Marco Bezzecchi’s lead in MotoGP lasted for nearly 10 Grand Prix races. A high-speed crash—fortunately without serious consequences—during lap 2 cost him the lead to his closest rival, teammate Jorge Martin, who finished in third place.
It wasn’t a victory that secured the lead for the former world champion: the Spaniard finished only third, behind the Trackhouse duo of Ai Ogura and Raul Fernandez, with the Japanese rider making a decisive pass seven laps before the end of the Grand Prix.
Ogura Follows in Tamada’s Footsteps, Motegi 2004
Ai’s victory takes a Japanese rider back to the top step of the podium—something that hasn’t happened since the 2004 Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi. It was however another triumph for Aprilia, which not only leads the riders’ championship but also the manufacturers’ championship with a 22-point lead over Ducati, whose top performer at Assen was Fabio di Giannantonio. The Roman rider staged a strong comeback and engaged in a fierce battle with Marc Marquez, including a collision at the final corner with the nine-time world champion that cost him a long lap penalty—though it didn’t prevent him from finishing just off the podium.
Struggling with stamina, Marc—along with his brother Alex, who eventually finished ahead of him—was among the very few (the Honda riders) to start on a soft rear tyre. By the end of the race, he had nothing left in the tyre, leading to a penalty that saw him slip to seventh place, even behind the tenacious Bastianini.
Notable retirements: Bagnaia and Acosta
There were two notable retirements: Bagnaia due to unspecified brake issues while battling for fourth place, and Pedro Acosta, who gradually fell back due to a loss of sensation in his right hand while defending fourth place.
On the eve of the German Grand Prix, Martin thus jumps to the top of the world championship standings, +7 ahead of his teammate and +16 ahead of Di Giannantonio. Ogura moves up, sitting fourth at -25 from the leader, while Marquez is fifth at -40.
Raul Fernandez also makes up ground, sitting 6th, 55 points behind, while Acosta and Bagnaia drop back.
The championship is therefore still wide open, and it seems that not only the performances of the favorites but also those of the underdogs from both manufacturers—Aprilia and Ducati—will play a decisive role. This is something we’ve been saying from the very beginning.
In a sense, however, Ogura and Raul Fernandez have not only taken crucial points away from Martin but also from the rider who is still considered a formidable rival to watch: Marc Marquez. In short, the world championship is turning out to be far more complex than Bezzecchi’s string of victories had suggested. With three wins at the Thai, Brazilian, and American GPs and two second-place finishes in Spain and France, he seemed poised for a “veni, vidi, vici” 2025 à la Marquez.
It’s not turning out that way, but that’s ultimately the beauty of Grand Prix racing.
