MotoGP
MOTOGP ROUND 21 | Portugal Deep Dive
How Bezzecchi pushed Aprilia to its best-ever year, Acosta channels The Doctor, Moreira's Moto2 masterclass, and thoughts from all the Aussies
Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) demonstrated Malaysia was just a blip as he delivered his most commanding performance of the season and showed once again that Aprilia is continuing to gain ground on Ducati, its fierce Italian rival.
With 2025 champ Marc Marquez (Lenovo Ducati) still absent through injury, there were high hopes for this contest around the equivalent of MotoGP’s rollercoaster ride layout. Not least because Saturday delivered one of the Sprints of the season as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) heroically took the fight to the superior Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati), with Bezzecchi also in the hunt.
But Bezzecchi put his stamp on this contest from the first corner. Launching from pole position, he was not once headed. With clear track ahead, he ruthlessly snuffed out all danger. And even when Alex, starting fifth on the grid, had passed Acosta for second, he made next to no impact on the Italian’s lead. Only on lap 20 of 25 did the Aprilia rider drop out of a metronomic run of laps in the 1m 38s.
In truth, it turned the race into something of a forgettable encounter. With the series breaking new ground in its 21st race, it’s fair to say enthusiasm was somewhat lacking during the procession that followed.
But that will matter not one jot to Aprilia bosses. The success has put Aprilia within distance of its best ever MotoGP season. Bezzecchi needs two points at the final round to seal third in the championship, which would be a first for an Aprilia rider. This win also took the Noale factory’s victory tally to three for the season – another first in its premier class history.
Only in the final laps, when Alex’s front Michelin was grained and Acosta began to rally, was there a semblance of jeopardy for the podium places. Even then, the Gresini Ducati could only respond to collect a seventh Sunday second of the year.
He may have only come away with a second and third from the weekend, his tenth and 11th podiums (Sprints included) in the past ten rounds. But once again there was so much to admire in the KTM rider’s performance – not least the tenacity he showed in Saturday’s Sprint, when his defensive riding was at times comparable to Valentino Rossi’s efforts in stemming the tide against Casey Stoner at Laguna Seca in 2008. The injured Marc aside, it’s hard to think of anyone riding as well in the world currently.
Despite starting from pole, Bezzecchi was far from the favourite going into Sunday. But Alex had noted his speed in the morning warm-up and knew his task would be tricky. From the first lap, as the Aprilia sped clear of Acosta and Alex – up and past Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) and Pecco Bagnaia (Lenovo Ducati) by Turn 1 – this had a different feeling from the previous day. At no point did Acosta look capable of landing a blow, with Bezzecchi’s lead an impressive 0.5s at the close of the lap.
There was chaos behind as Franco Morbidelli’s (VR46 Ducati) ambitious pass at Turn 5 skimmed Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM), which displaced his fairing and forced him into pit lane for a replacement. It also pushed Morbidelli wide, and he was collected by Pol Espargaro (Tech3 KTM), who had been pushed wide by Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia). Joan Mir (HRC Castrol) joined Bastianini in pit lane, retiring with a technical issue.
Up front, and the contest was only going one way – even as Alex took second from Acosta on the run down to Turn 1 starting lap two. Overnight changes to Bezzecchi’s RS-GP made it comfortably faster in the track’s second sector. Plus, Alex’s clear superiority through the final double right on Saturday had been blunted over the longer race distance.
“My feeling in the last sector from the first moment in the weekend was not the best one,” explained the 2025 runner-up. “I was asking too much from the front tyre, opened too much and to force too much the bike to have the speed at that point. But Marco was faster and braver than us.”
With nothing of real note happening from laps ten to 22, the podium places appeared set. That was until Acosta found some serious late-race speed, as he began taking 0.8s out of Alex per lap. His compatriot rallied to come home 2.5s back of the winner, and 0.6s clear of Acosta.
As the excitement was found wanting up front, an intriguing battle for fourth took shape. Initially Bagnaia was on course for a solid finish in what had been a less chaotic weekend than some before. After passing Quartararo on lap two, he was clear of the Yamaha rider, only to tuck the front on lap 11 to confirm a fourth Sunday DNF in succession – a first since 2019.
That left the place to Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini Ducati), who had fought through from 11th on the grid and once again showed brilliant late speed. The rookie had controversially passed Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) for sixth at Turn 5 on the ninth circuit, and displaced the wing from his seat unit in the process, handicapping the South African from there. Still, he had enough in hand to come home two seconds ahead of Quartararo, who again showed his superiority over the other Yamahas.
Behind, Ogura enjoyed a solid ride through to seventh, a place ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46 Ducati), who was miffed at a terrible start and shaky opening. Once again the inconsistencies of his GP25 made themselves known. Johann Zarco (LCR Honda) faded to ninth in what was Honda’s trickiest day since before the summer break. Espargaro launched a decent recovery to tenth, overcoming some demons in the process. A Practice crash at this venue in 2023 had nearly ended his career.
There was encouragement for World Superbike runner-up Nicolo Bulega, who enjoyed a commendable premier class debut in 15th, a place behind Miguel Oliveira (Pramac Yamaha), whose final home Grand Prix had started with an emotional ceremony on the grid.
Marc Marquez’s (545 points) lead is down to 100 after Alex’s (445) solid weekend, with Bezzecchi (323) now well clear of Bagnaia (288).
Pass of the weekend
Pedro Acosta, Turn 5 during the Sprint. The Spaniard knew he had to stay ahead of Alex before they got to the final corner, where Ducati’s superior traction told. How he managed two moves on a clearly inferior machine was awesome to watch.
Dud of the weekend
Franco Morbidelli. In a weekend when the other Ducati GP24 riders finished second and fourth, the Italian was anonymous once again, placing 15th in the Sprint. Then there was that slightly reckless early move at Turn 5…
2025 MOTOGP WORLD STANDINGS
POSRIDERNATPOINTS
1M. MarquezSPA545
2A. MarquezSPA445
3M. BezzecchiITA323
4F. BagnaiaITA288
5P. AcostaSPA285
6F. Di Giann.ITA239
7F. MorbidelliITA227
8F. AldeguerSPA203
9F. QuartararoFRA198
10R. FernandezSPA146
