MotoGP: 2025’s bronze medallist and Trackhouse’s Fernandez hand Aprilia a historic end to the campaign as Diggia battles past Acosta for P3.
Back-to-back victories for the first time and a first 1-2 finish for the first time since 2023? That’ll do very nicely for Aprilia as Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) clinches a lights-to-flag victory in Valencia. The Italian was made to work for it though. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) produced a fine ride to end his home GP just 0.6s away from Bezzecchi, as Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) battled past Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to earn P3 and keep Ducati’s 88 successive podium streak intact heading into 2026.
Morbidelli crashes on the grid
For the final time in 2025, it was almost lights out for MotoGP, but before we got to that part, there was a strange crash for Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) while the grid pulled up to their starting slots. The #21 hit the back of Aleix Espargaro (Honda HRC Test Team) as the Spaniard stopped in his grid position, and after heading back out, Morbidelli pulled into the box to signal the end of his 2025. Later, it was confirmed that Morbidelli had picked up a left-hand fracture, meaning he’s also ruled out of Tuesday’s Valencia Test.
Bezzecchi earns holeshot as Zarco and Pecco collide
Then, the Grand Prix got underway. Bezzecchi secured the launch he had wanted and held the lead over Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), as drama unfolded in the midfield at Turn 4.
Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) was out of control into the right-hander and in the wrong place at the wrong time was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team). The Italian was forced into the gravel and then couldn’t stop a small tip-off from unfolding, and that was Bagnaia’s GP and season over. Zarco, meanwhile, was handed a Long Lap Penalty for the incident.
Fernandez begins Bezzecchi hunt
At the front, Fernandez was making strong progress and after passing Di Giannantonio, the Australian GP winner set about reeling in Bezzecchi and Marquez on Lap 3 of 27. Successive fastest laps followed as the Trackhouse rider sat 0.6s off of Marquez’s rear tyre. 1.2s further back was Acosta, who was also able to pass Di Giannantonio in the early laps.
The top three, by Lap 10, were 2.6s clear of Acosta in P4. And at the end of Lap 11, Fernandez pounced on Marquez at the final corner. At this stage, Bezzecchi held a 1.3s lead over his fellow Aprilia star, with Fernandez immediately putting 0.7s into Marquez, who was now by far the slowest rider of the top five. Acosta and Di Giannantonio were closing in on the Tissot Sprint winner.
With 11 laps remaining, Acosta got the gap below half a second, with Fernandez chipping away at Bezzecchi’s lead, which was now hovering around the 0.8s mark. And in the battle for P3, after a few laps of Marquez engaging defensive mode, Acosta struck at Turn 4 on Lap 20. It was a successful pass too, and now, Di Giannantonio was climbing all over the exhaust pipes of Marquez, who seemingly had no more pace in his back pocket. Then, sure enough, Di Giannantonio mirrored Acosta’s move at Turn 4 a lap later to wrestle his way into P4.
Bezzecchi vs Fernandez, Acosta vs Di Giannantonio
Bezzecchi’s lead remained narrowly north of half a second on Lap 22 of 27, with both the Italian and the hunter, Fernandez, lapping equally. At this stage, Bezzecchi was buckling under the pressure, but with five laps to go, the gap was down to 0.6s for the first time as Bezzecchi dipped his boot into the 1:31s, with Di Giannantonio a good three tenths faster than anyone else on circuit. Acosta was now the rider feeling the heat in P3.
At the front, it was now 0.540s between Bezzecchi and Fernandez. Would Bezzecchi blink? Any small error from the #72 now would open the door for the #25. On the next lap, it came down again. 0.4s. This was excellent from Fernandez, but with three to go, time was running out.
And it was for Di Giannantonio too in the chase for Sunday’s bronze medal. Acosta was defending well, with the Italian hounding the KTM.
Two laps of 2025 to go! Bezzecchi vs Fernandez for the win, Acosta vs Di Giannantonio for P3. And at Turn 4, Acosta was passed. Could the KTM star respond? He was going to give it a mighty good go.
Last lap time! Bezzecchi led Fernandez by 0.3s, with Di Giannantonio a tenth ahead of Acosta. Halfway around, Bezzecchi was keeping that much-needed breathing space between himself and his fellow RS-GP rider, and that was how it stayed at the chequered flag. Bezzecchi bagged back-to-back victories for the first time in MotoGP, and it was the first Aprilia 1-2 since the Catalan GP after Fernandez’s brilliant ride to P2. Di Giannantonio held off Acosta after his late move, meaning the Italian ends his season with a double podium in Valencia.
The points scorers in Valencia
Acosta’s efforts ended with him unable to respond to Di Giannantonio’s late attack, meaning it’s a P4 to end the Spaniard’s season that also finishes with a P4 overall finish. Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) picked up P5 with a final corner overtake on teammate Alex Marquez, who crossed the line in P6 following a tougher Sunday at the office.
P7 went to Honda HRC Castrol’s Luca Marini, a seismic result amongst the Sunday storylines because it means the Japanese factory move up to concession Rank C, signalling their impressive progress in 2025. It was P8 for Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), P9 for Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), and P10 for Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3), who complete the last top 10 of the campaign.
Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) ended his MotoGP career with a P11 as we wish the Portuguese star good luck in his new WorldSBK adventure in 2026. After his Long Lap Penalty, Zarco crossed the line in P12 ahead of Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol), who also had a Long Lap Penalty after his Sprint incident, as Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Nicolo Bulega (Ducati Lenovo Team) collected the final points of the campaign in P14 and P15.
And that’s all she wrote, folks…
And just like that, 2025 is signed, sealed and delivered. Bezzecchi and Aprilia end it on a high and celebrate a top three finish in the Championship, as we look forward to the new season getting underway on Tuesday with the Valencia Test. Ducati remain the benchmark after Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Marquez’s 1-2 finish in the World Championship, but Aprilia have certainly sent out a warning sign in 2025. We’ll see you around the corner – first on Tuesday, and then in early 2026.
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