MotoGP Recap: Penultimate round in Portugal sees more thrilling battles and fearless racing

Though the 2025 MotoGP season is drawing to a close, there was no sign of riders taking it easy as they raced at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal.

Nicolo Bulega makes MotoGP debut

After being announced as a Ducati MotoGP test rider for 2026, double World Superbike Championship runner up Nicolo Bulega made his MotoGP debut at the Grand Prix of Portugal, filling in for the injured Marc Marquez. Despite a crash during Saturday’s Sprint, Bulega’s overall performance across the weekend was impressive, setting a lap time that was within a second of the top rider in FP1, and securing his first MotoGP point on Sunday, finishing 15th.

Pedro Acosta achieves first front row qualifying position of 2025

Pedro Acosta seemed one step closer to claiming his first MotoGP victory in Portugal, as he achieved his first front row qualifying position of 2025, lining up in 2nd between Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Quartararo. Despite not quite being able to clinch the Grand Prix win this weekend, finishing with another double podium showed an improvement in consistency for the KTM rider, and an indication that surely that first Grand Prix win is coming sooner rather than later.

Alex Marquez secures Saturday Sprint win

Fans were treated to a thrilling battle during Saturday’s Sprint, as Marco Bezzecchi, Pedro Acosta, and Alex Marquez were all embroiled in an intense fight for victory. The three riders spent most of the twelve lap race wheel-to-wheel, committing to aggressive overtakes, whilst all managing some dicey moments. With four laps to go, Marquez took the lead from Acosta, and with strong late race pace was able to hold on to claim the win, despite Acosta closing in during the final lap.

Bezzecchi takes second Grand Prix victory of the season

MotoGP saw its sixth different winner in consecutive Grands Prix on Sunday, as Marco Bezzecchi took a commanding victory, finishing over two seconds ahead of Alex Marquez. After admitting he was lacking the pace to keep up with Marquez and Acosta in the Sprint, Bezzecchi led all twenty five laps of Sunday’s race, taking his second Grand Prix victory of 2025. Bezzecchi’s win also marked the first time that Aprilia have won three Grands Prix in a single season, following victories at Silverstone and Phillip Island earlier this year.

Moto2 title fight goes down to Valencia

Despite Diogo Moreira’s late pass on Collin Veijer to take victory in Sunday’s Moto2 race, Manuel Gonzalez’s 6th place finish was enough to keep his title hopes alive, with 24 points now separating the two riders. Moreira got the ideal start from pole position, was leading the first few laps of the race until Veijer took advantage of the slipstream to overtake at the beginning of Lap 4. Veijer was able to maintain that lead for the majority of the race, before Moreira fought back with three laps remaining, going on to take the win, with Veijer securing his first Moto2 podium with a 2nd place finish, and David Alonso crossing the line in 3rd.  

Quiles takes well-fought Moto3 victory

Maximo Quiles took his third victory of the season after a chaotic Moto3 race, with a leading group of at one point up to 12 riders fearlessly battling and swapping positions at an incredible rate. Polesitter Joel Kelso had made a promising start, and was aiming to take his first victory in the class, but lost the lead after running wide during Lap 10, with Quiles then running in 1st. Adrian Fernandez and Taiyo Furusato also had their turns at leading the race, but once Quiles took the lead again on Lap 14, he never looked back. With two laps to go, Quiles had built up a lead of over a second, as riders continued swapping positions behind him, and eventually crossed the line over a second ahead of Angel Piqueras, with Furusato picking up the final podium spot. Further down the leading group, British rider Scott Ogden conquered the chaos to finish in a respectable 8th place.

Viñales and Martin set for Valencia return

Following the Grand Prix of Portugal, it was announced that both Maverick Viñales and Jorge Martin will be travelling to Valencia to compete in the final round of the 2025 MotoGP season, following extensive periods of recovery after sustaining injuries earlier in the year. Viñales has missed eight Grands Prix in 2025 following a shoulder injury, and Martin has missed a total of fifteen, due to a mix of injuries sustained during pre-season testing, an accident during the Grand Prix of Qatar, during the Sprint at Motegi.

MotoGP heads to Valencia this weekend for the season finale, where every rider will be aiming to finish the season on the top step of the podium. With the Moto2 World Championship still to be decided, Diogo Moreira and Manuel Gonzalez will go into the weekend with the most to play for, and will we see a seventh different consecutive winner in MotoGP? 

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