MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, the South Australian Government and the City of Adelaide announced today that the Australian Grand Prix will be hosted on a city centre circuit in Adelaide from 2027. The six‑year agreement begins next season and will see MotoGP race at the Adelaide Street Circuit until 2032 inclusive. This landmark event will be the first MotoGP Grand Prix to be held in a city‑centre location – with the uncompromised safety standards required in the modern era of the sport.

The circuit layout was unveiled in Adelaide on Thursday 19 February in front of national media by MotoGP Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta and Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas. It was confirmed that the inaugural Australian GP in Adelaide will be held across three days in November 2027. The circuit will be approximately 4.195 km long with 18 corners winding through the city streets, enabling riders to reach speeds of more than 340 km/h.

The track design follows the blueprint of the famous Adelaide Street Circuit that hosted Formula 1 events between 1985 and 1995, with the significant adjustments required to ensure rider safety remains the number‑one priority. The city’s layout, culture and passion for major events make Adelaide the perfect home for a premium, festival‑style urban Grand Prix – providing a unique opportunity to elevate the fan experience to a new level.

MotoGP Chief Sporting Officer, Carlos Ezpeleta, said: “Bringing MotoGP to Adelaide marks a major milestone in the evolution of our championship. This city has a world‑class reputation for hosting major sporting events, and the opportunity to design a purpose‑built circuit in the city streets is something truly unique in our sport.

“From the very beginning, together with the FIM, we made sure that safety remained uncompromised – every element of the Adelaide Street Circuit has been engineered to meet the highest standards of modern MotoGP, ensuring riders can race at full intensity with complete confidence.

“Adelaide’s commitment to major events makes it the perfect home for MotoGP’s next chapter in Australia. We’re incredibly excited to showcase a new style of racing here and to create a true celebration of our sport that brings fans even closer to the action.

“This partnership represents bold ambition from both MotoGP and Australia – and we couldn’t be prouder to begin this journey together.”

The Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, added: “This is a major coup for South Australia and yet more evidence our state has real momentum. “We are now competing with the rest of the nation for the world’s best events – and winning. Hosting the world’s first MotoGP race on a street circuit will give Adelaide a truly unique offering that is sure to attract visitors from interstate and overseas.

“This is about so much more than a world‑class motorsport event – it’s about generating economic activity for our state, supporting jobs, and putting South Australia on the global stage.

“We back major events that deliver a strong economic return, and MotoGP does exactly that. MotoGP is growing globally at record pace – and Adelaide will now be a key part of that growth story.”

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On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Retained by Yamaha for 2026, Jack Miller returned to the V4-powered M1 during the Valencia MotoGP Test following the season finale, as he and his fellow Yamaha riders face the seriously tough challenge of helping shape Yamaha’s V4 project.

Read last month’s Aussies Racing Abroad here…

First on track after a delayed start, Miller completed an important 51 laps and finished 20th. “It was a busy day. I did a lot of laps. I was shaking down the new bike and trying to understand it. Trying to make some headway in the development. We have got some work ahead of us, but I am not afraid of a little work,” he insisted.

One of the key learnings was the Australian ace identifying the electronics as an area needing attention. “Electronics still need a lot of work, as we still have to deal with the same problems as last year when I got on the M1 at this juncture, so the acceleration and progression,” he told GPOne.

“In terms of traction control, we are not in bad shape. It’s just the way it works. We have to find a way to get a better delivery and allow the bike to be fluid and not skate as soon as you go on the gas.”

He then resumed action on Wednesday for a private test with Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins and Toprak Razgatlioglu, which was also crucial to log some more data and extract some further insight for future reference.

“Today was about gaining experience on the bike. We have some clear issues we need to work on. Going into tomorrow, we have some items to try to fix the issues and give us as much speed back as possible before the break. The engineers will go away and try to come up with some solutions over winter and bring us some developments come Malaysia,”commented Miller.

While there’s still plenty of work to be done, the immensely experienced Miller’s feedback will continue to be vital in the bike’s development in their quest to enjoy a strong 2026 campaign.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

While Joel Kelso’s move to the MLav Racing Team was announced back in September, it’ll be fascinating to see how he fares following another largely positive season in Moto3, which saw him grab his best finish yet of sixth in the final championship standings.

“I can’t wait to get started and to deliver strong and consistent results. It’s a new challenge on the Honda, which I believe will be a great experience. I’m pleased to have my future secured for the next two years, and I’m looking forward to working hard with the team to build this project up,” stated Kelso.

“Having Joel on board is a major step forward for us. He brings proven speed, experience and the determination of a front runner eager to keep progressing at the highest level. His arrival underlines our long-term commitment to strengthening this project,” explained the team.

Clinching 16 top 10 finishes and six top fives last term, it’s been terrific to see him already make a fast start to life in new colours, for he impressively set the fastest time on day two of testing in Jerez on his very first outing with the Honda. Now entering his fourth season in the lightweight class, riding for his fourth different team, Kelso boasts the potential to be a legit title contender in 2026, which will be another massive year for the gifted maestro.

Jacob Roulstone

After Red Bull Tech Moto chose not to renew his contract for 2026, Jacob Roulstone was on the hunt for a new ride. Fortunately, he’s found one, with the talented Aussie confirming he’ll race for Team Ciatti Boscoscuro in the 2026 FIM Moto2 European Championship within the FIM Junior GP World Championship framework.

This transition represents an intriguing step, with him going from the 250cc lightweight bikes to the larger 765cc bikes. “The opportunity to progress to a Moto2 machine is one I am definitely ready for, and doing it in partnership with an experienced and professional team like Team Ciatti is fantastic,” said Roulstone.

“To finally be in a position to confirm my plans for next season brings a real sense of a new door opening, and that fuels my motivation. My focus during the off-season is to ensure I am 100 per cent ready to tackle the demands of this new championship.”

With a pre-season neck injury derailing Roulstone’s 2025 campaign and a late-season broken hand ending his hopes of keeping his Red Bull KTM Tech3 seat, this is an outstanding opportunity for the youngster. All his energy will now be channelled to preparation for this new chapter in the seven-round FIM Moto2 European Championship, which visits Catalunya, Estoril, Jerez, Magny-Cours, Aragon, Misano and Valencia.

Jacob has also signed to race ASBK Superbike on the Motocity Wollongong Honda CBR1000RR-R Superbike for 2026.

Jacob Roulstone “Excited for this new challenge. Huge thanks to Motocity and Honda Australia for giving me this opportunity. Can’t wait to get on the bike very soon.”

Marcus Hamod “Really happy to announce the move to superbikes full time next year with Motocity and the support from Honda Australia. Can’t wait to get started, can’t thank everyone involved enough for the opportunity.”

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

While injury prevented Remy Gardner from participating in the Jerez test due to a shoulder ailment sustained in a training incident, the Australian pilot is now fully locked in on recovering as soon as possible to start getting ready for 2026.

Finishing the crusade 11th in the standings, having banked a memorable podium in Assen and a host of top 10s, the former Moto2 World Champion, who signed a two-year contract extension with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, will be looking for more in 2026. Excited at signing his new deal a few months back, the classy Gardner knows there’s huge scope for improvement.

“I am happy to be continuing with Yamaha in WorldSBK. Our journey together so far has been good, but I still feel that we are only scratching the surface of what we can achieve. We’ve shown that when everything comes together, we can be quick and fight for the podium. My target is to do this more consistently over the remainder of the 2025 season and look towards taking a further step in 2026,” he acknowledged.

Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Sporting Manager, Nicolo Canepa, then added: “Remy has become a valuable member of our line-up over the last few years, not just through his speed and potential, but also his ability to give detailed feedback, which proves useful to our engineers as we look to continue developing the R1 in WorldSBK. We have already seen he can fight for the podium, and the target is to be more consistent in this goal towards the end of this season and then build on this for next year.”

Archie McDonald – 2026 Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup

After two consecutive seasons balancing racing commitments across the ASBK Australian Superbike Championship and European competition, Joe Rascal Racing has announced Archie McDonald as its first rider signing for the 2026 Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup.

McDonald, 19, arrives with an impressive resume, having already claimed five Australian Flat Track Championship titles to accompany the aforementioned. Widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest rising talents, he embarks on this exciting adventure right as the team builds toward its 2026 campaign.

The squad expects McDonald’s combination of pace and racecraft to translate well to the Bagger World Cup, with confidence high that he can be a regular front-runner. The championship gets underway at the Americas Grand Prix, with the opening round scheduled for March 27-29.

Off-Track
Jett Lawrence – AMA Supercross

Jett Lawrence and HRC have confirmed that the Australian suffered a fractured right ankle/foot in a practice crash last Friday at the Dog Pound in Florida. Lawrence immediately underwent surgery to repair fractures to the talus and navicular bones and is expected to be sidelined for at least three months. The devastating injury ends his AMA Supercross title ambitions before the season begins, but he’s hoping to be back in time to defend his AMA Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross crowns.

The 22-year-old phenom, who owns 10 AMA championships, will now switch his focus to his recovery and getting back out there sooner rather than later.

“Words can’t describe how I’m feeling right now,” Lawrence reflected. “The team and I put in so much work during the off-season to improve. I keep reminding myself that we have overcome challenges before, and this is no different. I’ll put the same focus into my recovery that I put into being the best athlete I can be each day. My goal is to get this ankle fully healed up and return as competitive as ever and make the 2026 season as successful as we can.”

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | December 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

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.

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.

Purchase your signed copy for $50 plus shipping by emailing your details to krcampbellbook@gmail.com

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

The post Available Now! Keith Campbell, Australia’s first Grand Prix World Champion by Don Cox, $50 + Delivery for a signed copy! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Doctors had considered surgery as an option from the beginning, depending on how Márquez’s shoulder responded to conservative treatment. When the follow-up scans and clinical tests showed limited improvement, the decision was made to proceed with an operation to ensure complete recovery and avoid future complications. The procedure, performed on Friday, was described as a success, with no reported issues during surgery or early recovery.The operation marks the latest setback in what had otherwise been a dominant season for Márquez. After clinching his first MotoGP title with Ducati and his ninth world crown overall, the Spaniard sustained the injury during the Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika. While he managed to finish the weekend, post-race discomfort and swelling led to the diagnosis of a small fracture at the base of the coracoid process and associated ligament damage.Following the initial assessment, Márquez’s doctors prescribed immobilisation and rest, ruling him out of the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix. The hope was that the fracture would stabilise naturally without surgical intervention, but a lack of sufficient bone consolidation prompted the change of approach.Now recovering at home in Madrid, Márquez will begin a carefully monitored rehabilitation program over the coming weeks. The length of his recovery will depend on how quickly the shoulder heals and regains strength, with medical staff scheduling regular check-ups to track progress. Ducati officials confirmed that no specific return date has been set, though the rider is expected to miss at least the next two rounds.In a brief statement issued through his management team, Márquez expressed relief that the procedure went well and confidence in the recovery plan. “The operation was successful and everything is fine. Now it’s time to rest and follow the doctors’ instructions step by step,” he said. “The goal is to come back when I’m completely fit. I want to thank everyone for their messages and the team for their support.”Márquez’s absence leaves Ducati to rely on teammate Francesco Bagnaia and test rider Michele Pirro for the remaining flyaway races. Despite the frustration of ending his title-winning season on the sidelines, the 32-year-old remains focused on long-term health and being fully prepared for the 2026 campaign.

The post Marc Márquez Undergoes Successful Shoulder Surgery in Madrid appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

THE AUSSIE FOUR!

Moto2 will see the championship blown wide open after points leader Manuel Gonzalez was disqualified post-race in Indonesia, shrinking his lead to just nine points over Diogo Moreira. Aussie Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) will also be one to watch, chasing a repeat of his 2024 Island podium.In Moto3, World Champion Jose Antonio Rueda may have wrapped up the title early, but all eyes will be on the local stars — Joel Kelso and Jacob Roulstone — as they aim to thrill the home crowd and keep the Aussie flag flying high.

When MotoGP comes to Phillip Island, nothing is predictable — except that it will be fast, fierce, and utterly unmissable.

The post MotoGP Down Under | Phillip Island Set for 2025 Showdown appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Well, that was fun. After a mad dash for Q2 in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, there was lots to talk about on Friday. Despite two crashes in FP1, it was Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) who headed into Saturday as the rider to beat. The Italian denied Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) the top spot in Practice, with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) claiming a late P3 after sitting outside the top 10 for most of the hour-long stint.

Read our previous MotoGP reports here… 

The trials and tribulations of Barcelona and Misano now seem like distant memories for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team #63) as the double MotoGP World Champion snatched pole position at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, continuing a weekend that saw him back to his best. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) put in a stunner to run the #63 close in the battle for pole too, right in contention but forced to settle for second. Still, that equals his best ever qualifying in MotoGP. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, completed the front row at Motegi as he faced down championship point on Sunday.

Moto2

Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) just edged out home hero Ayumu Sasaki (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP #71) on Friday in Japan, taking to the top in Moto2 Practice by a tenth and a half late on after the #71 set the pace for much of the session. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #18) completed the top three, earning a place after the session following a tyre pressure infringement that scrubbed off the best lap for Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #28). Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) hit back in style in Japan, taking pole to lead a duo of rookies as closest challenger Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) was forced to settle for fifth.

Moto3

David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #64) took top honours on Friday, edging out Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) by over a tenth and a half – a similar gap to the one behind the duo to the chasing pack. That pack was led by home hero Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #6), who suffered a crash but then headed back out to improve his best lap time.

Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was back on top at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, taking pole position by just under a quarter of a second as he looked to hammer home his advantage ahead of a looming championship point in Indonesia. Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73) impressed once more to take second place following his pole in Misano, with Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA #66) completing the front row after getting denied late on.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) stormed back to the top with a dominant win in the Tissot Sprint at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan. The reigning double World Champion led from lights to flag, beating teammate Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) by 1.8 seconds to claim his first Sprint victory of the season. Marquez’s P2 result was a major boost in his bid for the 2025 MotoGP title, especially with Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73) finishing P10 and scoring no points. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) rounded out the podium after a dramatic day.

The race began with Bagnaia grabbing the holeshot from pole. Behind him, chaos unfolded at Turn 1 as Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin (#1) (both Aprilia Racing) crashed out. Martin’s fall, caused by a braking error, resulted in a broken collarbone that ruled him out of Sunday’s race. Early on, Acosta overtook Marc Marquez and then Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) for P2. Meanwhile, Bagnaia began to pull away, building a gap of 1.6 seconds by Lap 6. Marquez struggled initially to pass Mir, but an aggressive move at Turn 10 pushed him into P3 with four laps to go.

Three laps from the end, Turn 10 was the scene again as Marquez lunged past Acosta for second. Alex Marquez, meanwhile, faded to P10, just behind home hero Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team #79), dealing a blow to his slim title hopes. Bagnaia maintained a commanding pace, leading by 2.4s at the start of the final lap. He crossed the line comfortably ahead of Marquez, with Acosta just holding off Mir for P3 by 0.6s.

Mir’s P4 marked a strong showing for HRC on home soil, while Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #21) rounded out the top five. With the title now firmly within reach, Marquez could clinch it on Sunday – but Saturday belonged to Bagnaia.

“I’m back to doing my favourite races, starting well and pushing and not fighting from behind,” Bagnaia stated.

Tissot Sprint Race Results

1. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
2. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo (+1.842s)
3. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+3.674s)
4. Joan Mir Honda HRC Castrol (+4.300s)
5. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+5.130s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) returned to winning ways at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, overcoming pressure and technical concerns to take the Grand Prix victory. Despite small puffs of smoke emerging from his bike late in the race, Bagnaia stayed composed and secured his first double win of the season. Behind him, teammate Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) made history by clinching his seventh MotoGP World Championship with a solid second-place finish. This marked an incredible comeback after 2,184 days since his last premier class title, making it one of the greatest returns in sports history.

Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) completed the podium, achieving his first MotoGP podium since 2021 and delivering Honda a home crowd celebration. Mir’s performance capped off a remarkable day at Motegi, adding to the race’s memorable moments. At the start, Bagnaia launched well from pole and took the holeshot ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with Marquez holding third. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) began in seventh, just behind Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing). By Lap 2, Bagnaia led Acosta by 0.7 seconds, while Mir had recovered to fourth after dropping to sixth on the opening lap. Lap 3 saw Bagnaia extend his lead to 1.2 seconds, with Marquez closely following in third.

An early retirement for Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol #10) left Mir as Honda’s main podium hope, closing in behind Marquez by less than half a second. By Lap 6, Bagnaia’s lead stretched past two seconds, while Mir began closing the gap to Marquez after some small errors from the championship contender. On Lap 11, Marquez overtook Acosta for second and set a pace close to Bagnaia’s, who was 3.7 seconds ahead by Lap 13. Mir continued to pressure Acosta, with Bezzecchi eyeing a podium in fourth.

Mir eventually passed Acosta on Lap 16, as smoke appeared again from Bagnaia’s Ducati. Though concerning, the issue did not slow Bagnaia significantly, and he maintained a 4.1 second lead. Acosta’s challenge faded as Bezzecchi and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) passed him. With seven laps to go, Marquez was in position to secure the title, sitting comfortably in second while Mir held third.

Bagnaia’s bike emitted more smoke with four laps remaining, and his lead began to shrink to 2.8 seconds. Despite this, Bagnaia remained unaware and focused. Two laps from the finish, he led Marquez by two seconds. On the final lap, with no threat from behind, Marquez guided it home to second, sealing the championship. Bagnaia crossed the line first, proving he’s back at his best, while Mir secured third for Honda. Bezzecchi finished fourth, just ahead of Morbidelli, showing progress for Aprilia and the VR46 squad.

Marquez’s seventh MotoGP title marks a triumphant end to years of struggle, surgeries and determination – the longest gap between premier class crowns in history. Meanwhile, Bagnaia’s win confirms his return to form, setting the stage for next season’s battles.

“I don’t want to take any spotlight from Marc, he deserves the spotlight today,” Bagnaia said. “In any case I’m happy, it’s just a shame that it happened now. But happy for the weekend and performance, and I hope from now on I will continue in this way because like this, I can fight.”

MotoGP Race Results

1. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo
2. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo (+4.196s)
3. Joan Mir Honda HRC Castrol (+6.858s)
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+10.128s)
5. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+10.421s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 541
2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 340
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 274
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 242
5. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati – 196

Moto2

Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team #27) delivered a commanding performance to claim his second win of his rookie season at Motegi. Taking the lead on Lap 2, Holgado pulled away to finish ahead of Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). Title leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) faced challenges after serving a Long Lap Penalty for a collision with Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team #13), but still maintained a 34-point lead heading to Indonesia by finishing fifth.

Moreira had an explosive start, jumping from fifth to lead through Turns 1 and 2, overtaking Holgado, who initially had the holeshot. Gonzalez, the polesitter, struggled early and dropped to ninth by the end of the first lap. On Lap 2, Holgado reclaimed the lead from Moreira, who was closely followed by Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #14) and Dixon. Gonzalez fought with Vietti on Lap 4, but their battle ended with a crash at Turn 10, forcing Vietti out and earning Gonzalez a Long Lap Penalty. Moreira’s early momentum faded as he lost places to Arbolino and Dixon, while Holgado pulled ahead by more than three seconds.

After serving his penalty, Gonzalez dropped from seventh to ninth, with Moreira in fourth but under pressure from David Alonso (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team #80). Dixon took second on Lap 10, trailing Holgado by over four seconds. With five laps remaining, Moreira overtook Arbolino, but Alonso soon moved into fourth. Gonzalez mounted a comeback, advancing to fifth by the penultimate lap. Holgado remained untouchable for the win, with Dixon second and Moreira holding off Alonso for third. Gonzalez finished fifth, maintaining his championship lead, but Moreira narrowed the gap by five points.

Moto2 Race Results

1. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team
2. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing (+1.304s)
3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+5.943s)
4. David Alonso CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team (+5.985s)
5. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+8.426s)

Moto2 Championship Points

1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 238
2. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 204
3. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 189
4. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 182
5. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 172

Moto3

Fortune favoured the brave at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan as David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) took a commanding Moto3 victory in tricky conditions. Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) delivered a late-race surge to finish second, keeping his championship hopes alive heading to Indonesia, while Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) held off Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) for third, securing his eighth podium of the year.

Rueda and Perrone made strong starts from the front row, with Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) charging to an early third on home soil. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA), Muñoz, Quiles and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) worked their way through the pack. On Lap 2, Kelso passed Rueda for the lead, followed by Muñoz, while Quiles and Perrone pushed Rueda down to fifth. David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22), starting from the back, set the fastest lap and joined the leaders.

Rain spots added spice as the lead changed hands frequently. Quiles grabbed the lead on Lap 4, but Kelso’s charge faltered after contact with Almansa at Turn 10, dropping him outside the top 10. By Lap 8, Muñoz led by a second, with rain intensifying and the group splitting. Championship rivals Rueda and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36) found themselves further back in ninth and tenth. Furusato crashed out twice, ending hopes of a home podium. With six laps left, Muñoz led Perrone by 1.5 seconds, with Quiles close behind. Rueda fought his way into the top five amid battles with Leopard teammates.

Drama struck as Piqueras crashed but remained in the points, while Almansa’s crash ended his impressive run. In the final laps, Rueda snatched second from Quiles, who held off a late attack from Perrone to take third. Muñoz claimed a stunning third win of the season, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) fourth and home favourite Ryusei Yamanaka (Honda Team Asia) sixth.

Moto3 Race Results

1. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
2. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+1.618s)
3. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (+2.203s)
4. Valentin Perrone Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+2.336s)
5. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing (+3.853s)

Moto3 Championship Points

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 315
2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 222
3. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 204
4. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 197
5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 157

How Did the Aussies Do?

It was a tough weekend for Jack Miller (#43) at Motegi. He showed promise in the Sprint, charging from 14th on the grid to nearly crack the top ten before crashing on the final lap while running 11th. Unfortunately, Sunday was even harsher, as he was forced to retire just three laps from the finish after his chain snapped. Senna Agius’ (#81) Motegi certainly didn’t go as planned, for after struggling all weekend, he frustratingly crashed in the race on lap three to end an unsatisfactory round.

Following his brilliant P3 in qualifying, Aussie flyer Joel Kelso recorded a strong eighth in the race despite an untimely contact with Almansa and the rain hindering him from finishing higher. Despite starting 20th, Jacob Roulstone (#12) put in an admirable effort in the main race, fighting his way back to 13th despite being involved in an early incident that dropped him to the back of the field.

The post MotoGP Round 17 2025 Report | Pecco Bagnaia secures double, MM#93 World Champ! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying

MotoGP

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

Read our previous MotoGP reports here…

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

Moto2

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

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

Moto3

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

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

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tissot Sprint Race Results

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

Sunday
MotoGP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MotoGP Race Results

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

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

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

Moto2

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

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

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

Moto2 Race Results

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

Moto2 Championship Points

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

Moto3

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

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

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

Moto3 Race Results

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

Moto3 Championship Points

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

MotoE

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

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

MotoE Race 1 Results

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

MotoE Race 2 Results

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

MotoE Championship Points

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

How Did the Aussies Do?

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

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

The post MotoGP Round 16 2025 Report | Marc Marquez holds off Bezzecchi at Misano appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Not a bad day at the office for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Brad Binder (#33), closely followed by Pedro Acosta (#37), led a very competitive and closely fought MotoGP field on Friday at the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalonia. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73) acted as the Austrian factory’s closest challenger in P3.

Read our previous MotoGP reports here…

How about that for a qualifying session? Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #93) clinched pole position at the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalonia with a simply stunning new all-time lap record. The #73’s final sector was mega, as his 1:37.536 was plenty good enough to beat second place Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP #20), with the Frenchman coming through Q1 to stick his Yamaha on the front row.

Moto2

Leading the Moto2 charge, Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego #44) stole the show on Friday in Barcelona with a late lap that was enough to slot him nicely into P1, less than a tenth ahead of Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Impulse Aspar Team #27). The Spaniard, who was originally leading going into the closing moments, finished ahead of first Boscoscuro Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) as the Brit completed the top three.

After some impressive pace on Friday, Dani Holgado (CFMoto Impulse Aspar Team) backed it up on Saturday with a new lap record for his first pole position in Moto2. Fellow rookie Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo #95) continued his recent form as well to take a first front row in the class, with the two debutants split by Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in second.

Moto3

Valentin Perrone’s (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73) 1:47.584 saw the Argentine rookie front the Moto3 field in Practice at the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalonia, but it wasn’t by much. A late lap from David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #64) propelled the Spaniard into P2, 0.096s off Perrone, while David Almansa (Leopard Racing #22) collected a Friday P3.

David Almansa left it late to fire himself into pole position for the first time in his Moto3 career. The Spaniard will have a clear view down to Turn 1 and was the only rider able to dip into the 1’46s, with a 1’46.877 good enough to see him clear of Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA #66) and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36).

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Marc Marquez’s unbeaten Sprint run continued at the Catalan GP – but only after a dramatic crash from Alex Marquez handed him victory. Alex had pulled over a second clear when he lost the front at Turn 10 with just four laps remaining. Fabio Quartararo finished 1.2s behind to claim second, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina VR46 Ducati #49) completing the podium after escaping a fierce KTM scrap.

Alex Marquez led early after a strong launch, as Quartararo, Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta diced behind. An intense opening lap saw multiple lead changes before Marc Marquez reclaimed second and began hunting down his brother. As the race settled, Quartararo and Marc Marquez chipped away at Alex’s lead, but the #73 looked in control – until disaster struck. Marc Marquez inherited the lead and never looked back, securing his 14th Sprint win of the year.

Behind the podium trio, Acosta edged Bastianini and Binder in a thrilling finish, the trio covered by just 0.075s across the line.

“I’m happy for my victory for the Ducati team and we won the Constructors’ Championship, but unfortunately Alex crashed,” Marc Marquez explained. “I already gave up because he was faster than me, and when I gave up, maybe he relaxed a bit too much, and he crashed at Turn 10. He will have another chance tomorrow because he has the best pace, but we are happy at a circuit where we are struggling. I was a bit on the limit.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Fabio Quartararo Monster Yamaha (+1.299s)
3. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+3.653s)
4. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+5.868s)
5. Enea Bastianini Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+5.913s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Alex Marquez banished his Sprint demons with a phenomenal victory at the Monster Energy Grand Prix of Catalonia, fending off brother Marc Marquez to claim a sensational home win. The #93’s unbeaten Sunday run ended, but P2 extended the title race to at least Japan. Enea Bastianini secured his first Sunday podium with KTM in P3.

Marc got the holeshot from P3, leading into Turn 1, while Pedro Acosta launched into third. Quartararo slotted into fourth, ahead of Bastianini. But on Lap 2, chaos hit: Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) clipped Morbidelli (#21) and crashed, with Di Giannantonio going down moments later trying to avoid him – both out of podium contention.

Alex Marquez took the lead on Lap 4 with a decisive Turn 1 move, and behind him, Marc had Bastianini and Acosta in close pursuit. Meanwhile, Binder crashed out from P10 on Lap 7, as Pecco Bagnaia surged from P22 to P8 by Lap 8, which was an impressive recovery. By Lap 10, the top four had pulled 2.1s clear. Bastianini moved past Acosta into P3 and began closing on Marc Marquez, cutting the gap to 0.8s.

As the race wore on, Acosta faded and eventually lost touch with the podium fight. By Lap 19, the stage was set for an epic Marquez showdown. But a couple of mistakes from Marc on Lap 20 gave Alex a gap of 0.8s – then 1.3s with two laps to go. Alex held his nerve, conquered his Turn 10 demons from Saturday and crossed the line 1.7s clear for his second MotoGP win – and a very special one on home soil. Marc settled for P2, proud to share the podium with his brother in a Marquez 1-2. Bastianini claimed a hard-earned P3.

Acosta secured P4, while Quartararo won the fight for fifth. Rookie Ai Ogura (#79) charged late to bank his best MotoGP result yet in P6.

“It feels so good. It’s true that I have in my head a little bit the race from yesterday, but when I was there on the bike, I said ‘this one needs to be with me’ so I just needed to push all the race and manage the tyres. With six, seven [laps] to the end, it was the time to see if I had something. I was able to make good lap times in that moment,” Alex Marquez explained.

MotoGP Race Results

1. Alex Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati
2. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo (+1.740s)
3. Enea Bastianini Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+5.562s)
4. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+13.373s)
5. Fabio Quartararo Monster Yamaha (+14.409s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 487
2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 305
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 237
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 197
5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM – 183

Moto2

Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Aspar Team) led every lap of the Catalan GP to take his first Moto2 victory in commanding style. The pole-sitter blasted off the line and never looked back to become the ninth different winner of the season. Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing) returned to the podium in second, while wildcard Daniel Muñoz (#17) stunned with a maiden P3 finish.

Holgado got the holeshot and immediately opened a gap to Dixon. Turn 4 claimed Filip Salač (ELF Marc VDS #12), who was forced wide into the gravel, while Ayumu Sasaki (RW-Idrofoglia #71) crashed out on the opening lap. By Lap 3, Holgado led Dixon, with Muñoz charging in third ahead of Izan Guevara (#28) and Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (#18).

Muñoz made his move on Dixon at Turn 1 on Lap 6 to take second. Behind, Jorge Navarro (#9) wiped out Salač at Turn 1, while Aron Canet crashed at Turn 7 to put a nasty dent in his title hopes. Gonzalez and Guevara battled hard for fourth, swapping positions on Laps 16 and 17 before Gonzalez made it stick. He sat in a strong P4 as Holgado stretched a 2.5s gap up front. On the penultimate lap, Dixon reclaimed second from Muñoz at Turn 1, holding the place to the flag. Muñoz, subbing for Deniz Öncü, held on for a remarkable debut podium. Further back, Diogo Moreira’s (#10) weekend worsened with a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding track limits, thus meaning he finished outside of the points.

For Aspar, it was a back-to-back debut win – this time from the other side of the garage. Holgado’s lights-to-flag masterclass was a career milestone. Dixon earned a solid P2, Muñoz celebrated a shock podium and Gonzalez extended his title lead with P4, just ahead of a season-best fifth for Guevara.

Moto2 Race Results

1. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team
2. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing (+2.500s)
3. Daniel Munoz Red Bull KTM Ajo (+3.119s)
4. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+4.497s)
5. Izan Guevara BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 (+5.859s)

Moto2 Championship Points

1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 217
2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 179
3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 175
4. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 153
5. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 152

Moto3

A crucial win in the title race. Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) emerged victorious from an intense Moto3 battle in Barcelona, cutting five points from José Antonio Rueda’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99) championship lead. Despite a Long Lap penalty, Rueda recovered brilliantly to finish P2. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) was passed at the final corner but held on for P3 – his second podium of the season.

From his maiden pole, David Almansa led into Turn 1, as Maximo Quiles (#28) jumped from P9 to P4. Piqueras dropped to P6, while Rueda took his penalty on Lap 3, falling from P5 to P15. By Lap 4, Piqueras was up to P3, as Rueda clawed back to P10 and rejoined the lead group. Almansa continued to lead a 14-rider freight train until Lap 9, when Quiles briefly hit the front before Almansa and Piqueras retaliated. Rueda moved into the lead on Lap 11, but Quiles ran wide at Turn 1, tumbling to P14.

With four laps to go, Rueda had a 0.5s lead over a chasing pack of Almansa, Piqueras, Adrian Fernandez (#31), Furusato and a charging Ryusei Yamanaka (#6), who’d started from the back. Two laps from the end, the top ten were locked together. On the final lap, Piqueras took the lead at Turn 1. Rueda dropped to P4 after a failed Turn 5 lunge but pulled off a bold final-corner move to snatch P2 from Furusato. But the win belonged to Piqueras – a vital one for the championship. Furusato held P3, with Almansa and Fernandez just missing the podium in P4 and P5.

Moto3 Race Results

1. Angel Piqueras FRINSA -MT Helmets – MSI
2. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+0.081s)
3. Taiyo Furusato Honda Team Asia (+0.156s)
4. David Almansa Leopard Racing (+0.229s)
5. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing (+0.542s)

Moto3 Championship Points

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 270
2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 206
3. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 168
4. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 163
5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 149

How Did the Aussies Do?

Starting 14th and finishing 12th in the Sprint, Jack Miller (#43) was content with his Saturday effort, where he showed excellent pace and engaged in some fierce battles throughout. Then in the main race, Miller recovered from early adversity to secure 14th, fighting his way back into the points after being pushed wide by Brad Binder on the opening lap, which dropped him to the back of the field.

Although Senna Agius (#81) banked an admirable P8 in qualifying after having his best lap cancelled, a poor start, grip issues and a Long Lap Penalty ensured 14th was the best he could muster on his return from his heavy crash in Austria. Rocketing to P2 on the grid in qualifying set Joel Kelso up superbly for a strong race. Frustratingly, he couldn’t translate that pace into the race itself, dropping as far back as 14th before admirably recovering to secure P7. Starting the race from P11 on the grid, Jacob Roulstone’s (#12) round was disappointingly ended prematurely when a technical issue forced him to retire.

The post MotoGP Round 15 2025 Report | Alex Marquez fends off Marc to win in Barcelona appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

0.006s was the gap splitting Friday pacesetter Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team #93) after an intriguing opening day of action at Balaton Park, as Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #73) closed out the top three in Practice at the Michelin Grand Prix of Hungary.

Read our previous MotoGP articles here…

The first ever MotoGP qualifying session at Balaton Park threw up some drama and surprises, as the grid was set to stage two intriguing showdowns. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) started from the front with a new lap record, while his closest challenger to that point, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory), crashed out.

Moto2

Day 1 was in the history books as the field hit Balaton in Hungary for the first hurdle of the weekend: getting into Q2 directly from Friday afternoon Practice. Heading the charge, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) began his weekend off strongly and aimed to cut more points out of his deficit in the standings.

Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) then headed the grid in Hungary as the Brazilian’s impressive form rolled on, taking pole by just 0.050 ahead of Zonta van den Goorbergh (RW – Idrofoglia Racing GP #84). Points leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #18) completed the front row, pipping Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) by just 0.001.

Moto3

A 1:46.448 saw Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) clinch Friday’s Moto3 honours at Balaton Park, and the rookie topped the standings by some margin too. 0.297s was the gap back to second place Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73), while Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #94) made it a rookie 1-2-3 in Hungary.

A tense tussle for pole position eventually saw Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) bank pole at Balaton Park, denying Austria polesitter Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and last week’s winner Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36) as they joined him on the front row.

Full practice and qualifying results, click here…

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) continued his dominant 2025 Sprint form, taking his 13th win in 14 rounds with a commanding performance in Hungary. The #93 avoided Turn 1 chaos and never looked back, finishing two seconds ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing), with teammate Franco Morbidelli completing the podium.

Starting from pole, Marquez launched cleanly into the lead. Behind him, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha #20) misjudged the Turn 1 braking zone and collided with Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #23). Quartararo crashed out, while Bastianini stayed upright but dropped to P18. The incident also compromised Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72), who slipped into the lower top 10.

Later on Lap 1, Bastianini attempted an ambitious move on Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR #5) at Turn 9, causing both to crash out. Post-race penalties followed: Quartararo received a Long Lap for his first offence and Bastianini was given a double Long Lap for his second.

Up front, Di Giannantonio held second, 1.1s off Marquez by Lap 5, with Morbidelli just over a second behind. Luca Marini (Honda HRC #10) was fourth, ahead of Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini #54) and Joan Mir (#36).

Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) crashed out on Lap 6 at Turn 11 while battling Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing #1) for P10, ending a tough Saturday for the Friday pacesetter.

In the end, Marquez remained unchallenged to extend his Sprint dominance, with the VR46 pair securing strong finishes behind him at Balaton Park.

“I heard somebody super-close in the first corner, but from that point I tried to find my rhythm, and the first lap I was riding already in a very good way,” Marc Marquez explained. “I tried to keep a constant pace, and I saw that was enough to open a gap.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+2.095s)
3. Franco Morbidelli Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+3.595s)
4. Luca Marini Honda HRC Castrol (+4.890s)
5. Fermin Aldeguer BK8 Gresini Ducati (+5.692s)

Sunday
MotoGP

Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) kept up his flawless 2025 season with a seventh consecutive Grand Prix win at the Michelin Grand Prix of Hungary, extending his unbeaten run with a dominant 4.3s victory over Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) completed the podium after leading early on.

Drama unfolded before lights out as Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46) was forced to start from pit lane due to a technical issue. At Turn 2 on Lap 1, Marquez and Bezzecchi made contact after the #93 ran wide at Turn 1. Bezzecchi led from Franco Morbidelli (VR46), with Marquez settling into P3. Enea Bastianini and Alex Marquez both fell on Lap 1, while further incidents took out Raul Fernandez and Joan Mir shortly after.

By Lap 5, Marquez had passed Morbidelli and began reeling in Bezzecchi with consecutive fastest laps. Acosta also moved into P3, closing in. After two failed attempts, Marquez finally passed Bezzecchi at Turn 1 on Lap 11 and began pulling away.

A key moment came on Lap 16 when Bezzecchi ran wide at Turn 15, allowing Acosta to slip through for second. Marquez, now clear, delivered a 1:37.843 to shut the door on any late charge.

Behind the podium trio, Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) stormed to P4 from P16 on the grid – his best Aprilia finish to date – passing Morbidelli late on.

Marquez’s win at Balaton Park marked his 22nd career victory at a different circuit and moved him 175 points clear in the standings, edging closer to a seventh MotoGP crown.

Acosta grabbed his second podium in three races, while Bezzecchi maintained his excellent run with a fourth podium in five Grands Prix.

“I was patient those first laps, but then when I saw that the soft rear tyre started to drop, with the medium [rear tyre] I started to attack, and then I had a super nice rhythm. I was flowing on the track,” insisted Marc Marquez.

MotoGP Race Results

1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
2. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM (+4.314s)
3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing (+7.488s)
4. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing (+11.069s)
5. Luca Marini Honda HRC Castrol (+11.904s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

1. Marc Marquez BK8 Gresini Ducati – 455
2. Alex Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 280
3. Francesco Bagnaia Ducati Lenovo – 228
4. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 197
5. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM – 164

Moto2

David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team #80) became the first Colombian to win a Moto2 race, storming to a sensational victory at the Michelin Grand Prix of Hungary. The rookie’s late-race charge saw him beat title rivals Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team #10) and Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #18) in a dramatic final-lap shootout. Moreira’s P2 also marked the first-ever South American 1-2 finish in Moto2.

Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #96) led early after a bold move at Turn 2, as chaos behind saw Celestino Vietti (#13), Darryn Binder (#15), Yuki Kunii (#92) and Unai Orradre (#19) crash out. Moreira took the lead on Lap 4, with Gonzalez and Dixon close behind, while Alonso climbed from eighth, setting fastest laps as he hunted the leaders.

Gonzalez passed Dixon on Lap 6 to chase Moreira and, after shadowing the Brazilian, struck on Lap 15 at Turn 5. But Alonso, the reigning Moto3 Champion, was now the fastest rider on track, charging past Dixon and Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo #95) into the podium fight.

With three laps to go, Alonso was just 0.3s faster per lap than the leaders. He passed Moreira for P2 on the penultimate lap and lined up Gonzalez on the final tour. At Turn 9, he made the decisive move. Gonzalez, trying to respond, lost drive and was also passed by Moreira.

Despite running wide at Turn 15, Alonso defended into the final corner to seal his first Moto2 win. Moreira held onto second after a clash with Gonzalez at the flag. Dixon finished a close fourth, under a second off victory.

Alonso becomes the first rookie winner since Pedro Acosta, as the title fight heads to Barcelona.

Moto2 Race Results

1. David Alonso CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team
2. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team (+0.174s)
3. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.305s)
4. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing (+0.876s)
5. Collin Veijer Red Bull KTM Ajo (+1.344s)

Moto2 Championship Points

1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 204
2. Aron Canet Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 179
3. Diogo Moreira Italtrans Racing Team – 173
4. Barry Baltus Fantic Racing LINO SONEGO – 147
5. Jake Dixon Elf Marc VDS Racing – 132

Moto3

Moto3 delivered a classic at the Michelin Grand Prix of Hungary as Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) edged out Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #73) by just 0.018s in a breathtaking last-lap battle. David Munoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #64) claimed third after fending off Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI #36) and Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo #99).

Polesitter Quiles led early but was passed by Perrone on Lap 3 after a small mistake. The Spaniard quickly struck back at Turn 9, and their duel allowed Munoz to close in. The #64 took second on Lap 4 and briefly led the chase.

Further back, Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power #19) crashed on Lap 6 at Turn 15, forcing Ryusei Yamanaka (#6) and Marcos Uriarte (LEVELUP-MTA #89) off track. At halfway, Quiles led again, ahead of Piqueras, Perrone and Munoz, with Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #93) in fifth. However, a mistake from Quiles at the end of Lap 10 dropped him to P4, and Perrone moved to the front.

With five laps to go, Munoz was second and Quiles had climbed to third. Rueda bridged the gap to join the lead group in P5, while Pini crashed out of sixth at Turn 11. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia #72) also fell from P8 at Turn 1.

The final lap was a thriller. Quiles passed Perrone at Turn 5, but the Argentine came back strong in the final sector. They banged elbows in the final corner, but Quiles narrowly won. Perrone secured a career-best P2, and Munoz extended his podium streak to five. Piqueras took P4, closing slightly on title leader Rueda, who finished fifth.

Moto3 Race Results

1. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team
2. Valentin Perrone Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+0.018s)
3. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.858s)
4. Angel Piqueras FRINSA -MT Helmets – MSI (+0.952s)
5. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo (+1.362s)

Moto3 Championship Points

1. Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo – 250
2. Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – 181
3. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team – 164
4. David Munoz Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 155
5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 146

MotoE

Pole position and a double victory signalled a perfect weekend at Balaton Park for Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team #40), and it means he now leads the championship ahead of a date with Barcelona. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Dynavolt Intact GP #7), Eric Granado (LCR E-Team #51), Nicholas Spinelli (Rivacold Snipers Team MotoE #29) and Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE #11) were able to stand on the podium.

MotoE Race 1 Results

1. Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team
2. Lorenzo Baldassarri Dynavolt Intact GP (+0.106s)
3. Eric Granado LCR E-Team (+0.790s)
4. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE (+1.543s)
5. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team (+2.289s)

MotoE Race 2 Results

1. Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team
2. Nicholas Spinelli Rivacold Snipers Team MotoE (+0.554s)
3. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE (+1.443s)
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri Dynavolt Intact GP (+1.932s)
5. Hector Garzo Dynavolt Intact GP (+2.151s)

MotoE Championship Points

1. Mattia Casadei LCR E-Team – 116
2. Lorenzo Baldassarri Dynavolt Intact GP – 102
3. Andrea Mantovani KLINT Forward Factory Team – 101
4. Alessandro Zaccone Aruba Cloud MotoE Team – 101
5. Matteo Ferrari Felo Gresini MotoE – 94

How Did the Aussies Do?

After securing 12th in the Sprint on a track where overtaking was difficult, Jack Miller (#43) made a brilliant start but frustratingly crashed out of the race.

While it wasn’t the weekend Joel Kelso (#66) had hoped for in Hungary, the Australian rider showed plenty of fight to claw his way back from P14 on the grid to a respectable eighth.

Jacob Roulstone (#12) continued his solid progress in Moto3 with a P10 finish in Sunday’s race in Hungary, following a positive P7 in qualifying. Although this was an admirable outcome, the Aussie knows he could have done better if he’d managed his tyres better.

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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.

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