Marco Bezzecchi delivered another late masterclass at Phillip Island, denying Raul Fernandez in a dramatic finale to secure his second consecutive Tissot Sprint victory. The Italian crossed the line with a commanding margin of over three seconds after 13 laps, underlining his growing confidence aboard the Aprilia Racing machine. Despite facing a double Long Lap Penalty on Sunday, the #72 is fast becoming the man to watch in the closing stages of the season.
Dominant Form Continues
Fresh from his Sprint success at Mandalika, Bezzecchi had to dig deep to make it back-to-back wins, but his late charge sealed the deal with three laps remaining. Fernandez, representing the Trackhouse MotoGP Team, looked poised to claim his maiden Sprint win after leading for much of the race, but Bezzecchi’s relentless pace proved too much to resist. The final podium place went right down to the wire as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) edged out home hero Jack Miller, with just one-tenth of a second covering third to fifth at the chequered flag.
Early Drama: Fernandez Grabs Control After Wild Start
The race got off to a frenetic start. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) launched perfectly off the line to take the holeshot, but by the time the pack reached Turn 2, Fernandez muscled through to grab the lead and set the tone for the opening laps. Bezzecchi slotted into second, though not without incident — his Aprilia’s wings bore the scars of an unlucky collision with seagulls during the Warm-Up Lap, a moment that briefly unsettled his rhythm.
Further back, polesitter Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) slipped to sixth behind Jack Miller and Pedro Acosta, while chaos struck almost immediately as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed out at Turn 2 on Lap 1.
As Fernandez and Bezzecchi began to stretch clear in an all-Aprilia 1–2, a fierce scrap developed for the final podium spot. Alex Marquez soon found himself under siege from Miller, Acosta, and Quartararo, with Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3) impressing in seventh. On Lap 5, Miller and Marquez traded positions in a thrilling exchange through Turns 10 and 1, while up front Bezzecchi survived a heart-stopping moment under braking into Turn 10, narrowly avoiding Fernandez’s rear wheel.
The battle for third reached new intensity by Lap 7 when Acosta boldly swept past both Miller and Marquez at Turn 1 — a move that showcased the rookie’s trademark aggression.
Bezzecchi’s Charge: The Decisive Move
By Lap 9, Bezzecchi had reeled Fernandez back in, riding with visibly superior pace. The decisive move came on Lap 10 at Turn 2, where “Bez” executed a clean overtake that put him firmly in control of the race. Further back, Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), fresh off his Indonesian Grand Prix win, crashed out at Turn 6 but fortunately walked away unscathed.
With two laps to go, the outcome seemed all but sealed — Bezzecchi and Fernandez comfortably clear of the rest — but the fight for the final podium step intensified as Acosta, Miller, and Fabio Di Giannantonio engaged in a breathtaking battle all the way to the line.
Across the Line: Aprilia Makes Sprint History
When the dust settled, Bezzecchi took the chequered flag for his second straight Sprint triumph, while Fernandez made it consecutive podiums — together delivering Aprilia’s first-ever 1–2 finish in a Tissot Sprint. Acosta narrowly held on for third place, fending off Miller and Di Giannantonio in a nail-biting run to the line. Remarkably, it was also the first Sprint of 2025 without a Ducati on the podium.
Behind the top five, Alex Marquez came home sixth after fading from his strong start, followed by Quartararo in seventh — both hoping for redemption on Sunday. Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Pol Espargaro completed the points scorers.
Outside the top nine, Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) claimed tenth after a solid recovery ride, while it was a Sprint to forget for championship contender Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). Finishing a lowly 19th, Pecco’s struggles, combined with Bezzecchi’s win, have cut the gap between them to just eight points in the fight for third in the overall standings. His temporary teammate Michele Pirro also endured a quiet race.
No major incidents marred the Sprint itself, but it leaves plenty of intrigue heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix. Can Bezzecchi pull off the double despite serving his Long Lap penalties? The odds may not favour him — but his current form suggests anything is possible. The lights go out at 15:00 local time (UTC +11) for what promises to be a blockbuster race.
Saturday’s Key Talking Points
- Bezzecchi unstoppable: back-to-back Sprints and eyeing a Sunday double despite penalties
- Fernandez flying: two podiums in two weekends, silver again for Trackhouse Aprilia
- Quartararo regret: pole to P7 after tyre-choice gamble backfires
- Home heartbreak: Miller narrowly misses podium in front of Aussie fans
- Schedule tweak: Sunday’s race start delayed by one hour
Moto2: Moreira Edges Agius as Gonzalez Closes In
In Moto2 qualifying, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) produced a sensational late lap to snatch pole for the Australian Grand Prix. Local favourite Senna Agius secured second for Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP, lining up alongside his teammate Manuel Gonzalez, as just 0.076 seconds separated the top three.
Jake Dixon (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) leads the second row ahead of Daniel Holgado and David Alonso (both CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar). Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) suffered an early crash at Turn 4 but rejoined after a rapid repair to secure eighth, while his teammate Barry Baltus, fourth in the championship, starts from tenth — keeping all title contenders firmly in the mix for Sunday’s showdown.
Moto3: Home Glory for Kelso
In Moto3, it was a historic moment for Joel Kelso (LEVELUP–MTA Team), who stormed to his first pole of the season — and the first ever by an Australian rider in Moto3 at Phillip Island. Behind him, newly crowned World Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) complete the front row.
Championship runner-up Angel Piqueras (FRINSA–MT Helmets–MSI) could manage only 14th, while Taiyo Furusato(Honda Team Asia) leads the second row ahead of Matteo Bertelle, Kelso’s teammate. Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) also returned to form, qualifying sixth as he closes in on Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in the battle for Rookie of the Year — with Quiles lining up ninth.
