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Marco Bezzecchi pulled off a sensational last-lap pass to deny rookie Fermin Aldeguer a fairytale win in Lombok, producing one of the most dramatic Sprint finishes of the 2025 MotoGP season so far. The Italian overcame a sluggish start, carved through the pack, and timed his move to perfection, while Raul Fernandez secured his long-awaited maiden MotoGP podium with third place.

The Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia Tissot Sprint had everything — drama from the first corner, crashes, penalties, and a masterclass in racecraft from the polesitter, who dropped as low as eighth before roaring back to victory.

A shaky start for Bezzecchi, penalty drama for Marc Marquez

Bezzecchi’s Sprint began in nightmare fashion. Despite starting from pole, he bogged down off the line and was quickly swallowed up, with Luca Marini storming through from sixth on the grid to briefly lead. However, Marini ran wide at Turn 1, gifting Aldeguer, Fernandez, and Pedro Acosta the chance to slip past.

The opening lap chaos didn’t stop there. At Turn 10, Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) tangled with Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha), forcing both wide. Rins came off worse, losing ground, while race stewards judged the reigning World Champion at fault, handing him a Long Lap penalty. He served it on Lap 3, tumbling down to 13th but still ahead of the struggling Yamaha man.

Aldeguer takes command, Acosta crashes out of podium contention

With the dust settling, Aldeguer assumed control at the front. The Gresini rookie looked unfazed, stretching a small gap over Acosta’s KTM and Fernandez’s Aprilia. Bezzecchi, meanwhile, was still regrouping behind Marini.

Just as Bezzecchi began his recovery, Acosta’s charge unravelled. Attempting to keep Aldeguer honest, the MotoGP newcomer tucked the front at Turn 1 and skidded into the gravel, ending his Sprint. That incident handed Aldeguer a lead of nearly two seconds, with Fernandez now in second and Bezzecchi hunting him down.

The chase: Bezzecchi reels in the rookie

Freed from traffic, Bezzecchi unleashed his pace. By Lap 5 he was the fastest rider on track, recording blistering times — including a stunning 1:29.638 compared to Aldeguer’s 1:30.379. The deficit dropped from nearly two seconds to just over one in the space of a lap.

With five tours to go, Bezzecchi had dispensed with Fernandez at Turn 10 and was now locked onto Aldeguer’s rear wheel. The chase set up a grandstand finale, the gap shrinking to half a second with two laps remaining. At the start of the final lap, Aldeguer’s once-secure advantage was down to nothing.

The last lap showdown

The decisive move came where Bezzecchi had been strong all race — Turn 10. Diving up the inside, he ran slightly wide but forced his way past the rookie. Aldeguer refused to yield, clinging on through Turn 12, but Bezzecchi had the drive and track position he needed.

The Aprilia rider crossed the line first to seal a remarkable comeback, denying Aldeguer what would have been a debut Sprint victory by the smallest of margins. Fernandez held firm in third, finally tasting MotoGP champagne after years of persistence.

How the points were scored

Behind the leading trio, Alex Marquez enjoyed a quiet but solid ride to fourth, consolidating second place in the championship standings. Joan Mir showed further progress on the Honda, completing the top five.

Marini’s afternoon soured when a post-race tyre pressure penalty dropped him from sixth to outside the points, promoting Marc Marquez to P6 after his recovery ride from the Long Lap sanction.

Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio secured seventh and eighth for VR46 Racing, while Miguel Oliveira inherited ninth after Marini’s penalty. The final point went to the Portuguese rider, while Francesco Bagnaia endured a woeful day. The defending champion finished 14th, nearly half a minute off the win, in a rare off-colour display that allowed Bezzecchi to close the gap in the fight for third overall.

Despite the struggles, Ducati Lenovo Team still had reason to celebrate. The combined efforts of Bagnaia and Marc Marquez were enough to wrap up the 2025 Teams’ Championship — Ducati’s fifth in MotoGP history.

What’s next: Grand Prix Sunday

Saturday’s drama has teed up a fascinating full-distance Grand Prix on Sunday. Bezzecchi heads in with momentum, Aldeguer will be desperate to strike back, and Fernandez has proven he can fight at the sharp end. Meanwhile, Bagnaia and Marc Marquez will be eager to salvage stronger results after a turbulent Sprint.

Indonesia has once again delivered fireworks — now all eyes turn to Lombok’s Grand Prix showdown.

Key stories from Saturday:

“There’s a new comeback king in town” — Bezzecchi relives his final-lap heroics.
Aldeguer reflects: “I saw 0.7s and said, ‘It’s time to fight’ — but the dream slipped away.”
Raul Fernandez: “This is only the beginning” after first MotoGP podium.
Pecco Bagnaia admits: “I can’t accept this pace” following Sprint disaster.
Ducati Lenovo Team crowned 2025 MotoGP Team Champions with 819 points and counting.

Moreira Shatters Lap Record to Claim Mandalika Pole

Diogo Moreira produced a qualifying masterclass at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, storming to pole position with a record-breaking lap in the dying seconds of Q2. The Italtrans Racing rider delivered under pressure to snatch top spot away from David Alonso (CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar Team), who looked set to start from pole until the Brazilian’s last-gasp flyer reset the benchmark at the Mandalika International Circuit.

Alonso will line up second, while Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) completes the front row after a strong session. Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) had to settle for fourth, narrowly missing out on the top three despite looking quick in earlier practice.

Row Two Battle

Gonzalez shares Row 2 with Daniel Holgado (CFMoto Power Electronics Aspar Team), still buzzing after his race win in Japan, and Marcos Ramirez (OnlyFans American Racing), who quietly pieced together an impressive run to secure sixth.

Row 3 features three riders who’ll be eager to make up ground once the lights go out: Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), and Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing). Their mix of speed and experience could make them dangerous movers on Sunday.

One of the biggest shocks came from Aron Canet (Fantic Racing). The Spaniard once again failed to advance from Q1 and finds himself starting outside the top 20, leaving him with a mountain to climb in the race.

Fernandez Snatches Moto3 Pole as Rueda Eyes the Crown

The Moto3 qualifying session delivered its usual late drama, with Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) timing his run to perfection to grab pole position. In typical Moto3 fashion, the fight for the front row went down to the very last moments, with the Spaniard edging out David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA), who complete the front row.

Behind them, the title battle remains firmly in focus. Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) starts ninth, while his nearest challenger Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) lines up only 11th after showing stronger pace on Friday. Rueda enters Sunday with a 93-point lead and needs to stretch that advantage to 100 or more to be crowned Moto3 World Champion in Lombok. The Spaniard will therefore be racing with one eye on the title math as well as the riders ahead of him.

Movers Further Down the Order

Fourth on the grid belongs to Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who impressed throughout the weekend, with Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) in fifth. The pair managed to bump provisional polesitter Maximo Quiles (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team) down to sixth with late lap improvements, showing just how tight the session was.

With Fernandez on pole, Muñoz and Kelso alongside him, and the title potentially on the line for Rueda, Sunday promises another chaotic and decisive Moto3 showdown at Mandalika.