Words & pics: Michael Wincott
MotoGP photographer and BRM contributor Michael Wincott is a busy man, heading to many of the rounds of MotoGP in an effort to grab the best action shots. He can also pen an article, like his thoughts on the first part of the 2025 season and his standout riders.
As MotoGP reaches its summer break, the 2025 season has delivered drama, dominance, and no shortage of surprises. With a field stacked with talent and evolving machinery, the fight at the front has been defined by standout performances, unexpected breakthroughs—and a few high-profile disappointments. Here’s a look at the riders who have defined the first half of the year, for better or worse.
Marc Marquez: A Season of Supremacy
The defining story of the 2025 season so far has been the resurgence—and sheer domination—of Marc Marquez. Now aboard the Ducati GP25 with the factory Lenovo squad, the eight-time world champion has delivered a masterclass in adaptation, consistency, and speed.
Across the opening 12 rounds, Marquez has amassed a staggering eight Grand Prix wins, 11 Sprint victories (a new single-season record), and seven pole positions. He’s also recorded five ‘perfect weekends’, winning both Saturday’s Sprint and Sunday’s main race. With 381 points, he leads the championship by 120 over his brother, Alex, and is on course to secure his ninth world title—possibly as early as the Indonesian Grand Prix in October.
His performances haven’t been without setbacks—crashes while leading at the Americas and Spanish Grands Prix show that he’s still on the edge—but his ability to bounce back stronger has defined this new, more mature iteration of Marquez. His improved tyre management, wet-weather pace, and measured aggression have made him not just the fastest, but the smartest rider on the grid.
At 32, Marquez stands to become the oldest premier-class champion since Valentino Rossi—and is closing in on Rossi’s career records, too. With his 2025 form, few would bet against him rewriting more pages of MotoGP history before the season is out.
Alex Marquez: Breaking Out of the Shadow
It may be his brother who headlines the season, but Alex Marquez has emerged as one of the revelations of 2025. Riding the year-old GP24 for Gresini Ducati, he opened the campaign with a string of second-place finishes and briefly led the championship after Round 3, capitalising on Marc’s crash in Austin.
His maiden Grand Prix victory at Jerez marked a career breakthrough, and consistency has kept him firmly in title contention. Even after a hand injury at Assen and a DNF in Brno, Alex remains second overall with 230 points, already surpassing his entire 2024 total.
His performances have sparked talk of a potential promotion to the factory team for 2026—and with good reason. His command of the GP24, coupled with tactical maturity and new-found self-belief, has confirmed that he is no longer just Marc’s younger brother—he’s a championship contender in his own right.
Johann Zarco: Delivering for Honda
In a season where Honda has continued to battle at the back, Johann Zarco has been the shining light. Riding for LCR Honda, the Frenchman made history with a sensational home victory at Le Mans—becoming the first French winner of the French GP since 1954 and ending Honda’s two-year win drought.
Zarco’s results have been consistent, his racecraft sharp, and his leadership vital. As top Honda rider in the standings, he has delivered beyond expectations and kept the Japanese marque in the headlines for the right reasons.
Fabio Quartararo: Fast Over One Lap, Frustrated Over Distance
For Fabio Quartararo, 2025 has been a tale of speed without reward. The 2020 world champion has excelled in qualifying, taking four pole positions—including three in four rounds—and setting a new lap record at Jerez. However, Yamaha’s ongoing race-pace struggles have limited his Sunday potential.
A heartbreaking mechanical failure while leading at Silverstone exemplifies his misfortune. Though raw pace is there, consistent results remain elusive. Until Yamaha delivers a more competitive race package, Quartararo’s potential will continue to be undercut by the M1’s limitations.
Marco Bezzecchi: Aprilia’s Ascent
A difficult adaptation to the Aprilia RS-GP25 initially hampered Marco Bezzecchi after his switch from VR46 Ducati, especially with teammate Jorge Martin sidelined by injury. Carrying much of the development workload during pre-season, Bezzecchi struggled with tyre management and stability.
But Silverstone marked a turning point. In a chaotic, rain-hit British Grand Prix, Bezzecchi stormed to victory from 11th on the grid—his first with Aprilia and their first of the year. He followed it up with podiums at Assen and Brno, and now sits fourth in the standings.
Bezzecchi’s ability to weather early setbacks and come back stronger reflects both mental fortitude and rising star power. His stock continues to rise—within Aprilia and the wider MotoGP paddock.
Francesco Bagnaia: The Biggest Disappointment?
After back-to-back world titles, Francesco Bagnaia entered 2025 as a favourite—but has struggled to adapt to the GP25. Confidence issues with front-end grip have disrupted his trademark trail braking, and he’s openly admitted to feeling vulnerable in areas where he was once strongest.
The numbers paint a bleak picture: just one GP win, inherited in Austin after Marquez crashed, and no Sprint victories. Bagnaia sits third in the championship but is a massive 168 points adrift of his teammate—and even trails Alex Marquez by 48.
There’s speculation that Ducati favoured Marquez’s feedback during the bike’s development, and team boss Luigi Dall’Igna has publicly criticised Bagnaia for settling for podiums rather than fighting for wins.
With the title already out of reach, Bagnaia must focus on rediscovering form—and securing his seat at the top of Ducati’s pecking order. His 2025 campaign has been, by all measures, the biggest underperformance of the year.
Jorge Martin: From Champion to Comeback Story
The reigning world champion’s season has been derailed by injury and controversy. After joining Aprilia, Jorge Martin suffered multiple serious injuries—including a highside at Qatar that left him with 11 fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. He has missed 10 of the first 12 races.
Off-track, Martin’s contract dispute with Aprilia made headlines, as he sought to activate an early exit clause. Eventually, he reversed his decision and committed to Aprilia through 2026, citing the team’s recent success with Bezzecchi and a positive test on the RS-GP25.
With fitness still a concern, Martin will use the second half of the season to rebuild trust with his team and recover physically. The goal? Reset, recharge, and return as a title contender in 2026.
Joan Mir: Crashes, Technical Trouble, and Lost Ground
Joan Mir’s season has been another frustrating chapter in his post-Suzuki career. Although pre-season testing offered hope, the reality has been a continuation of problems—crashes, mechanical issues, and poor conversions of pace into points.
He leads the crash tally with nine falls, and despite occasional flashes of speed—like his strong mid-race pace at Silverstone or qualifying fifth in Brno—results have been elusive. Mir is currently 19th in the standings, far behind Zarco, and even simple technical issues like launch control problems continue to plague his races.
Despite it all, Mir has committed to Honda for two more years. It’s a long-term play—but the gap to the front is growing.
Pedro Acosta: Growing Pains and Glimpses of Greatness
The 2025 MotoGP season has marked Pedro Acosta’s first full year as a factory KTM rider—and while the results haven’t always matched the hype, his growth has been undeniable. What began as a turbulent campaign is gradually turning into a story of steady progress, technical development, and glimpses of future stardom.
The defining high point so far came at the Czech Grand Prix, where Acosta delivered his strongest weekend of the season. He secured his first Sprint podium of the year with a hard-fought second-place finish, followed by a confident ride to third in Sunday’s Grand Prix, marking his first full-race podium of 2025 and KTM’s most competitive weekend to date.
Acosta has emerged as the clear leader within the KTM camp, both on and off the track. His qualifying form—long seen as a weakness—has shown marked improvement, with the young Spaniard regularly starting from the third row or higher. Even when the RC16 hasn’t been at its best, Acosta has often been the fastest KTM rider and has demonstrated impressive late-race pace, sometimes clocking the fastest laps in the final stages.
Yet the season hasn’t been without its challenges. The opening rounds were rocky—starting with a disappointing 19th-place finish in Buriram, after an off-track excursion in the closing laps. Crashes during pre-season testing and in the Qatar Sprint underscored the fine margins Acosta operates within as he continues adapting to the RC16. While KTM’s 2025 package is an evolution, Acosta has described it as less “natural” to his riding style, requiring adaptation and finesse.
What’s perhaps most telling is how vocal and involved Acosta has become in the development process. Despite being just 21, he’s already demanding improvements from the Austrian marque and has not shied away from voicing his expectations. His willingness to speak candidly about the limitations of the RC16—and even hint at concerns about his future—has sparked speculation about a potential move post-2026, with teams like Honda and VR46 reportedly interested.
For now, Acosta remains under contract with KTM through the end of 2026, positioning him well for the upcoming regulation overhaul in 2027. His focus for the remainder of this season is clear: continue building momentum, score consistent podiums, and chase that elusive maiden MotoGP victory.
While the first half of 2025 may have been shaped by teething issues, Pedro Acosta’s season is evolving into one of perseverance, progress, and promise. If KTM can match his ambition, the second half of the year could see him emerge not just as a podium regular, but as a genuine frontrunner—and future title contender.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 MotoGP season has been anything but predictable. While Marc Marquez marches toward a ninth world title with a near-flawless campaign, the grid behind him has experienced triumph, turmoil, and transformation. Alex Marquez’s rise, Zarco’s heroics, and Bezzecchi’s resurgence have brought fresh energy to the championship, while established stars like Bagnaia, Martin, and Mir find themselves in unfamiliar territory. As the season heads into its final act, one thing is certain: the narrative is far from over.
