The Italian dominates from lights to flag as Marquez and Acosta round out the podium
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) delivered a masterclass in control and consistency at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal, producing a faultless ride to secure victory in commanding style. Leading all 25 laps around Portimão’s twisting rollercoaster circuit, the Italian never put a wheel wrong as he strengthened his grip on third place in the MotoGP™ World Championship.
Behind him, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)fought hard for the remaining podium spots, giving fans an enthralling chase in the final laps. The finishing order flipped from Saturday’s Sprint, and the result leaves Bezzecchi needing only a handful of points in Valencia to confirm P3 overall.
Lightning Start: Bezzecchi Leads the Charge
As the lights went out, Bezzecchi launched cleanly from pole, fending off a blistering start from Acosta, who tucked in just behind through Turn 1. Alex Marquez, mirroring his strong Sprint getaway, slotted into third as the leading trio broke away early.
Further back, chaos erupted at Turn 5 as Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was caught up in a midfield squeeze. The Italian managed to stay upright, but his tough weekend ended with another frustrating result.
At the front, Marquez wasted little time making his move — overtaking Acosta on Lap 2 to grab second and begin the hunt for Bezzecchi. But the race soon took a turn for others, as Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), fresh from his Malaysian GP podium, was forced to retire at the end of Lap 2 with a mechanical issue.
Midfield Mayhem: Bagnaia’s Challenge Unravels
In the early laps, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) looked comfortable in fourth, keeping Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) at bay. The Frenchman, however, showed impressive form, holding his ground despite mounting pressure from Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and rising star Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP).
Aldeguer, full of confidence after his Indonesian GP win, made a daring move at Turn 5 on Binder — slight contact, a puff of aero debris, and the rookie was through for P5. His charge continued as he soon picked off Quartararo for fourth.
But just as Bagnaia seemed set for another solid finish, disaster struck. On Lap 11, the reigning World Champion lost the front at Turn 10, sliding out and recording a fourth consecutive Sunday DNF. His hopes of finishing third in the Championship took a major hit.
Bezzecchi Breaks Away
With clear track ahead, Bezzecchi began to stretch his lead. By Lap 15, he was 2.2 seconds clear of Marquez, who in turn held a similar gap over Acosta. The rookie sensation had a comfortable cushion over Aldeguer and Binder, who were locked in their own scrap for P4.
Further down, Quartararo continued to defend brilliantly from Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR) and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) in one of the most entertaining fights of the race.
Acosta’s Late Charge
As the laps wound down, Acosta found a second wind. With four laps remaining, he started reeling in Marquez — slashing nearly a second off the gap as the Spaniard ahead began to fade. By the penultimate lap, the difference was just one second, and Acosta looked determined to make a late lunge.
Further behind, Ogura made his move on Zarco for seventh, while Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) climbed into eighth after a well-judged late-race push.
The Finish: “Simply the Bez”
On the final lap, Marquez dug deep to steady the ship and fend off Acosta’s charge. Despite the late pressure, the Gresini rider held strong, but the day belonged entirely to Bezzecchi.
Crossing the line with a comfortable margin, the Italian secured a dominant lights-to-flag victory, his first since mid-season and the sixth different MotoGP winner in as many rounds. It also marked Aprilia’s third victory of 2025, a historic first for the Noale factory in a single season.
Marquez claimed second, while Acosta’s late effort earned him another well-deserved podium in third.
The Rest of the Top Ten
Aldeguer capped off another stellar performance in fourth, finishing just ahead of Binder, who claimed his third top-six finish of the year. Quartararo impressed with a strong sixth — his best result in Portugal since 2022 — while Ogura’s seventh made it his first back-to-back top-ten finishes since Jerez and Le Mans.
Di Giannantonio fended off Zarco to secure eighth, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) completing the top ten and giving KTM three bikes inside the points-paying positions.
Rounding out the scorers were Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), local favourite Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), and Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team) — who impressed with points on his MotoGP debut.
On to Valencia: One Last Battle
And now, it all comes down to Valencia. The final round of the 2025 MotoGP season will see Bezzecchi aiming to lock in third overall and close out his strongest campaign yet. With form on his side and momentum firmly in his favour, the Italian arrives at Circuit Ricardo Tormo with confidence sky-high.
The curtain is almost ready to fall — but one more weekend of drama awaits.
