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Two maiden winners, seven different victors… will Portimão add another name to the list?

As the 2025 MotoGP season rolls into the Algarve for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal, the championship has already delivered two first-time winners and seven different victors overall — proof that parity is alive and well. The Portimão circuit, affectionately known as the rollercoaster, is one of the sport’s most dramatic stages: a high-speed symphony of blind crests, plunging drops, and unrelenting rhythm changes. It’s a track that rewards bravery as much as precision, and this weekend, the entire grid faces another unpredictable chapter.

Pressure Off, Pressure On: Alex Márquez Soars as Bulega Steps Up

With the top two places in the championship now sealed — the Márquez brothers etching their names into history as the first siblings to finish Champion and runner-up — the final rounds are about pride, progress, and statement rides.

Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) will sit out the remainder of the year, but younger brother Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) continues to make headlines. His flawless win in Sepang cemented second place overall, a reward for a season defined by control and quiet determination. His speed, especially in mixed conditions, has become a benchmark, and he’ll arrive in Portugal riding a wave of confidence.

Into Marc’s seat steps Nicolo Bulega, the 2025 WorldSBK runner-up, who will make his MotoGP debut ahead of World Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu. Bulega, already confirmed as part of Ducati’s 2026 test program ahead of the 2027 regulation shift to 850cc, will sample the Desmosedici GP25 for two races — a vital opportunity to accelerate his adaptation to prototype machinery.

After a brief shakedown test at Jerez on Thursday, the Italian now faces the deep end: replacing a seven-time World Champion on full Michelin rubber, in a field of proven race winners. Expectations will be realistic, but the experience could prove invaluable for both Bulega and Ducati’s long-term development project.

The Battle for Bronze: Three Riders, Three Factories

If the title fight is done, the contest for third in the standings is anything but.

After Sepang, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) holds a narrow advantage over Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), the two tied on points after the Sprint before Pecco’s Sunday DNF tipped the scales. Bagnaia’s record at Portimão is mixed: a race winner in 2023 but a crash victim in 2024 after tangling with his new teammate, Marc Márquez. Bezzecchi, meanwhile, has been a consistent performer in Portugal — third in 2023 and sixth last year despite switching machinery.

And then, there’s Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) — the rookie phenomenon who continues to rewrite expectations. His runner-up finish at Sepang trimmed 20 points from Bagnaia’s tally, leaving him just 31 behind Bezzecchi. The #37’s hunger is palpable, and if anyone’s likely to become the eighth different winner of 2025, Portimão’s flowing layout might just be his stage.

Targeting More: Tight Margins Inside the Top Ten

The fight for sixth overall remains one of the closest battles of the year. Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team are separated by just one point, and both arrive in Portugal with unfinished business. Morbidelli’s 2020 podium at this circuit remains one of his finest rides, while Di Giannantonio has the more recent form — the only top ten between them here in the last two years.

Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) is also on the charge, buoyed by his second podium in four races and with fond memories of Portimão — he finished third here in 2021. Honda’s broader focus, however, lies in the concessions table: they’re just 19 points away from moving from rank D to C, which would mean losing unlimited private testing. Progress is a double-edged sword, but the momentum is welcome after a brutal 2024.

Further up, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) continues to quietly rediscover his form. Fifth place in Malaysia brought him within four points of Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who’s found consistency harder to maintain since his Mandalika victory. Quartararo is a two-time Portimão winner and could be a dark horse once again.

Behind them, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) returns to familiar territory looking to reignite his spark after a dip in results since his Australian breakthrough.

Late Surge for the Top Ten: Finding Form and Fortune

Positions 11 to 14 are separated by just 28 points, and the fight is intensifying. Johann Zarco (LCR Honda CASTROL) and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) are split by a single point, with Binder stringing together three consecutive top tens — and he’s never finished outside the top six in any completed Portuguese GP.

Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) sits five points behind Binder after a steady return to form, while Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) has been mounting his own Sunday comebacks after difficult qualifying sessions. “The Beast” has tasted the Portimão podium before, and if he finds rhythm early, he could easily rejoin the front group.

Home Hero: Oliveira’s Emotional Farewell

For Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), this weekend carries special weight. It’s his final home Grand Prix — and fittingly, at the track where he made history as Portugal’s first MotoGP winner, and the first to win on home soil with his breathtaking 2020 triumph. Expect emotion, pride, and a fired-up #88 eager to leave one last mark in front of his home fans.

His teammate Jack Miller looks to break a rough streak and return to the top ten for the first time since Brno, while Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) eyes consecutive top-ten finishes — something he hasn’t achieved since Jerez and Le Mans.

Elsewhere, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) brings past top-five pace to Portugal, Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) aims to end his rookie year with more points before switching to WorldSBK, and Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia Racing) joins Pol Espargaró (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in substitute roles — both potential spoilers in qualifying.

The Stage Is Set

Between the chance of another first-time winner, the farewell of a homegrown hero, and crucial final points in play, the penultimate round of 2025 promises another unforgettable weekend. The Algarve International Circuit never fails to deliver chaos and drama — and with the field this tight, it might just write another surprise into the MotoGP history books.

Moto2™: Moreira’s Match Point

The Moto2 title fight took a dramatic turn in Malaysia, where Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP)crashed out while leading, gifting Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) the championship lead for the first time. The Brazilian’s calm fifth-place finish was enough to turn a two-point deficit into a nine-point advantage, and now, the #10 arrives in Portugal with a mathematical chance to seal the crown.

If Moreira extends his lead to 26 points or more by Sunday afternoon, the title will be his — regardless of what Gonzalez or the other contenders manage.

Behind them, Barry Baltus (Fantic Racing), Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) remain in contention, but with 35, 41, and 43 points to make up, they’ll need a major swing in form to stay alive.

Meanwhile, the Rookie of the Year duel between Daniel Holgado and David Alonso (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team)continues to simmer. Alonso’s back-to-back P2s have cut Holgado’s lead to 42 points, keeping the battle alive into the final stretch.

Moto3™: The Race for Second

As the Moto3 paddock heads to Portimão, thoughts remain with Noah Dettwiler (CIP Green Power) and newly crowned World Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as they continue recovery from injury.

On track, the focus shifts to the fight for runner-up honors. Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) holds a 14-point advantage over Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) after finishing second in Malaysia. If Piqueras can stretch that to 25 or more by Sunday, he’ll lock down P2 overall.

Malaysia’s breakthrough winner Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) arrives in top form, while Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) continues to lead the Honda charge — though Furusato could still overhaul him in the manufacturer’s intra-class duel.

Further down, Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA) and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) are level on points for fifth, promising another fierce midfield battle as Moto3 tackles Portimão’s famous rollercoaster layout one final time before the finale.