The MotoGP™ paddock rolls into Tuscany for Round 9 of the 2025 season, opening a grueling run of four races in five weeks. The venue? None other than the iconic Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello—Italy’s motorsport jewel nestled among the hills. With the championship taking shape and Marc Marquez leading the way, the stakes are high and the atmosphere electric. Ducati’s home race demands nothing short of brilliance—and possibly a few surprises.
DUCATI IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Eyes on Marquez and Bagnaia
Fresh off a dominant weekend in Aragon, where he led every session—a feat not seen since his own Sachsenring sweep in 2015—Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) arrives in Mugello with momentum and expectation. The Spanish legend leads the title race and looks more comfortable on the Ducati than ever before. Yet, last year he missed the podium here—something that won’t go unnoticed by the tifosi in the stands.
Still, Mugello has long been Francesco Bagnaia’s personal proving ground. Though recent rounds haven’t been kind to the #63, with recurring issues around front-end feel and confidence, this might be the race to turn his season around. The reigning double World Champion has won the last three Italian GPs and knows this track intimately. Can home pressure reignite his spark?
Meanwhile, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) is thriving. Sitting second in the standings, he’s showing his best form yet in the premier class. Though he’s stood atop the podium here in Moto2™, he still chases his first top-three finish at Mugello in MotoGP. Right behind is Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), another Italian looking to deliver in front of home fans. Morbidelli’s hoping for his maiden Mugello podium in the top class and will be encouraged by recent form—though he and Di Giannantonio may be hampered by the older-spec Ducati bikes.
Add to the mix Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini) off the back of a Sprint podium and Di Giannantonio himself, who often shines at Mugello. Could one of them spring an upset?
CHALLENGERS EMERGING: Acosta, Bezzecchi, and the Dark Horses
Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) is making headlines—and not just for his results. Aragon was arguably his best weekend yet in the premier class, finishing fourth and once again showing he belongs among the elite. The 2024 Mugello Sprint podium finisher has the tools to shake up the Ducati party and seems poised to do just that.
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) returns to home soil looking to rebound from recent disappointments. Mugello hasn’t always favored him, but with a bike that’s improving, he could be a threat. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the last non-Ducati winner here in 2021, is also seeking redemption after a frustrating Round 8. Can ‘El Diablo’ recapture his early-season fire?
Elsewhere, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) aims to bounce back after failing to score in Aragon, following two encouraging weekends before that. Honda’s hopes, for now, rest on him.
FLICKERS OF PROMISE: KTM and Yamaha Look to Capitalize
Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) both crashed out of strong positions in Aragon, but there were clear signs of speed. Binder consistently runs in the Mugello top ten and will want more, while Viñales tackles this classic layout for the first time on KTM machinery, having stood on the Mugello podium back in 2017.
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP hosts its home Grand Prix too, with Jack Miller and Miguel Oliveira looking to erase memories of a lackluster Aragon. Meanwhile, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) showed glimpses of resurgence and is chasing back-to-back Sunday points for the first time since early 2024. With teammate Luca Marini out injured, Mir once again becomes the measuring stick for Honda’s development. Can he outshine Zarco again?
HOMETOWN HOPES AND LONG SHOTS TO WATCH
For Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Mugello is a homecoming—and last year’s thrilling last-lap move to grab P2 remains fresh in memory. After a productive post-Aragon test, Bastianini might just be clicking with his KTM package.
Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP) continues his steady climb, with another top-ten finish last time out, and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha) also added more points to his tally. Both will be targeting higher up the field this weekend.
Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) came agonizingly close to scoring Thailand’s first ever MotoGP point at Aragon. Mugello is another chance. Ai Ogura’s (Trackhouse) status remains uncertain, as does the name of Luca Marini’s stand-in.
Meanwhile, Aprilia will again run Lorenzo Savadori in place of Jorge Martin, who remains sidelined. There’s still plenty of movement in the field—and plenty of room for surprises.
Mugello always delivers. With its flowing layout, long straights, and stunning backdrop, it’s a venue steeped in racing romance. Ducati’s spiritual home. Aprilia’s pride. The pulse of Italian motorsport. Whether it’s pure speed or unexpected drama, the Italian GP rarely disappoints.
Moto2™: All Square at the Top Ahead of Mugello Clash
The Moto2 title fight is heating up, and it couldn’t be more evenly matched heading into Italy. Both Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) sit tied at 118 points. Neither has stood on the podium in the last two races—but Mugello offers a clean slate.
Gonzalez carved through the field in Aragon, jumping from 18th to 9th, and will arrive in Tuscany full of confidence after also impressing in a MotoGP test with Trackhouse. He narrowly missed victory here last season, finishing second to Joe Roberts.
Canet, meanwhile, placed sixth in Aragon—not spectacular, but enough to draw level in the standings. He’ll be hungry to go one better in Italy.
But the race in Aragon wasn’t just about the title leaders. Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) delivered a slice of history, becoming the first Turkish rider to win a Moto2 race in a dramatic photo-finish over Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing), who missed out by just 0.003 seconds.
Moreira now has two runner-up finishes in a row, and the Brazilian looks ever closer to his maiden win. Could Mugello be the stage?
Barry Baltus (Fantic) also made a statement, picking up his third podium of the season and climbing to fourth overall. He and Moreira now sit within 30 points of the top—plenty to fight for as we near mid-season.
Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) has slipped to fifth overall after a quiet couple of weekends. A recent private test in Barcelona could help him regain form.
Italy’s own Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS) has been off the pace, but Mugello might inspire a turnaround. His teammate Alonso Lopez, who took P3 here last year, is another one to watch as the Moto2 field gears up for a potential shake-up.
Moto3™: New Winner Last Time—Will Mugello Deliver Another Surprise?
For the first time in 2025, a Moto3 race ended without either Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) or Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) on the top step. Instead, it was David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) who grabbed the spotlight with a well-earned maiden Grand Prix victory.
He held off Moto3 rookie Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team), who now has back-to-back runner-up finishes. Another rookie, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), rounded out the podium in third. New faces, fresh battles—it was a thrilling contest.
Rueda’s eighth-place finish marked the first time this year he’s missed the podium. Still, with Piqueras in P7 and Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA) in P6, the damage was minimal. Rueda retains a 52-point buffer over Piqueras and 63 over Kelso.
But Mugello could shake things up. None of the current top three title contenders cracked the top ten here last year. Instead, it was names like Muñoz and Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) who ran near the front. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) even earned his first career podium here.
Italy’s leading hope, Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse), is finding form at the right time after strong showings in Silverstone and Aragon. Could he deliver a crowd-pleasing performance on home soil?
With rookies rising and favorites wobbling, Moto3 in Mugello could be as wide open as ever. Will the veterans respond—or will the new generation steal the headlines once again?
Official MotoGP Press Release
