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MotoGP 2025 Round 12 Report | Marc Marquez makes Ducati history

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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.

MotoGP Round 11 2025 Report | Magnificent Marquez reigns supreme in Germany

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MotoGP Round 11 | Magnificent Marquez reigns supreme in Germany | The #93’s Marc Marquez’s amazing 2025 MotoGP charge rolled on with a ninth Sachsenring MotoGP win as Alex Marquez and Bagnaia pocketed podiums. Report: MotoGP/Ed Stratmann

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Would Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) be fastest at the Sachsenring on Friday? The answer was no. That accolade went the way of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) after the Italian clocked an outstanding new all-time lap record to lead the MotoGP field by a whopping three tenths. That 1:19.071 was a belter, and the closest challenger to it was Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73), despite the #73 nursing a left-hand fracture – a phenomenal effort from the Spaniard, as Marc Marquez was forced to settle for P3 in Practice.

The wet weather had come to play on Saturday at the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany, but that didn’t stop Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) from clinching pole position. It was a tight affair, though, as Q1 graduate Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5) pushed the #93 to the wire in a Saturday morning scrap that saw Marquez win by just 0.151s. That meant it was Ducati leading Honda on the front row at the Sachsenring, with Aprilia Racing also there after Marco Bezzecchi’s (Aprilia Racing #72) fine rain dance in Q2.

Moto2

The sun continued to beat down for Moto2 at the Sachsenring, and leaving it late, Celestino Vietti (Folladore SpeedRS Team #13) put Boscoscuro on top on Friday in Germany. The Italian set the lap time in the closing minutes, rocketing up the order and disrupting the Kalex party at the front. Elsewhere, there were headlining names who found themselves mired down the field and will have the added pressure of graduating from Q1 on Saturday.

Vietti’s 1’22.329 was enough to beat Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #81) by 0.130s; improving in the final seven minutes and with a new contract in his back pocket for 2026, Agius was in good form and went top provisionally, in the end finishing in P2 ahead of his Championship-leading teammate Manuel Gonzalez, who was 0.147s further adrift and not fully at one with his Kalex.

Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) was back on top in Moto2™ as the Brit took a stunning wet weather pole position at the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany. He denied fellow Q1 graduate Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #7), with Tony Arbolino (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #14) completing the front row as all three took the fight to the wire. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18) had a tougher time of it and would start down in P16.

Moto3

A 1:24.767, a new Moto3 lap record around the Sachsenring, gave David Muñoz (#64) top spot as the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team enjoyed a great start to their home Grand Prix in Germany. David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22) headed into Saturday in P2, 0.360s away from Muñoz’s blistering time, as FP1 table topper Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power #19) sailed into qualifying day as the third fastest rider.

Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) pipped David Almansa (Leopard Racing) and Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #94) to a very wet pole position at the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany, with the Brit shining in the rain to secure that impressive career-first pole. Down in P12, Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) found the wet weather tricky on Saturday.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Was it ever in doubt? Well, for 14 and a half of the 15 laps, it absolutely was. However, in the end, Marc Marquez’s (Ducati Lenovo Team) final lap pass on Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) saw the championship leader pocket another gold medal in a blistering wet weather Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany Tissot Sprint. And joining the Ducati and Aprilia stars on the podium was Fabio Quartararo (#20) as Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s lead rider claimed a Sprint rostrum for the first time since 2023.

Marc Marquez got a phenomenal launch from pole, but he was wide at Turn 1. That cost the polesitter a handful of positions as he dropped to P5 initially, before that was then P6 as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) carved his way through at Turn 8.

Meanwhile, your Sprint leader was Bezzecchi, but the Italian had compatriot Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina VR46 Ducati #21) 0.6s behind him, as Quartararo enjoyed his opening two laps – the Frenchman was up to P3 from seventh on the grid. However, his countryman was going the opposite way. Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) dropped to P10; was the medium rear wet Michelin tyre choice a factor? Zarco was an outlier in selecting.

Morbidelli was then down at Turn 8 on Lap 3, and it was a fast one. That promoted Quartararo to P2, and on the next two laps, El Diablo was the quickest rider on track. The gap between Bezzecchi and Quartararo was 1.5s on Lap 5 of 15, as Marc Marquez made a move on Di Giannantonio stick – and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) followed the #93 through soon after as the Spaniards now sat P3 and P4.

Once he got through on Di Giannantonio, Marc Marquez was now the quickest rider on track. The gap to Bezzecchi was 2.4s, and the gap to Quartararo was 1.2s at the start of Lap 7.

Acosta’s podium hopes ended on Lap 8 after he ran into the gravel at Turn 8, as Marquez passed Quartararo for P2 at Turn 1 at the beginning of Lap 9. At this stage, Bezzecchi had 1.6s in hand. That dropped to 1.3s at the start of Lap 10, but Bezzecchi was responding well to the championship leader’s charge.

0.5s was shaved off Bezzecchi’s lead by Marquez, though, as they entered the final four laps, and the gap was now down to under a second. Big pressure was building on the shoulders of Bezzecchi, and with three to go, there was only 0.5s between the top two.

Two to go. Now, there was nothing in it. Marquez was right on the tailpipes of the Aprilia star, as the fans were strapped in for a gold medal battle to the chequered flag.

Last lap time. Marquez made a move at Turn 1 that looked like it wouldn’t stick, but he hung it around the outside and earned the inside line for Turn 2 to pinch P1 from Bezzecchi. Could the latter respond? For the battle, Bezzecchi and Aprilia, unfortunately not.

Marquez was too strong through the left-handers, and it was the #93 who clinched victory ahead of the impressive Bezzecchi and Quartararo, who did enough to narrowly hold off Di Giannantonio in the latter stages to pick up his first Sprint podium since the 2023 Dutch GP. The #93 now has the most Sprint wins taken in a season, outdoing Jorge Martin’s 2023 total of nine.

The aforementioned Di Giannantonio was P4, 0.3s away from the bronze medal position, as Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP #43) rounded out the top five on a positive afternoon for Yamaha.

“Just at the beginning of the race I was struggling; I made a mistake on turn one at the start, and I lost some positions. But then, step by step, I got the rhythm like in the practice sessions. I’m happy, because again we take the 12 points from the sprint.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+0.938s)
  3. Fabio Quartararo Monster Yamaha (+4.361s)
  4. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+4.683s)
  5. Jack Miller Pramac Yamaha (+9.405s)

Sunday
MotoGP

On his 200th start, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) moved into second place on the MotoGP victory tally charts – surpassing legend Giacomo Agostini – in a display of perfection at the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany. It’s 69 wins now for the King of the Sachsenring, as Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), on his 100th start, strung together an impressive ride to finish P2 while injured. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) bounced back with a podium finish in P3 in a battle that saw rostrum contenders crash out at the Sachsenring.

While the threat of wet weather was there, the riders and fans ultimately strapped themselves in for a dry German GP. And as the lights went out, it was Marc Marquez who collected the holeshot, as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) made a blinder from P6 to grab an early P3. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) slotted into P2, as Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) slipped to P5 on the opening lap from the middle of the front row.

Di Giannantonio and Bezzecchi exchanged P2 on the opening lap before the former made a move stick at Turn 12, as Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) engaged battle mode too. Marc Marquez, meanwhile, was blissfully unaware of the fight unfolding behind him as he stretched his advantage to 0.7s at the end of Lap 3.

Acosta’s Grand Prix then ended with a crash at Turn 2 from P5, so that was KTM’s main hope of the Sachsenring podium gone. That promoted Bagnaia to P5, with Alex Marquez swarming all over the tailpipes of Bezzecchi for P3. 0.6s up the road in P2, Di Giannantonio was losing around a tenth a lap to Marc Marquez at this stage of the Grand Prix.

It was more than that for the next few laps, though. The #93 was the only rider capable of lapping in the 1:20s on a consistent basis; he hadn’t dropped into the 1:21 bracket, and the gap on Lap 8 of 30 was up to 1.7s. And by Lap 16, just over half race distance, Marc Marquez’s lead was north of three seconds.

Di Giannantonio was under a second ahead of Bezzecchi, with Alex Marquez and then Bagnaia all operating at equal distance behind each other. But then, we lost our second-place rider from the Grand Prix. Di Giannantonio tucked the front at Turn 1 on Lap 18, and Zarco was out of the race at the same corner – albeit a little further around – as two of the top six had premature ends to their German GPs.

That meant Alex Marquez was lifted to a podium position in P3, and the rider second in the championship chase had 1.2s to play with to Pecco in P4. But then, Turn 1 caught out our P2 rider again. Bezzecchi’s impressive race was over in a similar fashion to Di Giannantonio, so that meant it was Marc Marquez leading Alex Marquez by 5.9s, with Bagnaia now P3.

Turn 1 was really proving tricky. In the fight for the top 10, Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team #79) took out the luckless Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol #36), and while the yellow flags were waving, Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing #32) chucked it down the road at Turn 1 too.

In terms of the victory and podium fight, there was nothing much to report. Marc Marquez cruised to a ninth MotoGP victory at the Sachsenring, with Alex Marquez limiting the points damage with a brilliant ride to P2 while nursing his fractured left hand, as Pecco salvaged a solid P3 after a Saturday to forget.

In the fight for P4, Quartararo fended off Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54) as the Frenchman and Spaniard claimed P4 and P5 in Germany. The returning Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol #10) earned his best HRC result in P6 in what was a fantastic fight between the Italian, seventh place Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #33) and eighth place Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP).

“One more [win at the Sachsenring] was super special. From the beginning, I felt good; the confidence when I started the weekend was super high because we were coming from three victories in a row,” Marquez said. “We are in an incredible moment. Now we can say that half the season is done, [but] we still need to be super concentrated.”

MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+6.380s)
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+7.080s)
  4. Fabio Quartararo Monster Yamaha (+18.738s)
  5. Fermin Aldeguer BK8 Gresini Ducati (+18.916s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 344
  2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 261
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 197
  4. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team LCR – 142
  5. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 139

Moto2

Talking points aplenty surfaced from a dramatic Moto2 Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany, and one of them was Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo #53) becoming a winner for the second time in 2025 after the Turkish star fended off Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) before the red flags brought a premature end to the race. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) crossed the line in P3 to bag his 19th podium, with the British rider involved in a couple of talking points through no fault of his own.

As dark clouds loomed, the Moto2 Grand Prix fired off in dramatic fashion as fourth on the grid Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) jumped the start, and then there was contact between the Australian and polesitter Dixon, which cost the Brit plenty of places. Dixon was down to P6 on the opening lap, with Tony Arbolino (BLUCRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) leading the way from Öncü and Baltus.

Further back, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) was enjoying a storming start. The Brazilian was up to P10 on Lap 4 from P25 on the grid, with Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #44) P9 and title chase leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) P13.

That was soon P8 as Moreira continued to carve his way through the pack like a hot knife through butter. At the end of Lap 6, the #10 was P7. That became P6 on the next lap, but that was because Arbolino crashed from P2 down at T12, which meant Dixon was promoted to P3.

On Lap 12 of 25, Moreira passed Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2 #75) to climb into P4, and he now had Dixon 0.7s ahead – in other words, a podium position. And that podium fight was beginning to bunch up before drama unfolded.

Moreira was trying to overtake Dixon at Turn 3 on Lap 16, but he was too impatient. There wasn’t really much of a gap there, and having made contact with the rear wheel of Dixon, Moreira was off track. Then, coming back onto the circuit, Moriera was on the racing line, and it left the helpless David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team #80) with nowhere to go. The Colombian collided with the Brazilian as both riders crashed out at Turn 4, but thankfully both were at least back up on their feet and able to walk away from the crash. A fantastic comeback ride from Moriera ended in controversy.

That left Öncü and Baltus as the duo fighting for the victory, 1.1s up the road from Arenas, Dixon and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing Team #24). And in that battle, more drama. Ramirez, out of control into Turn 1 at the start of Lap 21, slammed into Arenas. The two Spaniards were out of the Grand Prix, and because of that incident, the red flags were shown because of the Turn 1 air fence needing to be redeployed.

And that meant Öncü, who led over the line on the previous full lap ahead of Baltus, clinched his second Moto2 win, with Dixon passing Arenas a lap earlier to return to the podium.

Gonzalez salvaged a very important P4 to extend his championship lead, with Celestino Vietti (Folladore SpeedRS Team) rounding out the top five.

Moto2 Race Results

  1. Deniz Oncu Red Bull KTM Ajo
  2. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+0.129s)
  3. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing (+1.131s)
  4. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+2.916s)
  5. Celestino Vietti Folladore SpeedRS (+3.067s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 172
  2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 163
  3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 128
  4. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 114
  5. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 114

Moto3

David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was the one who came out on top to deliver his team a home win at the Sachsenring, beating Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) at the last corner, whilst Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) also got ahead of the #99 in a last corner shootout to remember.

Grabbing the holeshot from pole, polesitter Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) avoided drama behind him, as Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) pushed and shoved his way through into P3, slotting in behind a fast-starting Muñoz. Carpe’s ambitious opening corner pushed David Almansa (Leopard Racing) out wide – Carpe getting a Long Lap Penalty. At the front at Turn 12, Muñoz led. With the Grand Prix settling down, Maximo Quiles moved into P3, whilst Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36), Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE #14) and Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) all joined the huge fight at the front.

On Lap 4, the race came to an end for Eddie O’Shea (GRYD MLav Racing #8) and Leonardo Abruzzo (DENSSI Racing – BOE #25) in separate incidents on Lap 6. Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team #10) also fell and rejoined at Turn 1. A lead group of 15 riders chopped and changed, and one of the highlights was Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72), donning his Sunday best and coming into the podium places from 17th on Lap 8. On Lap 9, contact at Turn 2 between Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) and Rueda took off Fernandez’s mudguard. Then, at Turn 3, the #31 crashed out. Teammate Almansa fell on Lap 16 at Turn 13 as Rueda led the way.

As the final third of the race kicked off, it was without Almansa, who fell at Turn 13 trying to fight his way back into contention. At the start of Lap 20, Turn 1 caught out more riders – Yamanaka went into the gravel, and behind, Ogden fell out of contention. Rueda led into the last two laps, but with Muñoz and Quiles behind, attacks were imminent. Muñoz got his elbows out on the #99 and led at Turn 1, and with a gap behind, it was all about the top two. Rueda hit the front again at Turn 8, but it wasn’t done.

Furusato was back in the mix until he crashed with two corners to go. But at the front, Muñoz lunged up the inside in a final corner shootout. He managed to get the job done over Rueda, who was pushed wide, bringing Quiles into P2. Muñoz took a second career victory to deliver the goods for the home team with Quiles behind, as Championship leader Rueda extended his advantage in P3 to 73. Piqueras came back through to P4 to retake second in the standings ahead of Carpe, who recovered to fifth.

Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA #66) ghosted his way into the top six ahead of Pini, who equalled his best-ever result. Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3 #12) and Buchanan took eighth and ninth, highlighting a strong day for riders from Oceania – Australia in P6 and P8 and New Zealand in P9.

Moto3 Race Results

  1. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
  2. Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team (+0.241s)
  3. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.250s)
  4. Angel Piqueras FRINSA -MT Helmets – MSI (+0.298s)
  5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.335s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 203
  2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 130
  3. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 129
  4. Joel Kelso LEVELUP – MTA – 110
  5. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 107

How Did the Aussies Do?

Jack Miller delivered his strongest Sprint Race of the season by finishing fifth after an impressive recovery. He launched well off the line but hit a tear-off while shifting into second gear, thus causing the rear tyre to slip, which subsequently dropped him to 11th in the opening corners. Undeterred, Miller fought back, carving through the field to secure a solid top-five placing.

In Sunday’s main race, despite battling tyre issues over the final eight laps, Miller put in a determined ride to bank eighth to secure points in both races.

Starting the weekend with tremendous pace, Senna Agius posted a 1’33.588 to briefly hold provisional pole. However, a dramatic late-session crash — thankfully without injury — saw him slip off the front row to ultimately qualify fourth.

After serving two long-lap penalties, the Aussie flyer produced a remarkable comeback from 23rd on the grid. By the time the race was red-flagged on lap 20, he had climbed to 11th, which served as a testament to his mental strength, racecraft and determination.

Joel Kelso showed great fighting spirit in the Moto3 race in Germany, gritting his teeth through pain following a massive crash on Saturday that left him in need of thorough medical attention. Although the pain was manageable early on, it definitely made itself felt in the latter stages of the race, thus meaning the best he could manage was a valiant sixth, which was extremely impressive under the circumstances.

Despite qualifying 19th, Sunday was a much better day for Jacob Rouslstone, who finished P8 — just 0.8 seconds off the win — to mark his best result of the season so far. Although he faced rear tyre difficulties in the closing stages, he managed the issue effectively, drawing on his flat track experience. Gaining a massive confidence boost from this result, expect him to keep making strides as the season heads to Brno.

WorldSBK Round 7 2025 Report | Toprak’s Donington Park triple

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More than 52,000 fans attended Donington Park as the UK Round came to a close, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team #1) completing a hat-trick and seizing the WorldSBK championship lead for the first time in the 2025 season. Report: WorldSBK/Ed Stratmann

Friday practice
WorldSBK

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #11) topped the timesheets on Friday in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship despite a crash in the afternoon session at the Foggy Esses. The Championship leader set a 1’26.342s to claim P1 ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team #9) as the opening day of the Prosecco DOC UK Round concluded with a dramatic Free Practice 2 session at Donington Park.

Read our WorldSBK Round Six report here…

WorldSSP

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing #62) was fastest on the timesheets in the opening FIM Supersport World Championship Tissot Superpole session of the Prosecco DOC UK Round. Despite leading much of the session, Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team #61) was shuffled to second place, ahead of Spanish rookie Jaume Masia in P3 (Orelac Racing VerdNatura #51), who continued to impress.

Saturday
WorldSBK

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) fended off Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to claim pole position at Donington Park in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as ‘El Turco’ matched Carl Fogarty’s tally of poles. Just over a tenth separated the two title contenders as they prepared for their Donington battle, while Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team #22) claimed third in the Tissot Superpole session for the Prosecco DOC UK Round.

WorldSBK Race 1

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid kicked off their Prosecco DOC UK Round in style as Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) cruised to a race win after Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) crashed out from P1 early on.

Moments after lights out on Lap 1, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team #5) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19) got tangled up and were sent sprawling into the gravel. Nicolo Bulega and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed the two remaining podium positions, riding largely uncontested ahead of the rest of the grid. Behind them, however, a four-way battle for P5 raged as riders sought every point they could manage.

P1 fell into Razgatlioglu’s lap early on after home hero Alex Lowes took a turn three tumble, ending his race from P1. The defending Champion seized the opportunity, putting the hammer down and carving out a margin of more than five seconds by the race’s halfway point.

His win puts his name once more into the WorldSBK history books as he became the second-ever rider with 10 wins at two different tracks. Nicolo Bulega didn’t get an ideal jump off the line yet did enough to clear himself from the three-rider crash behind him. He wasn’t close enough to give Lowes, or later, Razgatlioglu, a run for their money, and his P2 finish, ‘Buelgas’ sees his Riders’ Championship lead fall to just four points.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha #55) came out on top of a four-way battle for P4 with teammate Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha #65), Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing #45) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team #77). Rea looked the most competitive he has looked all season so far, climbing to P2 on the jump off the line before settling for P5 for his strongest result in 2025.

“It was a really good start to this weekend, we are improving the bike with every session. The bike still doesn’t feel like last year, but we are still trying our best, always,” Razgatlioglu insisted.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +6.535
  3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +11.775s
  4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +14.446s
  5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +16.160s

WorldSSP Race 1

Supersport World Championship racing action took to the track Saturday afternoon, and Manzi put on a tyre management masterclass to land his fifth win of this season. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing #69) led much of the second half of the race. Still, Stefano Manzi’s (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) veteran experience saw him rope the Englishman back in, claiming Triumph’s 20th podium. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA #94) crossed swords with Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) for P3 for much of the race, and the #94 was the benefactor of a late mistake to spell the Frenchman’s 33rd career podium.

Starting back on P7, Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) flexed his familiarity with the British track as he methodically climbed up the grid, grasping P1 for much of the second half of the race.

With five laps remaining, Manzi began to reel the British rider in. The final three laps featured the home hero and the Championship leader trading overtakes in a thrilling battle to top the podium. Manzi came out on top after Booth-Amos ran wide, giving enough of a margin for the #62 to hold on for the win. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) showed grit as he started from P5, working his way forward and coming out on top in his duel with Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) after the young Turk ran wide late in the race.

Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was fighting for the podium spots, however, he lacked the pace to keep up with the riders in front of him. He lucked into P4 after Oncu ran wide, picking up another couple of points. Oncu once again leapt off the line from P2 to take the holeshot from Manzi. However, he fell out of the battle for the race win. Later, after running wide onto the grass, he lost his late engagement with Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) and fell to P5.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

  1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)
  2. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +4.261s
  3. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) +5.784
  4. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +6.498s
  5. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) +8.176s

Sunday
Superpole Race

The Prosecco DOC UK Round’s final day kicked off the day’s first race with the Tissot Superpole Race. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) landed his second win of the round and his fifth win in a row. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) finished in second place for his 41st podium. However, the Italians’ Championship lead has now been cut to a single point. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) took home his second career WorldSBK podium, earning Great Britain’s 890th podium royally as he claimed it at his home round.

Toprak Razgatlioglu started the race from pole position. After a big jump off the line, he put the hammer down and quickly established a lead, which he would not go on to relinquish, claiming his second win at Donington in 2025, his 11th career win at the venue.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a slower jump than usual at lights out, however, he made up positions passing Rea to claim P2. He did well to limit the points damage in the Championship picture, but with Razgatlioglu’s P1, Bulega saw his Championship lead cut down to a single point. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) claimed a home podium to the elation of home fans, a welcome sight for a bruised up #14, who saw his Race 1 end very early on Saturday.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finished top Yamaha after a late duel with his teammate Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) to finish P5.

Superpole Race Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’25.666s
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2,804s
  3. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +3.874s
  4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +4.420s
  5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +6.943s

WorldSBK Race 2

The final MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race of the Prosecco DOC UK Round sent Donington out with a bang as Toprak topped the podium for his 69th win, ahead of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in P2 and teammate Alvaro Bautista, (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who earned his 188th career WorldSBK podium. The #1 now leads the Riders’ Championship by four points ahead of Bulega.

Razgatlioglu claimed his third holeshot of the weekend, followed by Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Bautista, who gained positions as Bulega fell to fifth place by the end of the first lap after another poor jump. ‘El Turco’ steamed ahead at the front to claim his Donington hat-trick and make it 12 career wins at the British venue. With his victory, he claims the Riders’ Championship lead away from Nicolo Bulega for the first time this season, carving out a foothold in P1 of four points. Bulega’s P2 marks the 22nd time he has finished P2 behind ‘El Turco’. Bautista took home P3 for his 11th podium of the season.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) fought with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the early stages of the race, the #55 lacking the pace to stop Bulega as he made his way through and shuffled ‘Loka’ off the podium to P4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team #31) fought throughout the race for P5, the pair trading better times sector by sector. The Texan rider was unable to pass by Petrucci, remaining in P6 when he crossed the finish line for his best result of the season.

“I’m very happy, before coming here, my target was the hat trick, and I did it, so I’m happy about that. I love this track, it’s my favourite. I always enjoy riding here. I’ve had some really special wins here,” Razgatlioglu said.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.946s
  3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.135s
  4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +10.724s
  5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +12.401

Championship Points

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 345 puntos
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 341
  3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 209
  4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 194
  5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 188

WorldSSP Race 2

The FIM Supersport World Championship grid took to the stage for the final race of the Prosecco DOC UK Round. Slightly cooler Sunday weather introduced a new factor that teams had to contend with.

Early in the running, Manzi ran wide on Turn 10 onto the grass, losing many positions and eventually recovering to P7. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) took home the Race 2 win, landing Turkey its 50th win. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) secured P2 for the home crowd, and Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) earned a P3 rostrum spot to cut the points deficit behind Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in P5 to just six points.

Can Oncu jumped off the line like a shot, making a move into T1 to take P1 from Manzi, who later that same lap ran wide in the Melbourne Hairpin and fell to P14 by the next lap. Oncu and Booth-Amos did battle at the front for the rest of the race. Oncu made his move with just three laps remaining, sealing his fifth win of the season to tie Manzi for race wins.

Booth-Amos missed out on landing a win at home, his P2 earning him his eighth podium. Mahias rounded out the podium for his 34th rostrum finish, one shy of Aegerter and Federico Caricasulo (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team #64), tied for fifth place in all-time podium finishes.

Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) finished P4; he did well to protect his position ahead of the three riders close behind him. However, ahead of him, Mahias and the podium positions were too far to catch.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

  1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
  2. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +0.816s
  3. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) +1.834s
  4. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +4.193s
  5. Roberto Garcia (GMT94-YAMAHA) 5.358s

Championship Points

  1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 244
  2. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) 199
  3. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) 182
  4. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) 172
  5. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 156

WorldWCR
WorldWCR Race 1

In the first FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship race of the Prosecco DOC UK Round, Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team #6) snatched the race win away from Beatriz Nelia (Ampito Crescent Yamaha #36) on the final lap to make it three wins in 2025 so far. Neila did well to overtake Herrera several times throughout the contest, however, in the end, the #36 fell to P2. For her first-ever podium, British rider Chloe Jones (GR Motorsport #15) brought home P3 for her home fans.

Hererra surged forward from P2 on the grid to claim the holeshot, taking P1 on the approach to the first corner from Neila, who had started from pole position for the first time this season. While the pair had pulled away early on, Jones and Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team #64) steadily caught back up, and by the last four laps, the quartet laid it all on the line for the win.

Neila led in the second-to-last lap, however, after running wide at the Melbourne Hairpin, she fell to the back of the group, and Herrera took P1. Neila jumped back ahead of Sanchez in P4 and Jones in P3; however, it was too little, too late as Herrera secured the race win despite Neila’s last lap clocking in nearly a second faster than Herrera and setting a new track record.

Jones held onto her P3 for her first career podium to the elation of the British fans in attendance. Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) did well to collaborate with Jones to make up the gap to the group ahead of them, yet Sanchez found herself left off the podium in P4.

Rookie Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA #17) landed her best performance in her rookie season, finishing P5 as she gave chase behind the lead group.

WorldWCR Race 1 Results

  1. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team)
  2. Beatriz Nelia (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) +0.155s
  3. Chloe Jones (GR Motorsport) +1.044s
  4. Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) +1.426s
  5. Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) +4.837s

WorldWCR Race 2

The fastest women on two wheels took to the track on Sunday for the FIM Womens’ Circuit Racing World Championship Race 2 of the Prosecco DOC UK Round. Neila topped the podium, leading Sara Sanchez across the line, who finished P2. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) rounded out the podium positions as she finished P3.

Herrera claimed the holeshot to start the race, chased into the first corners by Race 1’s same podium riders, Neila and Jones. Sara Sanchez hung close to the group in front of her, closing the gap and fighting with the group for the podium positions. By the final laps, the #36 and Sanchez fought for P1, Neila coming out on top, and her win cut Herrera’s Championship lead down to just nine points.

In the Melbourne Hairpin on the final lap, Jones and Herrera made contact, Jones ending up on the turf to finish P11. Hererra went on to finish P3 and earn her sixth podium of the season, but third place was her worst result of the season so far. Inversely, Sara Sanchez’s P2 was her best result of the season, ahead of her pair of P3s from Assen.

Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) and Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) clashed for P5 in the early laps. Ponziani eventually overtook the French rider, signalling to the #17 to follow her to cut down the gap to the podium fight in front of them. Their collaboration paid off, as with five laps to go, the pair had closed to within less than half a second of the podium fight in front of them. In the end, the Frenchwoman was able to climb past Ponziani for P4, yet they were not able to fight for the podium in earnest. Her Race 1 P5 and Race 2 P4 are a clear step forward for her, which she hopes to continue in rounds to come. Ponziani was pushed down to P5 and lost her P3 Riders’ Championship position to Sanchez.

WorldWCR Race 2 Results

  1. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha)
  2. Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) +0.304s
  3. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) +1.006s
  4. Lucie Boudesseul (GMT94-YAMAHA) +1.192s
  5. Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) +1.326s

Championship Points

  1. Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) 131 points
  2. Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) 122
  3. Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) 89
  4. Roberta Ponziani (Klint Forward Racing Team) 86
  5. Chloe Jones (GR Motosport) 53

How did the Aussies Do?

Remy Gardner (#87) set a 1’25.953 to qualify 16th after a mistake on his fastest lap, but in Race 1, he impressed by carving his way through the field to finish ninth, showcasing strong pace over the 23-lap bout. A solid Sunday followed, as the #87 secured 12th in the Superpole Race and another ninth in Race 2 to cap off a positive weekend.

Oli Bayliss (#32) showed his best form of the campaign on the Triumph in Race 1, climbing to seventh and eyeing a top-six finish before crashing at Turn 12 on lap nine. Eager to rebound in Race 2, the Aussie made a rapid start. However, grip issues saw him fade from the lead group to ultimately clinch 12th.

2025 WorldSBK Round Seven Gallery

 

 

Obituary | Robert ‘Bob’ Lusk, a born-again biker…

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Obituary | Robert ‘Bob’ Lusk, a born-again biker with a fascinating background… Expat American Robert Lusk passed away on June 9 at his home in Southern England. He was 85 years of age, and had been a resident in the UK since 1968. Tribute from Alan Cathcart…

Bob Lusk was a born-again biker with a fascinating background, who was raised in rural New England, where while growing up he acquired the skills of many handicrafts, including leatherwork. But he enjoyed a motorcycling epiphany at the age of 15. “I’d help out in a local gas station after school,” he recounted. “Each day a bloke who commuted to work on his Triumph Bonneville would park it outside the forecourt. One day, I went over and sat on it, looked down and saw the kickstarter, then put my foot on it, and it started – on its centre stand, thankfully! And in that moment, the only way I can describe it is, God came down and put his hands on me, and said, “Robert Lusk, this is your life!”

So in the early 1960s Lusk dropped out of Clark University in Worcester, Mass. to become one of Yamaha’s first American dealers, while road racing them successfully in both the Northeast USA and Canada. He finished third on an air-cooled Yamaha rotary-valve single in the 1967 125cc Canadian GP behind Bill Ivy’s factory V4, as a consequence of which he arranged to immigrate to Britain to pursue a racing career there.

But nerve injury suffered in a crash in his final American race forced Lusk to stop racing for 30 years, until a cure by chiropractors allowed him to restart his career in UK Classic racing. Meanwhile, he’d begun producing handmade leather goods to sell from a stall at London’s Portobello Road Market. “It was the Swinging ‘60s, and people wanted what I made,” he recalled. “Besides bags and belts and stuff like that, I was making handmade sandals, and they were good value, people liked them, and that was the beginning of my shoe business. So, then I had to establish a little production line, and it all took off from there.”

By 1997 Robert Lusk had built up a multi-million pound footwear business with four London stores employing almost 100 people. His neck injury had healed, so together with 11-year old son Chester he began racing Mini Moto. Both Lusks ended up as age-group champions in their new sport – and having converted Valentino-style from Mini Moto to full-size bikes, Chester Lusk started Silverstone’s 2003 British 125GP as a 17-year old wild card entry on the RS125R Honda his Dad sponsored him on, having swiftly risen up the ranks in full-size motorcycle racing.

Robert Lusk with his neighbour Jeff Beck and visitor Johnny Depp with a 1939 Chevvy Hot Rod at a Beck Hotrod Party.
Robert Lusk with his neighbour Jeff Beck and visitor Johnny Depp with a 1939 Chevvy Hot Rod at a Beck Hotrod Party.

Inevitably, Bob Lusk began Classic racing himself, too, firstly with the 1977 MT125R Honda air-cooled single with which he won the 2005 CRMC British 125cc championship title at age 65. Success came on both sides of the Atlantic, too, with visits to Loudon to ride former rival Frank Camillieri’s Yamaha to podium finishes and runner-up in the championship in AHRMA racing. Progressing to Matchless G50 singles Lusk became a consistent front-runner in CRMC events, and on a 350cc AJS 7R he finished second in the 2018 Avon Tyres Lansdown National championship at the age of 78, just one point behind champion Geoff Leather who was young enough to be his grandson!

The profits from his shoe business had allowed Bob Lusk to start collecting motorcycles in 2004, initially focusing on Historic racebikes he wanted to compete on – with success, still winning races at age 79 against much younger riders. But as his eclectic collection expanded to more than 100 bikes of all eras and types, it began to feature many examples of life-changing pioneer conveyances from 1898 onwards, many with a fascinating human story behind them.

However, Robert had latterly begun downsizing his bike collection to create space and funding for a new passion – assembling one of the largest collections in the world of original motorcycle posters from the past 120 years. Sadly, his plans to publish a large format picture book depicting many of these died with him.

Robert Lusk was a free spirit who defied the aging process via untrammelled enthusiasm, and a constant search for new passions with a mechanical link. His infectious enthusiasm made him many friends inside and outside the motorcycle world, and on both sides of the Atlantic. He will be greatly missed, and our sympathies for their loss are with his wife Susan, and children Chester and Amber. RIP, Robert!

Track Test | 2025 Yamaha YZF-R9 Review

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This isn’t just an MT-09 with fairings bolted on. The R9 feels like its own model entirely, with a purpose and attitude far removed from its naked sibling.
This isn’t just an MT-09 with fairings bolted on. The R9 feels like its own model entirely, with a purpose and attitude far removed from its naked sibling.

Last month I threw a leg over Yamaha’s all-new YZF-R9 at SMSP South Circuit, and the sense of anticipation was electric. The skies were heavy and grey, threatening to ruin everything, but somehow the rain held off letting us finally unleash the sports beast… Words: Jeff Ware Photos: iKapture

SMSP (Sydney Motorsports Park) South Circuit was a good layout for the YZF-R6. We lapped in the 1:02 bracket, on par with the inline-four YZF-R6 at a quick ride day pace. Which bike would be capable of the fastest time in race trim is hard to say, but probably the R9 thanks to the torque of the CP3 inline triple engine, and in an easier way, too.
SMSP (Sydney Motorsports Park) South Circuit was a good layout for the YZF-R6. We lapped in the 1:02 bracket, on par with the inline-four YZF-R6 at a quick ride day pace. Which bike would be capable of the fastest time in race trim is hard to say, but probably the R9 thanks to the torque of the CP3 inline triple engine, and in an easier way, too.

I very clearly remember the first time I rode the MT-09 back when it launched at The Farm. I pulled back into the pits, laughing at how much fun the bike was, and thought to myself, “This engine belongs in a proper sportsbike.” Its punchy torque, linear pull, and that characteristic crossplane triple sound felt like it was just begging for clip-ons and fairings. Yamaha teased us for years…

Yamaha gave us the MT-09SP with its high-spec suspension and electronics, a wicked nakedbike. Then the XSR900 and XSR900GP with retro styling, and while they were brilliant street bikes, they never quite scratched that supersport itch for me. But now, with the R9, Yamaha has finally delivered on what so many riders, including myself, have wanted – a fully fledged YZF-R sportsbike powered by that magnificent CP3 engine, but friendly for the road.

Finally, a CP3 powered sportsbike, tame yet capable, comfy yet racy. The YZF-R9 will appeal to many…

A friendly YZF-R6, (which is still available as the YZF-R6 RACE for $20,249 ready for the track, on slicks), the R9 joins Yamaha’s huge YZF street legal sports lineup of the YZF-R15M, YZF-R3, YZF-R1, YZF-R1M, YZF-R7LA and YZF-R7HO (click on any of those to read our test on that bike) … But the R9 is the first sports triple. Bring it on, baby! We headed to SMSP for the Aussie launch, the day was run for Yamaha Motor Australia by MotoSchool, and they were fantastic, highly recommended…

The new 2025 Yamaha YZF-R9 is available in Team Yamaha Blue, Matt Black or Intensity White/Redline, $23,299 R/A.

THE RIDE
The first thing that struck me as I rolled out onto the track was just how different the R9 felt compared to the MT-09 or XSR900GP. This isn’t just an MT-09 with fairings bolted on. The R9 feels like its own model entirely, with a purpose and attitude far removed from its naked sibling. The chassis tuning, geometry changes, electronics calibration, and ergonomics come together to make it feel like a genuine supersport machine, not quite razor sharp and stiff, but very good on track and easier to ride…

Where the XSR900 GP is a retro street sportsbike with a fairing slapped on for styling cred, the R9 is a thoroughbred track-day ready contender. It’s a proper step up from the R7 and fills the void left by the legendary R6, offering something different – more midrange punch, easier rideability, and real-world versatility while still retaining that racetrack soul, and after testing it, I reckon it would be easy to set it up as a serious track bike, given that some small suspension changes really moved it forward that way.

This isn’t just an MT-09 with fairings bolted on. The R9 feels like its own model entirely, with a purpose and attitude far removed from its naked sibling.
This isn’t just an MT-09 with fairings bolted on. The R9 feels like its own model entirely, with a purpose and attitude far removed from its naked sibling.

At 187cm tall, I usually fold up awkwardly on supersport bikes, but the R9’s ergonomics surprised me. The footpegs in their lowest position offered plenty of room, and the ‘bars are slightly higher and flatter than a traditional supersport, giving it a neutral yet committed stance. Everything just fits. The seat is comfortable, the tank sculpted perfectly for knee grip, and the overall riding position felt more relaxed than an R6 yet still aggressive enough for serious track work. The bike should fit a broad range of shapes, there is plenty of room there to move around, and it definitely has that YZF familiarity.

"The best way I can describe it is that it felt like riding a big R3 with grunt. That same nimble, flickable feel, but with the torque-rich triple engine launching you out of corners with authority"...
“The best way I can describe it is that it felt like riding a big R3 with grunt. That same nimble, flickable feel, but with the torque-rich triple engine launching you out of corners with authority”…

I managed a solid 40 laps spread over four sessions, and despite a few injury limitations on my part these days – too many busted wrists over the years and too many hamburgers lately – I settled into a consistent 1:03 lap pace, with my quickest lap a flat 1:02. That’s about a second off my usual testing pace here, but considering I was nursing my wrists and dealing with occasional whiskey throttle moments, the R9’s forgiving nature really let me get away with it. I’ll pop a video on YouTube soon.

I found myself grinning inside my helmet lap after lap. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like riding a bigger R3, with grunt. That same nimble, flickable feel, but with the torque-rich triple engine launching you out of corners with authority. Unlike the old R6 engine, which is a true race motor so needs to be kept screaming at high revs to stay in the performance window, the R9 pulls cleanly from lower in the rev range thanks to its broad, linear power delivery. You can short shift it, ride it lazily, or wind it out and attack – it’s flexible and confidence inspiring, but it does reach that limiter early.

"The best way I can describe it is that it felt like riding a big R3, with grunt"... The R9 powers off turns very well.
“The best way I can describe it is that it felt like riding a big R3, with grunt”… The R9 powers off turns very well.

Underneath lies the proven 890cc CP3 engine, essentially the MT-09’s unit but retuned via mapping and ignition changes to suit the R9’s sporting intentions. Internally it remains unchanged, but the difference in feel is noticeable. It’s snappier, livelier, and more exhilarating than the current MT-09, almost reminiscent of the raw, aggressive original MT-09 from a decade ago.

The torque is broad, pulling cleanly from second, third, or fourth gear exits. On Sydney South’s shorter straight, the gearing felt ideal. Top speed? Hard to say without a proper long straight, but with gearing 15 per cent taller than the MT-09, I’d guess around 240km/h. On track, you do hit the rev limiter fairly quickly, but it’s not an issue once you get a feel for the engine.

It’s an engine with character, a triple that spins up with urgency yet remains composed and easy to modulate. The traction control was working hard out of a few corners, but that is because I was just holding it wide open and relying on the TC. Feeding the power in progressively revealed a very nice tractable delivery and good rear tyre control.

The YZF-R9 handles like a true supersport bike, slightly softer, but with excellent geometry and ground clearance.
The YZF-R9 handles like a true supersport bike, slightly softer, but with excellent geometry and ground clearance.

The chassis is an aluminium Deltabox frame paired with fully adjustable KYB suspension front and rear. The front runs USD 43mm forks, while the rear is a KYB monoshock with remote preload adjustment, handy for quick changes trackside. Out of the crate, the suspension is on the softer side, making it less tiring to ride compared to a rock-hard supersport machine. The negative is it does get a bit loose when up near the limit, and as grip and speed increases, so too will the need to stiffen up the suspension at both ends, but you would need to be pretty serious, as it is, it will do for track days and club level racing I reckon…

We only went up a little in preload front and rear to suit my 100kg with gear, and that small change made the bike livelier and more responsive. The R9 carries more frame flex than an R6, which makes it forgiving and comfortable, yet retains enough stiffness to attack turns with confidence. Despite chilly track temperatures limiting front-end feel early on, it was communicative enough to push hard. In warmer conditions with hot sticky rubber and dialled suspension, it will reveal its full potential.

Speaking of electronics, Yamaha has kitted the R9 out with a trickle-down of the first-gen R1M package…

On upshifts at full throttle, there were a few times the front got wild, near tank-slapping, so I would be fitting a high-quality steering damper if I owned an R9. The Bridgestone Battlax RS11 tyres warmed up well despite cool conditions and offered confidence on corner entry, edge grip and drive out, these are awesome tyres and I’ve raced on them in the past. The SpinForged wheels keep unsprung weight down, look great and come straight from the YZF-R6 RACE.

“I tried a mix today: Power 2, L1, and all electronics on 1 for the final sessions. In full attack mode, it’s lively and urgent without being intimidating”.

Braking is handled by Brembo Stylema calipers up front with a Brembo radial master-cylinder. Braking performance is decent, but not as jaw-dropping as some Stylema setups I’ve used. The initial bite requires a firmer squeeze, and there’s a hint of ABS valving sponginess, but the six-axis IMU-based ABS system never intruded harshly. We ran with rear ABS switched off, which I’d recommend for track use, but front ABS intervention was minimal. I also noticed the clutch take-up was abrupt and right at the end of the lever travel, making pit exits a little tricky, but on track it didn’t matter thanks to the flawless up and down quick-shifter.

"Braking performance is decent, but not as jaw-dropping as some Stylema setups I’ve used"...
“Braking performance is decent, but not as jaw-dropping as some Stylema setups I’ve used”…

Speaking of electronics, Yamaha has kitted the R9 out with a trickle-down of the first-gen R1M package from a decade ago. It has a six-axis IMU enabling 9 level traction control (TCS), 3 level slide control (SCS), 3 level lift control (LSS), brake control (BC), engine brake management (EBM) plus cruise control, variable speed limiter, and multiple ride modes – Sport, Street, Rain, and two Custom plus four Track modes. It has it all, and a new style switchblock pair to help navigate it, and the Y-Connect app.

I tried a mix today, see the settings in the dash photos above. In full attack mode, it’s lively and urgent without being intimidating, but I preferred Power 2 rather than 1, as the throttle was nicer on initial opening, allowing me to keep the bike more balanced and retain rear grip off turns… One awesome feature is the Y-TRAC race setting complemented by a virtual pitboard feature that displays instructions and information from pit crew to rider in real time! You can also drop a pin on a GPS location on the track you are on, and the dash will do your lap times and display it on the dash each lap!

“The 2025 YZF-R9 is a friendly R6 with a broader power curve, stronger midrange, and easier ergonomics for real-world riding”…

The TFT dash is clear and intuitive, with four street themes and one track layout. Switchgear is typical Yamaha – functional and logical – although I struggled to change ride modes on the move, even with throttle shut. I’ll dig deeper when we test it on the road next month. The triple-clamp looks straight off the R1, with neat M1 MotoGP-style grooves, and there’s a GYTR race triple available for trackday warriors.

The R9 looks like a bigger R7 or smaller R1, slotting perfectly into the YZF-R family. The fairings are sharp and aggressive, the LED headlight compact and menacing. It looks every bit the middleweight supersport weapon Yamaha needed to fill the void left by the discontinued (road anyway) R6.

CONCLUSION
Overall, the 2025 YZF-R9 is a friendly R6 with a broader power curve, stronger midrange, and easier ergonomics for real-world riding. On track, it’s fast, confidence inspiring, and fun. On the road, it promises to be practical enough for commuting yet thrilling on your favourite twisties, we will find out soon. At $23,199 ride away, it’s not cheap, three grand more than the R6 (but ten grand less than an R1), but you’re getting a bike with true supersport handling, a punchy triple engine, and electronics that rival litre bikes from just a few years ago. For track days, weekend scratching, and even daily duties, it’s a winner. We’ll have a full road test coming in August after our street ride in July…

 

2025 Yamaha YZF-R9 Specifications

yamaha-motor.com.au

Price: $23,199 R/A
Warranty: Three-years unlimited km
Colours: Team Yamaha Blue, Matt Black, Intensity White/Redline
Claimed Power: 87.5kW@10,000rpm
Claimed Torque: 93Nm@7000rpm
Wet Weight: 195kg
Fuel capacity: 14L
Fuel Consumption (Claimed): N/A
Fuel Consumption (Tested): N/A
Range (Claimed): N/A

Engine: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, Crossplane triple, 78.0mm x 62.1mm bore x stroke, 890cc, 11.5:1 compression, three-into-one exhaust Gearbox: Six speed Clutch: Assist & Slipper Clutch with Quick Shift System (up & down), EFI, three-into-one exhaust.

Chassis: Aluminium Deltabox frame
Rake: 24.7° Trail: 109.2mm
Front Suspension: USD 43mm KYB forks, fully adjustable, 120mm travel, KYB monoshock, fully adjustable with low-speed valve, 117mm travel.
Brakes: Twin 320mm discs with Brembo Stylema four-piston radial calipers, Brembo radial master-cylinder, stainless braided lines, cornering ABS (f), Single 220mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS (r), rear ABS disconnect for track
Wheels & Tyres: 10-spoke cast alloy wheels, Bridgestone RS11 120/70 – 17 (f), 180/55 – 17 (r) tyres

Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1420mm
Seat height: 831mm
Ground clearance: 140mm
Overall width: 706mm
Overall length: 2070mm
Overall height: 1181mm

Instruments & Electronics: 5in full-colour TFT dash with four street and one track theme, Y-Connect app compatibility, Garmin StreetCross Nav support, 6-Axis IMU, Traction Control (TCS), Slide Control (SCS), Lift Control (LIF), Brake Control (BCS), Engine Brake Management (EBM), Back Slip Regulator (BSR), Launch Control, Cruise Control, Quick Shifter, Ride Modes (Sport, Street, Rain, Custom x 2), Virtual Pitboard, Variable Speed Limiter, Immobiliser, LED lighting.

MotoGP 2025 Round 10 Report | Marquez Matches Agostini

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MotoGP 2025 Round 10 Report | Marquez Matches Agostini in Assen. The #93 claimed his 68th win by 0.6s as chief rival Alex Marquez crashed. Check out our report, and links to the historical article about Sheene winning his first race here, and his RG500 tested… Report: MotoGP/Ed Stratmann

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Fabio Quartararo’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #20) 1:31.156 gave the Frenchman and Yamaha Day 1 honours at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands in what was a rather dramatic Friday. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73), despite a crash in Practice, headed into Saturday as the second fastest rider, with Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) kicking off his weekend with a positive P3.

Read our previous MotoGP race reports here…

However, positive wasn’t a word to describe Marc Marquez’s (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) day at the Cathedral of Speed. A big crash in FP1 was followed by another rapid off at Turn 7 as drama unfolded for the MotoGP World Championship leader – rider ok but down in sixth by the end of play.

Is there anyone in the world faster in time attack mode than Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP)? Probably not. In a fiercely competitive MotoGP Q2 at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands, the Frenchman stormed to another 2025 pole position with a sensational 1:30.651. The gap to second place Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) was just 0.028s, with Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) completing the front row, as Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) started from off the front row for just the second time this season.

 Moto2

After drama and delay in the morning, it was a smooth afternoon for the Moto2™ field at the TT Circuit Assen as an all-important Practice session gave us the top 14 for Q2 and the big names who need to go via Q1. Late yellow flags and big names suffering problems may have headlined, but it was Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #12) who bagged top spot by the close of action on Friday, setting a new lap record.

Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) then took a third pole position in a row thanks to a stunning new lap record at the Motul GP of the Netherlands, so the question begged: can he convert it into a first Moto2™ win? So far he’d just come up short. Trying to stop him on the front row would be Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI #4), the rookie impressing late on to get within 0.072s of pole, with Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18) completing the front row.

Read about Barry Sheen winning at Assen 50 years ago to the day, here… 

Moto3

A 1:40.053 in the latter stages of a dry Moto3 Practice saw Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse #58) top the Friday afternoon rush at Assen, and his margin to second place was a healthy one. David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #64) was the rider closest to Lunetta, 0.209s the gap, as Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA #66) made up the top three.

Red Bull KTM Ajo banked a 1-2 on the grid at Assen, with Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) ahead of teammate Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83).

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Tissot Sprint victory number nine of the season is in the books for Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) after the #93 got to the front early doors on Saturday at the Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

It was a brilliant start from pole for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), as Marc Marquez got away just as he’d have hoped. The Yamaha and factory Ducati went into Turn 1 side by side, it was tight, and because he was on the outside, Marquez was slightly wide and had to come back onto the track over the kerb. That then meant it was tight between Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), but the former stayed in P2.

And then, by the end of Lap 1 at the GT Chicane, the title race leader was the Sprint leader after carving up the inside of Quartararo. Alex Marquez quickly followed his brother through, and then Bezzecchi was also past the polesitter.

At the start of Lap 5, the Sprint had settled down a tad, but Alex Marquez was looking eager to pass the #93. Bezzecchi was 0.3s away in P3, Quartararo was a further 0.5s away from the RS-GP and had Pecco and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) for close company.

Half a lap later, Di Giannantonio was through on Pecco at the GT Chicane. The top six were split by 1.5s on Lap 7 of 13, but it was still Marc Marquez leading the chase.

Then, Quartararo was down. Turn 10 was the place as the YZR-M1’s front end washed away from underneath the Frenchman after he’d just fired in his fastest lap of the Sprint. That gave Bezzecchi some breathing space in P3 – the Italian was 0.8s clear of Di Giannantonio with three laps to go.

Last lap time. 0.2s split the top two, with Bezzecchi 0.7s further down. Could Alex find a way through on Marc? There was no way through in the first three sectors, so it was all coming down to the GT Chicane. And boasting enough of a gap, there was no getting by the six-time MotoGP World Champion. A ninth Sprint win of the season came the way of the #93 in what has been the most difficult weekend of his year so far.

Di Giannantonio finished just over a second away from Bezzecchi in P4, with Bagnaia having to settle for a low-key P5 on Saturday.

“Today, I was calm and tried to control the situation. It’s true that I didn’t expect the victory in the Sprint, but I started first, and then I defended. I just tried to not make any big mistakes,” Marc Marquez explained.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo (20m 2.150s)
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+0.351s)
  3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+1.247s)
  4. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+2.269s)
  5. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+2.686s)

Sunday
MotoGP

In an eventful Motul Grand Prix of the Netherlands that saw title-chasing Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) crash out, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) fended off the fight from Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) to claim his 68th MotoGP victory by 0.6s. The #93 and #72 treated us to a fascinating Grand Prix at the front, as Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) was a couple of seconds away from the win in P3.

Bagnaia got a brilliant start from the middle of the front row and grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, as Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) lost out. The polesitter was down to P4, Alex Marquez was P2 and Marc Marquez was P3 – before he wasn’t. The #93 carved his way past his chief title rival at Turn 1 on Lap 2 to sit behind teammate Pecco. Bezzecchi then took P3 from Alex Marquez at the end of Lap 2.

Quartararo’s early Grand Prix pace was suffering. The Frenchman was down to P7 behind Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #21), as Acosta became the latest rider to wrestle his way through on Alex Marquez. That meant on Lap 5 of 26, Bagnaia led from Marc Marquez and Bezzecchi, with Acosta, Alex Marquez and Morbidelli right in the hunt.

The leader of the pack wasn’t Pecco at the end of Lap 5, though, as Marc Marquez lunged up the inside of his teammate. Then, on Lap 6, drama. Alex Marquez and Acosta were rubbing shoulders and fairings on the exit of Turn 5, and heading up the back straight, Marquez was suddenly down. A puff of smoke from the Gresini star’s tyre suggested something had happened with the brake lever, but in any case, Alex Marquez’s Grand Prix was over – and it was later confirmed he’d unfortunately fractured his left hand.

Further back in the pack, the other BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP rider, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54), highsided out of contention at Turn 11, and that left Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol #36) and Quartararo with nowhere to go. The latter was wide and down to P13, as Mir also crashed.

At the front, Marquez remained at the front, but on Lap 8, Bezzecchi made a move on Pecco to pounce up to P2. Now, Pecco had Acosta climbing all over the back of him, and sure enough, the KTM star moved into P3. And it was really closing up at the front because Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #12) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) reeled themselves into the podium picture.

On Lap 13, Marc Marquez was putting the hammer down. A 1:32.273 was over two tenths quicker than Bezzecchi, but on the next lap, the Italian responded with the fastest lap of the Grand Prix. And on that same lap, Pecco passed Acosta to regain P3.

And now he was back in P3, with Pecco setting the fastest lap. Two tenths quicker than Marquez, less than half a tenth quicker than Bezzecchi. After threatening to break clear, Marquez didn’t look like he was going to be able to do so at this stage. The chasers were locked in, and that included Acosta. And again, Pecco slammed in another Grand Prix best lap, but he lost 0.3s on the next lap.

So where were we on Lap 20? Marquez led Bezzecchi by 0.2s, with Pecco 0.5s behind the Aprilia and Acosta 0.7s off the Ducati. It was as you were two laps later, as Bezzecchi continued to tag himself onto the rear tyre of Marquez.

Three to go. Bezzecchi remained 0.2s away and he just couldn’t quite get close enough to realistically make a lunge on the #93. Two to go. Bezzecchi was digging deep, but Marquez wasn’t putting a wheel out of line, and Pecco was now 0.9s away from his compatriot. And the penultimate lap was where the gap stretched out to 0.7s – was that game over?

It looked that way. Bezzecchi couldn’t close in, and Marquez had 0.7s to play with heading into the final sector. And powering his Ducati through the final chicane, Marquez clinched victory at Assen to draw level with MotoGP Legend Giacomo Agostini on 68 MotoGP wins. An unbelievable record as he continues to set the world alight in 2025.

Bezzecchi handed Aprilia a double podium weekend at Assen as the #72 pushed Marquez all the way at the Cathedral, with Bagnaia returning to the podium in P3 after a disappointing result on home turf seven days ago.

Acosta didn’t quite have enough to cling onto the podium fight, but it was a great Grand Prix for the Spaniard and KTM in P4. Viñales handed the Austrian factory a double top five, with Di Giannantonio taking home P6 and Morbidelli finishing P7 after being handed a Long Lap penalty for shortcutting the final chicane while battling his teammate.

“We had an amazing weekend, unexpected because normally Assen is not one of my best tracks,” Marc Marquez said.

MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+0.635s)
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+2.666s)
  4. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+6.084s)
  5. Maverick Viñales Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+10.124s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

 MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 307
  2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 239
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 181
  4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 139
  5. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina Enduro VR46 Team LCR – 136

 Moto2

After the two threw down at Mugello over the podium, the stakes were even higher in Assen as Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) beat Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #44) in a thriller. The Brazilian made history by taking his first Moto2 win, and first for Brazil, by just 0.056s in a fascinating fight to the flag, as championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) battled his way back to a P3 finish following a sluggish opening few laps.

Having bagged the first front row of his rookie campaign, Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – FRINSA – MSI) collected the holeshot. But polesitter Moreira pounced back to lead through turns three and four. Having fought off a fast-starting Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo #53) on Lap 1, Canet forced his way to the front on Lap 2 to lead the Dutch GP. Meanwhile, Gonzalez was P9.

Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #7) completed his two Long Lap penalties by Lap 5, which dropped the Belgian to P14, as Ortola began to get a little beaten up by the chasing pack. Albert Arenas (ITALJET Gresini Moto2 #75), Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team #16) and Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) were through to demote Ortola to P7.

Lap 7 saw Baltus’ Grand Prix end at Turn 1, while at the front, Canet and Moreira were 1.2s clear of Öncü, who, in turn, was 1.3s clear of Roberts as the American led a gaggle of riders that included Gonzalez, who was now past Dixon and starting to make up ground after a sticky start to his race. And on Lap 12 of 22, Gonzalez was into P3 after a tidy pass on Öncü at Turn 5. The gap to title rivals Canet and Moreira? Three seconds.

In the battle for the top four, Öncü’s race ended at the final chicane on Lap 14 to promote Dixon to P5, as Moreira continued to shadow Canet in the fight for the win. With three to go, Moreira remained right up the tailpipes of Canet’s Triumph-Kalex – where and when was a move coming? The change for the lead came on the penultimate lap at Turn 3. Canet was wide, Moreira went through, so was that the race-winning move?

Last lap time! Moreira led into it, but the duo were locked together. It was as you were coming into the final, jaw-dropping sector at Assen, and Canet wasn’t close enough. Moreira earned a debut Moto2 win to hand Brazil their first Moto2 win too – a massive moment for the #10.

Gonzalez did hold onto an important P3 ahead of Dixon, who collected a very solid and confidence-injecting P4 from P11 on the grid. Roberts fended off teammate Marcos Ramirez by 0.061s at the line as the American and Spaniard crossed the line in P5 and P6.

Moto2 Race Results

  1. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team
  2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+0.056s)
  3. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+1.783s)
  4. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing (+2.364s)
  5. Joe Roberts OnlyFans American Racing Team (+3.212s)

 Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 159
  2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 154
  3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 128
  4. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 98
  5. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 94

 Moto3

Keeping a cool head when it mattered most, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) came out on top in a crazy Moto3 Grand Prix ahead of David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Ajo #73). Not only did the #99 extend his championship lead, but another key talking point was that the Argentine flag returned to the rostrum for the first time in four years thanks to Perrone’s third.

Grabbing the first holeshot on Sunday, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) led teammate and Championship leader Rueda, but there was drama behind for Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #94), who stalled it on the grid from P7. Thankfully, everyone avoided him, but the #94’s Dutch GP was done. Rueda had taken over in P1 from his teammate, and then, on Lap 2, David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22) attempted a pass on the #99 at Turn 8 but collided with him. Carpe, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, lost momentum and dropped down to P15. Lap 4 and more contact, this time between Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36) at the final chicane, both losing places but staying in the victory chase.

Leading until Lap 9, Rueda relinquished it at Turn 12 to a hard-charging Maximo Quiles (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team #28), as the #28 forced his way through and thus upset the polesitter’s rhythm. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #6) and Almansa – albeit briefly for the #22 – put him back to P4.

Fernandez was now pouncing too, for he got ahead of his teammate, and then Rueda, to propel himself into the provisional podium places. A mistake at the end of Lap 11 dropped the #99 further back, and he was now down in seventh place, just ahead of Perrone.

Lap 15, and the gloves came off as Almansa briefly took P1, barging ahead of Maximo Quiles, who repaid the favour at Turn 9. Heading into Lap 16 at Turn 1, Carpe’s sensational comeback was nearing completion. P3 at Turn 1, he was in the lead at Turn 10, and after swapping paint with the #22 of Almansa, maintained the advantage. Likewise fighting back through, Furusato was eighth and Rueda in the provisional podium spots.

With three laps to go and having hustled his way back through the group, Quiles crashed at Turn 10. And for Almansa, he was shoved wide at Turn 15 by Perrone, sending him back to 13th place with two to go. Amidst the drama, Rueda and Carpe were back at the front, and at the right time, heading into the final lap, with Muñoz keeping his powder dry.

At the end of the penultimate lap, there was a big crash for Furusato, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) and Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse). The group fragmented, it was down to three at the front: Rueda vs Perrone vs Muñoz.

Into the final sector on the last lap, Muñoz snatched P2 at Turn 15, but due to the previous multi-rider crash, a red flag was thrown before the field returned through where the incident was being cleared. Results went back to the start of Lap 19, with Rueda declared the winner ahead of Muñoz and Perrone, which was the first podium of the #73’s career and indeed for Argentina since Mugello in 2021 with Gabriel Rodrigo.

Carpe came back to fourth ahead of Piqueras, who salvaged fifth from 16th on the grid.

Moto3 Race Results

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo
  2. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.144s)
  3. Valentin Perrone Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+0.245s)
  4. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+1.087s)
  5. Angel Piqueras FRINSA -MT Helmets – MSI (+1.296s)

 Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 187
  2. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 118
  3. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 117
  4. Joel Kelso LEVELUP – MTA – 100
  5. Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 86

MotoE

MotoE graced the hallowed racing ground of the TT Circuit Assen for two spectacular races on Saturday. It was the second round of action for the electric class in 2025, with plenty of drama unfolding over both events, which saw Andrea Mantovani (KLINT Forward Factory Team #9) and Alessandro Zaccone (Aruba Cloud MotoE Team #61) take top step honours at the Cathedral of Speed.

MotoE Race 1 Results

  1. Andrea Mantovani KLINT Forward Factory Team
  2. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team (+0.413s)
  3. Jordi Torres Power Electronics Aspar Team (+0.858s)
  4. Nicholas Spinelli Rivacold Snipers Team MotoE (+1.052s)
  5. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE (+3.289s)

MotoE Race 2 Results

  1. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team
  2. Andrea Mantovani KLINT Forward Factory Team (+0.365s)
  3. Lorenzo Baldassarri Dynavolt Intact GP (+3.244s)
  4. Jordi Torres Power Electronics Aspar Team (+3.463s)
  5. Hector Garzo Dynavolt Intact GP (+3.721s)

MotoE Championship Points

  1. Andrea Mantovani KLINT Forward Factory Team – 74
  2. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team – 61
  3. Jordi Torres Power Electronics Aspar Team – 54
  4. Lorenzo Baldassarri Dynavolt Intact GP – 47
  5. Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team – 46


How Did the Aussies Do?

 Having claimed 14th in the Sprint, Jack Miller (#43) also secured 14th in the main race. Displaying promising pace throughout, positives could be found from how he briefly moved up to 10th on lap seven and stayed in 11th for nine laps, even though some tough battles in the closing laps saw him eventually drop back to 14th.

Despite making a tidy start, the 20-year-old Australian Senna Agius was hampered by unexpected grip issues that disrupted his early momentum. To his credit, he regrouped quickly, settled into a solid rhythm and fought his way to a well-earned ninth.

 While ninth at Assen may have been a disappointing result for Joel Kelso, with his speed below his usual level and his race disrupted as he was forced to avoid a crash, he still deserves credit for salvaging valuable points to maintain fourth in the Moto3 standings.

Jacob Roulstone (#12) continued his steady return to form with a solid 12th at Assen. While he knows he has what it takes to battle further up the field, he’ll look to carry this momentum into Germany as he keeps building confidence and consistency.

Aussies Racing Abroad | June 2025

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With many Aussies showcasing their skills abroad in a range of disciplines on-track, our latest column focuses on how they’re faring battling it out, this month we have Miller, Agius, Kelso, Roulstone, Gardner, Bayliss, Power, Lawrence, Cannon and Owens. Words: Ed Stratmann

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Jack Miller began his June with a determined showing at the Aragon round. Despite receiving a long-lap penalty following a second-lap incident with Joan Mir, he fought hard to secure 13th in the Sprint race. Then, in Sunday’s main event, the Australian got off to a strong start, jumping from 14th to 10th on the opening lap. However, as the race wore on, tyre degradation took its toll, and he eventually crossed the line in 14th.

“Not the day we wanted, but we’ll take it. At least we finished with a couple of points. At the beginning I felt I had a good speed, after a few laps I also tried to attack Fabio at turn 12, but it was hard to stop, went a little wide, and from that moment my pace dropped. And it was really difficult to get back to the rhythm. I could see the issues he was having, very similar to mine, and when he lost the bike at turn one, I almost did the same. It was not an easy weekend for us, but that is how it goes sometimes,” he reflected.

Read previous Aussie’s Abroad here...

Venturing to Mugello next, Jack Miller embarked on an early charge from 13th to 10th in the Sprint, but his difficulties with the hard tyre saw him slip back to 16th in the punishing heat. Hoping for a stronger result on Sunday, Miller’s exertions were cut short when a clutch issue forced him to retire on lap 10, just when he was hoping to bag some valuable points.

“Right from the start, the clutch basically burnt itself out as soon as I let it go – even though my launch was good. For the first three laps, it was slipping badly. I was short-shifting everywhere, trying to bring it back to life. It recovered somewhat, but every time I hit a bump, it felt like a kick and threw me wide. I got passed by everyone, and after contact with someone on the first lap, I also lost a wing, which had me wheeling all over the place. Then we had a fuel issue that made the bike even more aggressive. At that point, it was basically unrideable. I tried to keep going, but in the end, I had to retire. It was a tough one, but we‘ll reset and look ahead,” lamented Miller.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Although Senna Agius was left frustrated with 13th in qualifying at Aragon, he produced an admirable comeback in the race, powering through the pack to log an impressive fourth. Showing tremendous maturity and discipline, Agius managed his pace well despite battling tyre issues, turning a challenging start into one of his finest performances of the campaign.

An unsatisfactory qualifying at Mugello saw Senna Agius lose his best lap to a yellow flag, leaving him further down the grid than hoped. Starting 17th, he initially fell back amid the early chaos but rebounded from this adversity by putting in a spirited performance. Surging through the field with a host of commanding overtakes and advancing a hefty ten positions, there was much to like about his efforts in Mugello.

“My race began with a really bad start, and then I was pushed wide by another rider. So, I dropped back to P23 or P24 on the first lap. Then I just tried to make up as many positions as possible until the end. My pace wasn’t bad, but the position doesn’t reflect the step we made today. We have to work on qualifying, that was the big problem this weekend, and it cost us a better result today. I can be a little bit satisfied with the pace at Mugello, but we will start again at Assen, where we will try to get back to a normal position,” Agius told the Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP squad’s website.

Sitting sixth in the Moto2 standings after nine rounds, he’ll be eager for an improved display at the historic Assen.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Joel Kelso kicked off June with another commendable body of work at Aragon, where he battled to find his rhythm. Despite that, he earned a hard-fought seventh to underline his resilience. Given his fierce approach and desire to come out swinging, seeing how he fared at Mugello would be fascinating.

Screenshot

“Difficult weekend for us, we never really found our flow. Seventh is never a result I’m happy with, but this weekend we did a good recovery job. Already looking ahead to Mugello and how I can be best prepared to fight for that win! Let’s keep moving,” he declared.

Despite dealing with a tricky headwind in qualifying at Mugello, the Australian ace managed a solid ninth on the grid to make the most of a difficult session. On race day, he was in the mix early on, but a run-in with Guido Pini disrupted his momentum, limiting his chances of pushing further up the order. Ninth was therefore the best he could salvage under the circumstances.

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Jacob Roulstone began his Aragon in style with a wonderful sixth in qualifying, setting himself up for a productive race. Unfortunately, his encouraging run was cut short by a technical issue beyond his control, forcing him to retire on lap five while running near the front.

Heading to Mugello for the subsequent stop on the calendar, his speed and skill were clear for all to see, with him marauding to fifth in qualifying. Although he 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 valiantly kept pushing to clinch a respectable 13th. He’ll extract the positives and hope to carry his momentum into Assen next weekend.

“To be honest, I think I would have more luck winning the lottery than in that race! I got caught up with two incidents, which I had to avoid, so I lost a lot of positions. I am very disappointed, of course, because I had once again taken a good start, and I was up there with the front group in the first laps. Anyway, we have a lot of positives to take away from this weekend – the pace has been there and the confidence is back, so I just need to keep trying. Luckily, we already have another round coming next week in Assen, so I am just already focused on that one, and hopefully we can finally get a strong finish,” stated a dejected Roulstone.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

While Remy Gardner experienced a turbulent day on Friday at Misano, with two spills scuppering his progress, it was notable how he pulled it all together to bank fifth. Despite a strong qualifying to grab sixth, Gardner annoyingly crashed out of race one while showing excellent speed, with grip issues serving as the catalyst for his misstep. The Australian was keen to make amends and stamp his mark in the Superpole race but failed to translate his pace into a podium, with him ultimately settling for P8.

“Unfortunately the feeling was not too great, but we were still able to battle in the sprint race, trying our best to secure a good result and a decent starting grid position for race two. At the end, we managed to finish eighth, which wasn’t great, but not too bad either. We then tried to improve the performance in the afternoon, but the feeling was not amazing overall, to be honest. It was enough to try to fight with those around, but unfortunately I was hit by another rider, and I couldn’t do anything, and the race was over. Not the way I wanted to finish the weekend, but that’s racing. Let’s try to move on and stay positive for the next rounds,” asserted Gardner.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport

Oli Bayliss endured a rough opening to round six at Misano, sliding from P12 to P18 in race one, as he toiled with the bike throughout the bout, before crossing the line 19th. Although improvement was evident in race two, as he moved from P13 to 11th, a red flag halted his progress to end the race early.

“A step in the right direction today. Made good progress but didn’t have the pace to go in the first couple of laps. After that we kept a nice pace until the red flag,” insisted Bayliss.

His racing for June wasn’t done there, for Bayliss made an impressive BSB debut at Snetterton, enjoying a fantastic weekend and marking the occasion nicely by securing second in the second race aboard the Macadam Triumph Factory Racing steed in place of the injured Max Wadsworth.

“Really happy with my weekend here in Snetterton for the BSB Championship. First of all, I need to thank Dave and the whole Macadam Triumph Factory team for getting me here in the first place and for getting these results, which is a great confidence boost. We finished fourth yesterday and second in the last race, so we’re really happy with that, especially with Luke getting the win too. I had a really great weekend, and we’ll see what happens in the future. Big thank you to the team and all my sponsors,” he commented.

Luke Power – World Supersport

Luke Power experienced a forgettable Misano, with a fall in Friday’s free practice leaving him 28th. He then proceeded to qualify 30th following a crash. Even though he retired in the first race, there was much to like about his race two, where he propelled himself to 18th before a crash cut his race short on lap nine.

“Overall, it was a disappointing weekend. I was quite confident and hopeful of a good result coming into Misano, but sometimes you get weekends like we had. A couple of technical problems and a couple of crashes were not ideal, but in the second race we found a bit of pace and a bit of confidence, which we will take. We had a good round in Phillip Island and a decent round in Most where we showed some speed, so we need to keep the momentum going as we head to Donington. I am looking forward to a smooth weekend in the UK, where we can build from FP1 and everything comes together, and we can show our potential. I am not happy with Misano, but I am motivated for the rest of the season,”explained Power.

Off-Track

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross

Jett Lawrence has been unstoppable in the first four rounds of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross season on his way to reigning supreme to win the overall at each event. In what’s been a phenomenal return from his nasty ACL injury that sidelined him during AMA Supercross, the outrageously talented Aussie has looked a cut above his adversaries, consistently outpacing the field and holding the edge. Firmly established as the title favourite, watch for more as the series resumes at Southwick this weekend.

Here’s what he had to say about his latest victory at High Point: “Another win in the books, but I really had to work for this one! The first moto was decent – I made a few mistakes but was able to capitalise. Then in the second one, it started pouring out of nowhere, and the track soaked up every bit of water – it got slippery really fast. I didn’t get the best start, but I managed to fight through and finished third for the overall win. I’m super-pumped on that, and now I’m looking forward to the break.”

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross

Hunter Lawrence has opened his Pro Motocross crusade with solid 3-5-5-2 results, demonstrating his consistency, racecraft and all-round skills. Returning from a shoulder injury, the elder Lawrence brother is steadily gaining form and confidence. With each round, he’s edging closer to the front and is expected to be a serious contender for wins in the coming weeks.

Having been just one point short of his first 450 overall outdoors win, all eyes will be on the sands of Southwick to see if he can triumph there.

“High Point was a good day – another step forward and definitely better than Thunder Valley. We actually had the overall in our hands, but Jett made his way through a few more guys, and we lost it by just one point – so a little bittersweet, but still a lot of positives to take away. I’m happy heading into the break, and we’ll keep on working,” said the #96 following the recent round.

Jake Cannon – EMX250

Jake Cannon registered his maiden podium finish in the fiercely competitive EMX250 with a brilliant performance in Great Britain. Setting the tone with some handy jumps of the gate, Cannon went 3-3 to claim third overall at the iconic Matterley Basin circuit. It was a breakthrough result for the young Australian, who’s mixed the highs with the lows this crusade.

“I’m very happy with how everything went all day. It started well with P4 in free practice, then sixth in timed practice to give me a good gate pick for the races. That is what has been missing; it’s been my anchor. I took a top-five start, rode to the conditions and got through to second behind my teammate. I had a really nice battle with Reisulis; unfortunately he got me near the end. I always knew I could do it, but it was all in my head. Anyway, it was a nice birthday present for the boss to put us both on the podium today,” recalled Cannon.

Liam Owens – EMX250

June has been a standout month for Liam Owens, who’s rewarded his efforts with quality results. On top of making his MX2 World Championship debut, he crucially delivered a superb fifth overall in EMX250 Latvia, which he backed up by claiming a terrific seventh overall at Matterley Basin in the UK. With momentum building, Owens is clearly heading in a promising direction, as he keeps illustrating his undeniable talent on his Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna machine.

“So yeah, this weekend was nothing to jump and skip about, but it was also not horrible. Riding and speed were there; starts were not, but I did love the jumps. Race one: P7, I came from 16th to 7th. Race two: P7, started just outside the top 10, and my speed was good, but I didn’t make passes happen and ran out of tear-offs. Disappointed in myself, and I will be looking to bounce further up the ladder in the coming rounds,” shared Owens.

“We have a three-week break from racing now after 11 weekends in a row of racing. We will take a breather and then keep on keeping on. Thanks to the whole team for pushing to be their best selves, and see you in Finland.”

 

MotoGP Round 9 Report 2025 | Marc Marquez magical at Mugello

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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

Marc Marquez the famous number 93, took his 93rd victory in Mugello.

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.

Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #12) spoiled Ducati’s opening day party

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.

100 not out. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) has become the first rider ever to reach triple figures and take 100 pole positions.

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

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.441s)
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+2.561s)
  4. Maverick Viñales Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+3.099s)
  5. 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

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati (+1.942s)
  3. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+2.136s)
  4. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo (+5.081s)
  5. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+9.329s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 270
  2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 230
  3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 160
  4. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 128
  5. 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

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
  2. Albert Arenas Italjet Gresini Moto2 (+1.409s)
  3. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO (+3.648s)
  4. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+3.745s)
  5. Celestino Vietti Beta Tools SpeedRS (+3.813s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 143
  2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 134
  3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 103
  4. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 94
  5. 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

  1. Maximo Qulies CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team
  2. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.006s)
  3. Dennis Foggia CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team (+0.066s)
  4. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.102s)
  5. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.212s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 162
  2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 106
  3. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 105
  4. Joel Kelso LEVELUP – MTA – 93
  5. 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.

For current MotoE results, click here...

WorldSBK Round 6 | Razgatlioglu sparkles at Misano

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PitBoard
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WorldSBK Round 6 | Razgatlioglu sparkles at Misano | Over 76,000 fans came out in force at the Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli for the latest MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship round, as the home crowd were treated to an action-packed weekend. Report: WorldSBK/Ed Stratmann

Friday practice
WorldSBK

It wasn’t just the temperatures that were rising at the Misano World Circuit as the pace ramped up in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #11) claiming Friday honours by 0.190s ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team #1). The top two in the standings traded fastest laps throughout the day, with ‘El Turco’ fastest in FP1 and ‘Bulegas’ quickest in FP2, at the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna round.

Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team #5) was an impressive third in FP2, which gave him fourth in the combined classification after setting a 1’33.640s, although it wasn’t enough for third in the combined standings – that belonged to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19) who was fourth in FP2, just 0.014s away from Montella.

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team #87) was the fastest Yamaha rider on Friday through his FP1 effort, with the Australian star losing track time in FP2 after a crash at Turn 3. He was able to rejoin the action in the final minutes of FP2, before he crashed at Turn 13, but his 1’.33.669s gave him P5 overall.

Read our WorldSBK Round Five report here… 

WorldSSP

The FIM Supersport World Championship field popped the cork on Friday’s Tissot Superpole action at a balmy Misano. Taking pole position, Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura #51) was the fastest after the 45 minutes, followed on the timesheet by Mattia Casadei (Motozoo ME Air Racing #40) and Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse #11) in P3.

Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing #23), with his 1’37.395s lap, missed the front row by just four hundredths of a second behind Bendsneyder. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team #61) snagged a second-row spot through his 1’37.513s lap, finishing as top Yamaha in the session.

Saturday
WorldSK
WorldSBK Race 1

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) ran away with P1 as he put distance between himself and rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who finished P2 for his 18th WorldSBK podium. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team #9) held off Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team #22) for P3 in a nail-biting battle for his 19th career podium in the category after Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team #47)’s strong start was ruined by his Lap 2 crash.

Razgatlioglu held onto his P1 grid start as he claimed the holeshot, followed into T1 by Bassani and Bulega; however, the pair of Italians strode past the #1 as he ran wide.

After Bassani disappointingly crashed out of the race, ‘El Turco’ thundered back towards Bulega in P1, overtaking him on Lap 4. The pair from there locked horns as the #1 doggedly defended his P1 to try to win back Championship points. Behind them, Alex Lowes and Petrucci had a protracted duel of their own as they each wanted to claim the final rostrum spot for their own.

In the late running, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha #55) closed the gap to Alex Lowes in P4, nipping at the British rider’s heels as they battled in front of him. In the end, he lacked the pace to fight for P3 as well, finishing top Yamaha in P5.

“This is very good for me. After signing for next year in MotoGP, I’m really happy, but I’m just focused on my job. This weekend is very important for me because we’re still fighting for the title in WorldSBK,” Razgatlioglu said.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.045s
  3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +16.684s
  4. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +16.824s
  5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +17.450s

WorldSSP Race 1

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing #62) took his 50th WorldSSP rostrum, becoming only the third rider to reach this milestone alongside Kenan Sofuoglu (85) and Jules Cluzel (63).

Manzi thundered across the line in the opening race for his 14th career win, and the fourth this year. Rookie Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) struck a late move on Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) to land P2, relegating Oncu to P3 for Masia’s third podium and Oncu’s 20th.

Manzi charged up the grid on the first lap of the race, and after just one lap, Manzi had recovered from his P10 starting position to P3. On lap 5, Oncu made an incisive move to take P1 from Masia, and Manzi followed him through the break, contacting Masia and Oncu as the riders went three wide, relegating Masia to P3. Manzi, shortly after setting up shop in P1, put on a defensive masterclass as Oncu launched assault after assault, and Manzi consistently held his P1 position. A late move by Masia on the race’s final lap cut in on Oncu and shuffled the Turk to the bottom rung of the podium as the Spaniard earned his third career WorldSSP podium.

Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing #69) hung with Schroetter and Debise in front of him for most of the race, as he eventually earned a solid P5.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

  1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)
  2. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.514s
  3. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) +1.518s
  4. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +1.573s
  5. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +1.783s

Sunday
Superpole Race

The final day at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” and the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna round got off to a jaw-dropping start as MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) crashed out from the first two positions. Seizing the opportunity, the #1 topped the podium, followed by Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), who notched his first podium since the Tissot Superpole Race at Jerez 2024, and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha), who earned his first-ever podium at Misano.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) found themselves in the gravel just moments after lights out as Bulega surged up for the holeshot. Bassani lost control of his bike as he lost the front on the inside, and his KB998 Rimini slid into Bulega, ending the race for both of them, and ending a 50-race streak of at least one Ducati on the podium. The incident was investigated by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards, and Bassani was given a double Long Lap Penalty for Race 2 for irresponsible riding at Turn 1.

Toprak cut inside of Bassani as his bike slid out from under him to avoid the danger and cruised home for P1 to give BMW its fifth consecutive podium at Misano, the best streak for a manufacturer since Kawasaki and Rea’s seven-race streak from 2014 to 2017. Joining Razgatllioglu on the podium was Alex Lowes and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) for Bimota’s first podium in 25 years and Locatelli’s 22nd career WorldSBK podium, respectively.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) did well to climb positions as he started in P9, but he was unable to keep up with a strong jump off the line from Alex Lowes and Locatelli, finishing in P4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) gained positions up from his P11 starting position, battling with Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) for stretches of the race reminiscent of the pair’s duels from seasons past to finish in P5.

Superpole Race Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +4.281s
  3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +6.122s
  4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +7.542s
  5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.855s

WorldSBK Race 2

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) landed his ninth season win as he cruised to a Race 2 win by nearly a 10-second margin. Bulega glided up the grid from his P10 grid start for his 15th podium of the season, limiting the damage to his Riders’ Championship lead. His lead now stands at a tenuous nine points ahead of the #1. In third place, Bautista earned his 10th podium of the year; however, his race win drought continues, as he last topped the podium at Aragon Race 2 in 2024.

Toprak flew off the line to claim the holeshot, followed into the first corner by Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha), and that was the closest any other rider got to home in the race. While Locatelli, Alex Lowes and Danilo Petrucci battled in the early running for P2 until Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) shuffled them aside as they tried in vain to catch ‘El Turco’. Toprak held a strong pace all race to cruise to an uncontested race win to complete his second Misano hat-trick in back-to-back years. Bulega and Bautista finished in a lonely P2 and P3, as they had the pace to separate themselves from the riders behind them but lacked the speed to catch the streaking #1.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) won a protracted battle with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) (Barni Spark Racing Team) to claim P4. ‘Petrux’ and Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) gave a sequel to their Race 1 battle for P3, a struggle which Petrucci won, but not without Locatelli, Bulega and Bautista passing the pair, shuffling the #9 to P5.

“I’m really happy because I was pushing really hard this weekend, and I hit my target of winning all three races. In the last race especially, the bike felt much better; we have improved the bike step by step, and it allowed me to settle into my rhythm and have a very strong pace. I’m very happy, last year I had three wins here – and this year I did it again – now I’m looking forward to Donington,” explained Razgatlioglu.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

  1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
  2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +9.685s
  3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +14.438s
  4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +16.752s
  5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +19.273s

Championship Points

  1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 292 points
  2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 283
  3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 179
  4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 172
  5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 157

WorldSSP Race 2

Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) closed out the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna round at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” with a race win over Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) in P2 and P3. Race 2 was the 30th race hosted at the Emilia-Romagna venue. Championship Leader Stefano Manzi crashed out on Turn 16 from P1, as another opportunity to solidify his championship lead was spoilt for the #62, as his lead over Oncu is now cut to 47 points.

Can Oncu and Stefano Manzi brought their Yamaha R1 machines to bear on each other as they battled from lights out. Manzi had established himself in front of Oncu by a slim margin, until a sudden Turn 16 lowside crash saw Oncu sail past him into P1. Several laps later, Japanese rider Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team #27) had a big highside tumble over his handlebars on Turn 14, prompting a red flag and ending the race as it had run more than two-thirds of the distance. Disappointed as they had begun to show pace and looked like they could have given Oncu a run for his money, Jaume Masia and Valentin Debise settled for the second and third spots on the podium.

Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team #65) was in the mood in Race 2, battling with Jaume Masia, Valentin Debise and Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team #52) at different points in the race. He finished in P4 for his second-best finish of the season so far. Alcoba finished in P5, tying his best result of the season, which was earned at Phillip Island Race 2.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

  1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
  2. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.291s
  3. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +0.424s
  4. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.846s
  5. Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) +4.924s

Championship Points

  1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 210 points
  2. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) 163
  3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 156
  4. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) 146
  5. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) 142

WorldSSP300 Race 1

Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki #50) topped the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship podium for the first time in his career at the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna round Race 1. He was followed across the line by Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse #43), who earned his first podium since Portimao 2023, and rounding out the podium was new championship leader Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing #48).

Torres protected his P1 grid start as he claimed the holeshot, with Matteo Vannucci (PATA AG Motorsport Italia WorldSSP300 #91) in P2 all over the Spaniard as he badgered the #47 for P1 in the early running. The pair sparred throughout the first laps, contending with David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI #38), Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing) and Carter Thompson, as the pack of Kawasaki Ninja 400s set their sights on the race win. Thompson’s podium hopes looked to be in dire straits as the Australian had fallen to P7 with just a few laps remaining, but, picking his moment well, the Australian slotted into P1 midway through the last lap, and didn’t leave enough time for any of his competitors to steal it from him for his first WorldSSP300 win of his career. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) chased him across the line for his fourth podium in the category. In P3, Garcia made it 16 races in the points in a row, one point-scoring race shy of the record set by Dorren Loureiro from 2017 to 2018.

Benat Fernandez (Team #109 Retro Traffic Kove #7) had his hopes of a fourth podium snubbed by Championship leader Garcia, shuffling the Kove rider to P4. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) fell to P5 after his P4 grid start, battling for the podium spots throughout the race.

WorldSSP300 Race 1 Results

  1. Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki)
  2. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) +0.338s
  3. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) +0.473s
  4. Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) +0.494s
  5. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) +0.737s

WorldSSP300 Race 2

Benat Fernandez (Team #109 Retro Traffic Kove) slipped by the Championship leader, Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing) on the final straight of the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna round to claim the race win. Fernandez’s win raised his tally to two wins and four podiums in his rookie season so far. Garcia earned his 12th podium to tie Ana Carrasco in WorldSSP300 podiums, and David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) notched his fourth rostrum finish in his two years in the Championship.

Seconds after lights out, a crash between Felix Mulya (ProGP NitiRacing #27) and Emanuele Cazzaniga (Racestar Trasimeno #4) caused a red flag as medical attention was being rendered to Cazzaniga, who was taken to the medical centre before the race restarted over a decreased eight-lap distance.

The race saw a host of different leaders across the shortened distance, as Salvador Garcia and Benat Fernandez all led for stretches of the final lap. Garcia made a late move to brush aside Fernandez, riding defensively to hold off moves, corner after corner, by the Kove rider until a desperate dash to the line on the home straight. In a photo finish, the rookie #7 pipped Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing) by just 0.009s. Behind him, teammate David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) was just behind the two fellow Spaniards ahead of him after overcoming his long-lap penalty, just 0.035s slower than Fernandez in P1.

Antonio Torres (Team ProDina XCI #47) was the odd man off the podium; a shame for him as he rode a strong race but couldn’t fight his way through the three riders ahead of him to get on the podium. Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) was less than 0.05s behind Torres, and despite having led the race for stretches and starting from P1 on the grid, the Aussie was bundled down to P5 by the end of the race.

WorldSSP300 Race 2 Results

1 Benat Fernandez (Team #109 Retro Traffic Kove)
2 Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing) +0.009s
3 David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) +0.026s
4 Antonio Torres (Team ProDina XCI) +0.099s
5 Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) +0.049s

Championship Points

  1. Benat Fernandez (Team #109 Retro Traffic Kove) 134
  2. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing) 133
  3. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) 114
  4. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) 104
  5. Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) 93

How did the Aussies Do?

Despite a strong qualifying to grab sixth and finishing eighth in the Superpole Race, Remy Gardner was frustratingly taken out while showing promising pace early in Race 2 to end his weekend on a low note. Oli Bayliss (#32) had a tough start to round six, dropping from P12 to P18 early in Race 1, as he struggled with the bike throughout the bout, ultimately finishing 19th. Although improvement was evident in Race 2, as he moved from P13 to 11th, a red flag halted his progress to end the race early.

For the full WorldSBK Round 3 results in all classes for all days, click here...

Keith Campbell, Australia’s First Grand Prix World Champion

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The first Australian to win a Grand Prix World Championship on two wheels or four is to be celebrated in a much-awaited biography written by renowned motorcycle racing historian Don Cox. Keith Campbell, Australia’s first Grand Prix World Champion by Don Cox

Campbell secured the 1957 World 350 Championship in his debut season with Moto Guzzi, finishing on the podium at the Isle of Man.
Campbell secured the 1957 World 350 Championship in his debut season with Moto Guzzi, finishing on the podium at the Isle of Man. He was the first Australian to win multiple Grands Prix in a calendar year.

Keith Campbell, Australia’s First Grand Prix World Champion is a terrifically researched 95,000-word account of Campbell’s remarkable career featuring many previously unpublished photographs.

Campbell secured the 1957 World 350 Championship in his debut season with Moto Guzzi, finishing on the podium at the Isle of Man and taking consecutive victories in The Netherlands, Belgium and Northern Ireland. He was the first Australian to win multiple Grands Prix in a calendar year.

Campbell’s world title was the culmination of an eight-year journey from Melbourne teenager welding vacuum-cleaner bodies to finance his racing and solo trips to the famed Isle of Man that launched his career as a Continental Circus rookie at 22 and then successful private entrant.

A fair-minded man, Campbell stood up for proper payment for private riders at the 1955 Dutch TT. Along with other striking riders, he was suspended from racing for six months. Undeterred, he was back racing and winning in 1956, and then piloted Guzzi 350 singles, 500 singles and the fabulous Guzzi 500 V-eight as a factory rider.

Keith Campbell on the 500cc. V8 Moto-Guzzi.

Guzzi’s withdrawal from racing in September 1957 left Campbell without a works ride. He returned to the privateer ranks for 1958 with plans to head home to Melbourne and start a business in 1959. Campbell tragically died in a race accident at Cadours, France, in July 1958.

Former magazine editor Peter Donaldson, and writer and publishing consultant Jamie McIlwraith have read the full text.

Pre order your copy here…

“This is a truly remarkable biography of the racer, businessman and entrepreneur who became Australia’s first motorsport grand prix world champion,” Donaldson said.

“Talent, bravery, speed, smarts and persistence. Australia’s first road-racing World Champion Keith Campbell used all of that to reach the pinnacle of success,” McIlwraith said. “The man behind the legendary Circus Life  history of 1950s’ Aussie international motorcycle racers tells the inspiring yet tragic story of Campbell’s extraordinary career”.

Keith Campbell on a Manx Norton in 1958.

Keith Campbell, Australia’s first Grand Prix World Champion draws on interviews with Keith Campbell’s family, friends, rivals, team mates, helpers and travelling mates, reporters and spectators from the day.

The list of those whom helped contribute to the book includes Jack Ahearn, Keith Bryen, Rod Coleman, Geoff Duke, Keith’s brother George Campbell, key helpers Ron Day and Bob Edmonds, Eric Hinton, Bob Mitchell, Maurie Quincey, John Surtees and Vic Willoughby. Keith Campbell, Australia’s first Grand Prix World Champion is due for release in mid-2025.

Expressions of interest to KRCampbellbook@gmail.com  or KR Campbell Book, PO Box 356 Haberfield NSW 2045

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