MotoGP Round 16 2025 Report | Marc Marquez holds off Bezzecchi at Misano

MotoGP Round 16 2025 Report | Marc Marquez holds off Bezzecchi at MisanoMarc Marquez (#93) reigned supreme over Marco Bezzecchi (#72) on the way to Championship point in Motegi as the duo traded fastest laps to the flag. Report: Ed Stratmann/MotoGP Press

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying

MotoGP

A 1:30.480 saw Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) pocket Day 1 honours at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera in a tightly contested afternoon in the weekly MotoGP chase for the top 10 on a Friday. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) was second fastest on home turf for him and the Noale factory, 0.147s the gap, as Franco Morbidelli (#21) handed Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team a top three heading into Saturday’s action at Misano.

Read our previous MotoGP reports here…

Misano had a home hero on pole thanks to Marco Bezzecchi’s (Aprilia Racing) late run in a fascinating MotoGP Q2. The Italian landed a 1:30.134 on his penultimate flying lap to beat Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #72) by just 0.088s, while Q1 graduate Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #20) also got within a tenth of a Saturday morning P1. Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) launched from P4 ahead of a quartet of hungry Italians.

Moto2

It was a perfect start to his second home round of the year for Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team #13) as the Italian clinched P1 on Friday at Misano. Going into Saturday as the rider to beat, it was a solid start for Vietti, who continued to chase his first win of the year, and where better to get it than at Misano? Elsewhere, title race leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #18) earned a Friday P2 ahead of Catalan GP winner Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team #27) in third.

Fresh from his first Moto2 win from his first pole in the class, Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Aspar Team) remained the class of the field post-qualifying in Misano. A new record 1:34.216 put the Spanish rookie ahead of home hero Celestino Vietti (SUP Racing) by just 0.040s, with points leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) in third.

Moto3

That’s what a great afternoon at the office looks like for Leopard Racing as David Almansa (#22) and Adrian Fernandez (#31) handed the Honda outfit a 1-2 Friday finish at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, with the session leader 0.498s clear of the field. Almansa’s 1:40.596 was the only time below the 1:41 mark, as Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA #66) completed the top three.

Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73) took another pole position, the second of his impressive rookie season after the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Still, the Argentinean left it late to fly up the order to head a KTM front row lockout ahead of Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) and Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3 #12), the latter of whom made a first appearance on the front row.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Simply the Bez. Saturday at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera belonged to Marco Bezzecchi and Aprilia Racing, as the Italian stormed to his first gold medal in two years with a flawless home performance.

Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) battled early in the Tissot Sprint, but a rare error from the title leader saw him crash out at Turn 15. That opened the door for Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) to secure the remaining podium places.

Bezzecchi grabbed the holeshot with a bold move around the outside at Turn 1, while Marc Marquez muscled into P2 past his brother. By Lap 3, Bezzecchi began edging clear, clocking a 1:30.970 to build a 0.4s lead.

Drama struck on Lap 5 as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) crashed out of P4, promoting Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46) up the order.

Marc Marquez briefly hit the front on Lap 6 after a Bezzecchi mistake but crashed moments later, handing the lead back. From there, Bezzecchi fended off pressure from Alex Marquez, stretching his advantage to nearly a second by Lap 11.

On the final lap, Bezzecchi held firm, converting pole position into a Sprint win. Alex Marquez settled for second, with Di Giannantonio completing the podium. Morbidelli crossed the line in P4, narrowly behind his teammate. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) claimed P5 ahead of rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54).

“It was a fantastic Saturday,” Bezzecchi explained. “I’m very happy to grab the Sprint win, I don’t even remember when my last one was. The race was not perfect because we had some issues during the race, but even having these problems, I was able to have a good pace. I knew that Marc was on the limit.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

1. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing
2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.000s)
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+2.551s)
4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+3.526s)
5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+6.834s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) edged closer to the MotoGP World Championship with a hard-fought victory at the Red Bull Grand Prix of San Marino. After fending off relentless pressure from Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), the #93 took top honours on Sunday, putting his Saturday crash behind him in style. Only Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who finished third, can now mathematically deny him the title heading into Japan.

Drama unfolded before the start when Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing #1) suffered a sighting lap issue, forcing him to start the warm-up from pit lane. Though he reclaimed his grid spot, he was later handed two Long Lap penalties.

Once racing began, Bezzecchi held P1, but Marc Marquez was quickly on the attack. Alex Marquez slotted into third, with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) P4. Early crashes from Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5), Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol #36) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team #79) thinned the field, and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #12) retired on Lap 5.

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) looked strong in P5 but was forced to retire when his chain came off – mirroring a Friday issue suffered by Brad Binder (#33). On Lap 10, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) crashed out from P7.

Up front, Bezzecchi led until a Lap 12 mistake at Turn 8 allowed Marc Marquez to take control. Bezzecchi stuck close, the pair trading fastest laps as the battle intensified. Though the gap hovered between 0.3s and 0.6s, Bezzecchi couldn’t find a way through. Marc Marquez held strong to win by 0.415s. Bezzecchi settled for P2 after a valiant effort, with Alex Marquez 7.7s back in P3 to give Gresini a home podium.

Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completed the top five, with Morbidelli narrowly ahead of his teammate.

“Today I gave everything I had. It’s true that the mistake from yesterday gave me extra concentration, power and energy. It’s super-important for Ducati, I felt the pressure this weekend to win the Italian GPs in Mugello and here, so I’m happy for it,” Marquez said.

MotoGP Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+0.568s)
3. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+7.734s)
4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+10.379s)
5. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+11.330s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 512
2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 330
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 237
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 229
5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM – 188

Moto2

Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedUp Team) claimed his first win of the 2025 season in dominant fashion at the San Marino GP, leading from Turn 1 and never looking back in front of an adoring home crowd. The Italian became the 10th different winner of the year in what’s now a record-breaking Moto2 season. Launching from P2, Vietti grabbed the holeshot ahead of Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team), Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) and Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP). An early incident saw Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) pushed wide at Turn 6, dropping him outside the top 10.

By Lap 7, a small gap had opened between second-placed Holgado and Moreira in third. On Lap 9, Gonzalez attempted a pass on Moreira at Turn 14 but ran wide. Their battle continued through Laps 11 and 13, with Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #7) and Senna Agius (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #81) closing in.

Gonzalez finally made a move stick at Turn 11, but Baltus was soon on the scene, snatching P3 from Gonzalez on Lap 13. Moreira then began slipping back, losing out to Agius in the top-five battle on Lap 15. Out front, Vietti steadily built his lead to over a second. Holgado, meanwhile, was under pressure from a charging Baltus, who claimed P2 with four laps remaining. Behind them, Agius passed Gonzalez after a Turn 1 mistake, though the Australian ran wide later, allowing Gonzalez and Moreira back through. In the final laps, Vietti stayed composed to resist any late pressure from Baltus and sealed back-to-back wins at Misano. Baltus finished a strong second – his fifth runner-up result of the year – while Holgado secured another podium in P3. Moreira crossed the line fourth, Agius took fifth and Gonzalez ended up sixth, losing more ground in the title fight.

Moto2 Race Results

1. Celestino Vietti Beta Tools SpeedRS
2. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+0.747s)
3. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team (+3.911s)
4. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+4.246s)
5. Senna Agius Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP (K+7.973s)

Moto2 Championship Points

1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 227
2. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 188
3. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 188
4. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 173
5. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 152

Moto3

Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) pulled off a dramatic last-corner overtake to win the Moto3 race at Misano, strengthening his grip on the championship heading into the flyaway rounds. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) was denied victory in the final moments but returned to the podium, while Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) banked his first top-three finish since Argentina with a late charge to P3.

The race exploded into action as Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) traded places multiple times in the first few corners, with Kelso emerging in front. David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #64) was strong early, moving into P2 before passing Perrone at Turn 12. By Lap 5, a front group of eight formed, including Rueda, Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Fernandez, Quiles and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36). Then, on Lap 6, Muñoz misjudged a move on Perrone at Turn 4, resulting in contact that sent him into the gravel and down to P19. Perrone dropped to P6, while the lead fight intensified.

Rueda took the lead for the first time on Lap 7 after passing Kelso at Turn 8. Quiles, showing his aggression, overtook Kelso on Lap 10, though the Aussie struck back a lap later. The top six remained tightly packed as Roulstone lost ground. With five laps to go, Rueda, Perrone, Kelso and Quiles led the charge, just ahead of Fernandez and Piqueras. The battle peaked with two laps to go, as Quiles snatched the lead through Turn 13, dropping Perrone from P1 to P4 in seconds. On the final lap, Quiles held firm through Turn 14, but Rueda launched a stunning move at the final corner to steal the win by inches. Fernandez capitalised on a mistake from Perrone to secure P3, ahead of Kelso and Piqueras, with Perrone finishing sixth, just 0.9s off victory.

Moto3 Race Results

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo
2. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (+0.113s)
3. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing (+0.117s)
4. Joel Kelso LEVELUP – MTA (+0.164s)
5. Angel Piqueras FRINSA -MT Helmets – MSI (+0.456s)

Moto3 Championship Points

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 295
2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 217
3. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 188
4. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 172
5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 155

MotoE

The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli delivered the goods again for MotoE™ qualifying. After his pole in Barcelona, Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) bagged another P1 in qualifying ahead of Alessandro Zaccone (Aruba Cloud MotoE Team) and Andrea Mantovani (KLINT Forward Factory Team). Both returned to a front row that’s covered by less than a tenth of a second.

Alessandro Zaccone and Matteo Ferrari then won a race apiece, as the championship fight heads into the final round on a knife edge.

MotoE Race 1 Results

1. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team
2. Nicholas Spinelli Rivacold Snipers Team MotoE (+0.170s)
3. Andrea Mantovani KLINT Forward Factory Team (+0.882s)
4. Eric Granado LCR E-Team (+1.162s)
5. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE (+1.832s)

MotoE Race 2 Results

1. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE
2. Eric Granado LCR E-Team (+0.082s)
3. Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team (+0.173s)
4. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team (+0.420s)
5. Kevin Zannoni – Power Electronics Aspar Team (+0.732s)

MotoE Championship Points

1. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team – 160
2. Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team – 155
3. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE – 148
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri Dynavolt Intact GP – 148
5. Eric Granado LCR E-Team – 142

How Did the Aussies Do?

Jack Miller (#43) began his weekend in Misano with a respectable 14th in the Sprint after a stirring comeback from 20th on the grid. He then rounded out a solid weekend with a hard-earned 12th in the main race, charging through the field once again from 21st to the chequered flag. Banking P7 in qualifying, Senna Agius crucially transferred his speed into the race, where he produced a superb effort to claim P5.

Not bad at all, given he was recently sidelined with a nasty injury. Beginning his weekend with an excellent P3 on Friday, this served as the catalyst for a quality weekend at the office for Joel Kelso, as he went on to qualify second before clinching fourth in the race to cap off a fine Misano. Jacob Roulstone mixed the highs with the lows in San Marino, as he secured the first front row of his GP career by qualifying P3. Disappointingly, tyre issues meant P11 was the best he could muster in the race.