What the 2025 MotoGP Season Has Taught Us So Far
31 July 2025We've officially reached the MotoGP summer break, with 12 race weekends out of 22 completed for the 2025 season. A season that has so far been packed full of action, drama, and surprises both on and off the track, here are some of the key takeaways, and what they tell us about what we can expect for the second part of 2025.
The only person who can stop Marc Marquez, is Marc Marquez
What many had assumed before the start of the 2025 season, that Marc Marquez on a factory spec Ducati would be a close to unbeatable combination, has proved to be true. With a total of 11 Sprint wins and 8 Grand Prix victories to his name in 2025 so far, Marc Marquez is 120 points clear of his nearest championship rival, and 168 points clear of his teammate. Whilst the title chances are mathematically in his favour, it’s too soon to officially call the title his, especially as he has shown that even he isn’t immune to making mistakes. Currently, his crashes at COTA and Jerez aren’t looking too costly to his title fight, but Marquez arguably knows better than anybody else on the grid the devastating impacts a crash can have on your season and career. However, with 10 rounds to go, Marquez has shown such strong performances that many are already starting to ask when we might see him confirmed as the 2025 World Champion. If his form continues, this will be his 9th Grand Prix World Championship title and 7th MotoGP World Championship, so be prepared for some epic celebrations.
Ducati remain dominant - but their 2025 machine has mixed reviews
The six Ducatis all currently sit in the top ten in the championship standings, showing they remain the dominant manufacturer in MotoGP, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for every Ducati rider in 2025 thus far. Whilst Marc Marquez has found his rhythm with the GP25, his Ducati Lenovo Team teammate Francesco Bagnaia has been voicing his struggles with this year’s bike, and Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team rider Fabio Di Giannantonio has also spoken about its difficulties. Fellow VR46 rider Franco Morbidelli is having an easier time, riding the GP24, a bike he got to grips with last year when he raced with Prima Pramac Racing. BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP’s Alex Marquez has warmed greatly to the GP24, as has his rookie teammate, Fermin Aldeguer. After time to relax and unwind during the summer break, it will be interesting to see how the Ducati riders, but particularly Bagnaia, perform upon their return.
They aren't there yet, but the Japanese manufacturers are clearly making progress
Flashback to this time last year - MotoGP hadn’t seen a victory from a Japanese manufacturer since Alex Rins at the 2023 US Grand Prix, Honda were yet to appear in Q2 at all in 2024, Yamaha hadn’t started on pole position since the 2022 Indonesian Grand Prix, and Luca Marini had only just scored his first point of the season at the last round before the summer break.
In 2025, it’s a very different story. Three of the four Honda riders have made Q2 appearances, Yamaha have claimed four pole positions so far this season thanks to spectacular laps from Fabio Quartararo, and a highly emotional French Grand Prix saw home-hero Johann Zarco get Honda their newest race win. The elephant in the room is of course Fabio Quartararo’s mechanical failure during the British Grand Prix, which saw him retiring from what looked like a certain victory. The two manufacturers clearly still have a long way to go before they are consistently beating the Ducatis, with Honda’s Joan Mir attributing his recent spate of DNFs to his bikes inferior speed, and Quartararo continuing to pressure Yamaha on their V4 engine development. But both manufacturers have made progress worth celebrating so far this season, and hopefully we see that continue.
There are several “riders to watch” this season
Although Marc Marquez is putting together impressive performances, he is in no way the only rider who is pulling focus in 2025. One such rider is Alex Marquez, who with a previous best season placement of 9th in MotoGP, has seriously impressed by being his brother’s main competitor for the title this season, achieving his first MotoGP win along the way. Another standout rider of the season thus far is Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi, winning the British Grand Prix in May, and picking up two 2nd place finishes and a Sprint podium since then, all whilst adjusting to a new bike with a different manufacturer, and feeling the pressure of Jorge Martin’s absence. Also worthy of inclusion are Fabio Quartararo for his previously mentioned pole positions, and rookie Fermin Aldeguer for his impressive battles with MotoGP veterans Zarco and Morbidelli. This list could easily continue with more riders and their achievements this season, but the takeaway here is that there is fantastic racing occurring throughout the field, and there is sure to be more as the season continues.
The 2026 rider market is going to be chaotic
The majority of riders on the current MotoGP grid are under contracts that will end after the 2026 season, in line with new regulations being introduced in 2027. Rider and Team performances, along with rumours and announcements up to now have shown us that there are some big names that could potentially make some interesting career moves ready for these new regulations. 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo has continued to voice his dissatisfaction with Yamaha’s performance, and if Yamaha don’t see consistent improvement over the next nine months, or even show enough potential for improvement, it is easy to imagine Quartararo moving on from his long-standing partnership with them. Additionally, although reigning World Champion Jorge Martin has now announced he will be staying with Aprilia Racing for 2026, his previous statements regarding his intentions to exit his contract early will surely keep speculation rife around a potential move to Honda. It is worth considering whether unexpected satellite team superstars Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco be offered seats in factory teams if their good form continues, and it also has to be asked whether KTM’s recent struggles outside of the track have put them at risk of losing one or potentially more of their riders - from arguably one of the strongest overall rider lineups across their two teams.
Regardless of internal movements, the announcement that World Superbikes superstar Toprak Razgatlıoğlu will be moving to the MotoGP paddock for 2026 confirms that at least one rider on the current MotoGP grid won’t have a full-time seat for next season. Expect the second half of 2025 to include a multitude of riders aiming to prove themselves, to keep their spot on the grid for 2026, or set up the foundations for contract negotiations in 2026.
But let’s not wish the rest of the 2025 MotoGP season away, as there’s plenty more action and excitement still to come. If you’re eager for incredible overtaking, riding masterclasses, and some truly unpredictable moments, then the second half of the 2025 MotoGP season is not to be missed.
