Pecco led the way until Turn 3 when teammate Marc Marquez attacked and took over at the front. Elsewhere, a poor start from Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) left him down in 19th on Lap 1, whilst at Turn 3 on Lap 2, Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha Factory Racing Team #7) slid off and collected Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR #30), ending both their Sprints.

Into P3 on the second lap, Acosta got himself ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), whilst the Frenchman was rubbing fairings with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) at Turn 10. Meanwhile, Bez’s returning teammate, World Champion Jorge Martin, was up into P7 in the early stages.

At the end of Lap 4, Bastianini was capitalising on his strong weekend so far and into fourth and ahead of Quartararo, but the drama was further up the road. On the exit of Turn 4, Bagnaia slowed down and was passed by Acosta, Bastianini and Quartararo. A lap later and it could have been a replay – this time for Marc Marquez; the #93 likewise slowing down and letting Acosta through to let the #37 lead in his first outing at Brno.

Both the Ducatis were slowing down but got straight back on the pace after seemingly needing to control tyre pressures, but whatever it was, the last three laps had Acosta, Marc Marquez, Bastianini and Quartararo all in victory contention. Behind, Bezzecchi clambered ahead of Pecco at Turn 11, now into the top five, with Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team #25) next up.

On the penultimate lap, Bezzecchi worked his way into fourth ahead of Quartararo as his trademark late pace came to the fore.

Up at the front and on the direction change from Turn 8 into Turn 9, Marc Marquez pounced in what would prove to be a Sprint-winning pass on ‘El Tiburon’. Another success in the Sprint for the Championship leader, who extended his Championship advantage with a first Sprint podium for Acosta since Aragon 2024. Two KTMs on a Sprint podium underline their previous happy memories at Brno, and it was a first rostrum of the year for Bastianini. There was a small caveat on top of the podium with Marquez’s tyre pressure under investigation, but that was soon over, the win standing for Marc. Bezzecchi claimed P4 with Quartararo behind him.

“It’s true that it was super on the limit. We were riding comfortably, and then I saw that the tyre pressure was not enough. I tried to push some laps on the brakes, but it was too much risk to get that correct pressure, and then I decided to wait and be super close to Acosta to increase the temperature. When I saw the pressure was inside the rules, then I pushed the last two laps,” Marquez explained.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+0.798s)
3. Enea Bastianini Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+1.324s)
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+1.409s)
5. Fabio Quartararo Monster Yamaha (+2.292s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Sometimes, you just have to sit back and admire greatness. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) emerged victorious on Sunday at the Tissot Grand Prix of Czechia to become the first Ducati rider to win five Grands Prix on the spin, but he was made to work for it in the first half of the battle. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) put up a good fight to collect P2, 1.7s away from victory, as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) held off a late charge from Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) to pick up his first Sunday rostrum of the season.

Bagnaia punched off the line well and got the holeshot, but like yesterday, Marc Marquez was through at Turn 3. Not for long, though. On the cutback through Turn 4, Pecco led again, and then Bezzecchi carved his way past the #93 at Turn 5.

That’s how it was over the line, but Pecco was wide at the penultimate corner, costing him time, so that allowed Bezzecchi to make a move at Turn 1 on Lap 2. Marc Marquez, like he did on Lap 1, passed Pecco at Turn 3, and this time there was no way back for Pecco.

Meanwhile, Alex Marquez’s (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) disastrous weekend continued. The rider second in the championship was down at Turn 12 after an audacious move up the inside of Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol #36) didn’t pay off. The luckless Mir was taken out, and the Honda rider, along with Alex Marquez, were out of the Grand Prix from P5 and P6, so that was zero points in Czechia for the #73. A hammer blow for the Gresini star’s title hopes, and he’ll now face a Long Lap penalty in Austria too.

Further up the order, it was Acosta’s turn to pass Pecco at Turn 3 on Lap 3, as Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and then Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) carved their way past Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Next up behind Quartararo was returning reigning Champion Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing).

On Lap 5, Bastianini’s charge continued. The Italian was through on his former teammate Bagnaia, with the ‘Beast’ now 1.4s behind his KTM stablemate Acosta. But then, Bastianini was in the gravel. Turn 3 saw the #23 lose the front end, and it was Grand Prix over; a shame after his best weekend in orange.

Lap 8 saw a change for the lead. Marc Marquez, at Turn 3, pounced on Bezzecchi. And the #93 got his elbows out through Turn 4 to keep Bezzecchi behind him, so what did the championship leader have in his pocket? Acosta was right with the top two now, while Bagnaia sat 1.7s adrift of the podium fight.

A 1:54.184 played a 1:54.40 for Bezzecchi and a 1:54.50 for Acosta, seeing Marquez go 0.5s clear at the front at the start of Lap 10. A lap later, the gap was up to 0.8s, and then with a fastest lap of the Grand Prix, Marquez’s lead grew to 1.2s on Lap 12 of 21.

Bezzecchi was giving it a good go. Bezzecchi dipped into the 1:53s for the first time, a 1:53.999, but on the same lap, Lap 14, Marquez found a 1:53.787. And on the following lap, Marquez went even quicker. A 1:53.691, coupled with a 1:54.085 from Bezzecchi, saw the lead climb to 1.9s.

With Marquez giving no one a chance of fighting for the win, attention turned to the rostrum fight. Pecco was gathering some late race momentum, and from just under two seconds away, with three laps left, the Italian was 0.5s behind Acosta. That was then 0.4s with two laps to go, as Bezzecchi continued on his way to P2, 0.9s ahead.

And on the last lap, Pecco was within attacking distance… just. Marquez was 1.6s clear of Bezzecchi and controlling things at the front, with the latter safe from being pounced on from behind. Could Bagnaia muster something up to grab P3? The answer – fortunately for KTM, unfortunately for Ducati – was no.

The answer was also no to could anyone beat Marquez in Brno? The #93 took the chequered flag 1.7s ahead of Bezzecchi to become the first Ducati rider ever to win five Grands Prix in a row. Simply put: chapeau.

Fair play to Bezzecchi as well, that’s another Sunday podium for the #72, as Acosta held off Pecco to clinch his first Sunday podium of the season. Ducati, Aprilia and KTM on the Brno rostrum.

Pecco’s P4 won’t be enough for the polesitter, but he’ll take the positives following his second half of the race charge. Fifth place went to Fernandez, who enjoyed his best weekend of the season, and that P5 is his equal best in MotoGP.

“It has been a super first part of the season,” Marquez said. “Especially these last races, we made a step from the Aragon test. I feel better and better, and I am riding super good. Now it’s the summer break, but still 10 races to go, time to relax. But in Austria keep the same mentality with the same intensity.”

MotoGP Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+1.753s)
3. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+3.366s)
4. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+3.879s)
5. Raul Fernandez Trackhouse Aprilia (+10.045s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 381
2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 261
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 213
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 156
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team LCR – 142

Moto2

At the venue where he claimed his debut Moto2 podium in 2020, Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) returned to the top step for the first time this season with a phenomenal Czech GP victory. The American fended off the hard challenge of Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) as the Belgian pocketed back-to-back P2s ahead of the summer break, with Manuel Gonzalez’s (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) P3 seeing the Spaniard stretch his title chase lead.

After things got close at lights out between polesitter Baltus and Roberts, it was the American’s teammate Marcos Ramirez who grabbed the holeshot as drama unfolded for Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #44) at Turn 1. The Spaniard was down from the middle of the pack, and that was his hope of points over.

Baltus pinched the lead of the race at the end of Lap 1 with a great move at the final corner, as Ramirez took the first of his two Long Lap penalties on Lap 3. That dropped the #24 to P7 behind home hero Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), and when he took his second, Ramirez was P12.

On Lap 6, both Canet and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) had parked their Triumph-Kalex machines, handing Gonzalez a fantastic chance to stretch his points advantage ahead of the summer break. And it was the Spaniard who was shadowing the P1 battle between Baltus and Roberts, with the Californian making a move stick on Lap 7 to lead in Brno.

By Lap 10, Roberts and Baltus were now pulling clear of Gonzalez, with the #16 setting the fastest lap of the race on that lap – a 1:59.4 played a 1:59.6 for Baltus. With five to go, the gap was still just 0.2s between the American and Belgian, but that rose to just under 0.4s with four laps left.

Gonzalez was 2.6s away from the victory fight, so it was all about Roberts vs Baltus. With two laps to go, Roberts was keeping Baltus at bay by 0.5s, with the latter not able to quite get close enough to attempt a pass. Then it was last lap time. The gap? 0.6s in Roberts’ favour. Baltus wasn’t close enough to engage in battle, and for the first time since the 2024 Italian GP, Roberts gets back on the top step. Baltus clinched his fourth second place of the season to rise to P3 in the overall standings, and Gonzalez collected a very handy 16 points in his quest for the Moto2 title.

Rookie Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team #27) earned an impressive P4 ahead of Celestino Vietti (Sync SpeedRS Team #13), with Izan Guevara (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #28) a solid P6 in Brno.

Moto2 Race Results

1. Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team
2. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+1.079s)
3. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+3.625s)
4. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (+7.365s)
5. Celestino Vietti Sync SpeedRS (+7.494s)

Moto2 Championship Points

1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 188
2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 163
3. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 134
4. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 128
5. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 119

Moto3

A record gap between P1 and P2 in the standings after 12 rounds is just what Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) ordered ahead of the summer break, and it’s what he came away with from his first visit to Brno. Behind, a battle between Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and teammate Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #71) lit up the group battle, with Quiles ultimately securing second ahead of David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP), who came from last on the grid to third for a third straight rostrum finish.

Storming into Turn 1 and grabbing the advantage, Championship leader Rueda edged out polesitter Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) and fellow front-row starter David Almansa (Leopard Racing). Quiles was soon up into P2 halfway through the first lap, while further behind, Muñoz had made a lightning getaway from the back of the grid and was already into the points. By the start of Lap 3, the Aragon and German GP winner was already inside the top ten, whilst 2020 Czech GP winner Foggia had clambered his way into the top three.

At the halfway stage, Rueda had begun to get the hammer down whilst Quiles and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) battled for podium honours. Foggia was up to second, but the fight had left a second gap between the #99 out front and the chasing pack. By the end of Lap 9, Quiles was back into P2, but back-to-back fastest laps by Rueda meant the pressure was on for the #28.

The scrapping continued, and with five to go and a two-second gap to Rueda, it was very much a battle to decide the final two spots on the podium. Behind the duelling CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar machines came Piqueras, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Muñoz and Almansa. Into the last lap, and Quiles led the way with Piqueras, Muñoz and Foggia nipping at his heels. At Turn 6, the #64 muscled his way into P3 and then P2 by Turn 10.

It was all coming down to Turn 13, but fantastic defensive work from Muñoz made it hard for Quiles. As Rueda took a seventh win of the season, Quiles managed to slipstream his way into second, while Muñoz’s last-to-third ride kept up his run of top five finishes and made it a fourth podium in five GPs. Piqueras’ wait for a rostrum return continued as he took P4, ahead of Foggia and Fernandez, the latter notably taking his first points since Le Mans.

Moto3 Race Results

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo
2. Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team (+3.471s)
3. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+3.495s)
4. Angel Piqueras FRINSA -MT Helmets – MSI (+3.559s)
5. Dennis Foggia CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (+3.689s)

Moto3 Championship Points

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 228
2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 143
3. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 132
4. Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 126
5. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 123

How Did the Aussies Do?

Jack Miller (#43), starting 10th despite a late qualifying crash, had his Sprint compromised from the start. Stuck behind a struggling Alex Márquez off the line, he had to ease off the throttle, thus dropping him to 14th. He recovered to 12th by lap six of the 10-lap race.

Then, for the race, the Australian star admirably surged to eighth on lap one, holding steady behind Jorge Martin. But a late engine brake issue scuppered things for him, and he was passed by Binder, Aldeguer and Espargaro to ultimately claim 10th.

Having qualified sixth to earn his spot on the second row, Senna Agius (#81) frustratingly slipped back to 12th and continued to struggle for pace throughout the race. Despite putting up a valiant fight, 15th was the best he could muster to earn a point.

The 20-year-old now heads into the summer break seventh in the standings and ready to come out swinging when the season resumes.

The MotoGP round in the Czech Republic was one to forget for Aussie Moto3 ace Joel Kelso (#66), as a huge crash in qualifying, which resulted in a fractured right foot, forced him to sit out.

The upcoming three-week summer break does, however, give Kelso some crucial time to recover in his quest to be fit for the next round.

It was a tough Saturday for Jacob Roulstone (#12) in Brno. An engine issue in FP2 limited his track time, and his fastest lap in Q2 was cancelled due to a questionable yellow flag. A few laps late in the session left him starting from P15.

Despite a strong launch, the Red Bull KTM Tech3 talent’s struggles carried into the main dance, with persistent front-end issues preventing him from matching the pace with the frontrunners. Eventually crossing the line in 14th, Roulstone will now look to make gains at the upcoming test.