Ducati Lenovo
The Ducati Lenovo Team tackled the twenty-first Sprint of the season at Portimão’s Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Francesco Bagnaia was eighth at the flag, while Nicolò Bulega crashed out in the first half of the encounter.
From fourth on the grid, Bagnaia lost one position at turn one. After defending fifth place from Di Giannantonio past halfway distance, Bagnaia then struggled in the closing stages and was ultimately eighth. Bulega, who qualified eighteenth, crashed unhurt during lap four.
The Ducati Lenovo Team will resume proceedings tomorrow morning at 9:40 local time (GMT) for the warm up, followed by the Grand Prix of Portugal, which will be contested over a 25-lap distance from 13:00.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 8th
“The Sprint didn’t go as we’d hoped. I wore the tyres out a lot in the early laps and, in the end, I got passed at the exit of the last turn. It was a wrong evaluation on my side and we need to do some more work ahead of the race. Today’s set-up was good in the fast corners, but I was lacking a bit of rear grip. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make the most of FP2 so we continued with this configuration. At the end, the grip was non-existent: I tried to manage it throughout the Sprint, but unsuccessfully. Tomorrow’s warm up will be very important to improve the situation and we’ll do our best in the race.”
Nicolò Bulega (#11 Ducati Lenovo Team) – DNF
“Today I didn’t manage to put everything together, but there were some positive aspects. Under braking is where I struggle the most, because the tyre specs are completely the opposite of what I’m used to. This morning, during qualifying, I lost six tenths at the last turn because I made a bit of a mess with the ride-height device; it’s a pity because it would have been a decent lap time. I struggled at the start of the race and then I tried to catch Franco (Morbidelli); I was on a good lap, but unfortunately I ended up crashing. I’m sorry for the team, who have to do some extra work. I need to reset and start again from scratch.”
Gresini Racing
ALEX MARQUEZ #73
“I tried to get a front-row start and I crashed while trying to do so… Despite that, I strongly wanted this Sprint win. I think that, compared to yesterday, the others made a bigger step forward than us, and today was a battle. It was a great battle to watch and be part of, especially when you come out on top… Tomorrow won’t be easy, but we’ve been feeling good the whole time this weekend and we want to keep the momentum going.”
FERMIN ALDEGUER #54
“We started really well but then at turn one I hit the brakes too early, losing all the positions I had gained. Then I made my way back little by little, I really wanted to do well and I gave it a go at the last turn. I wanted to make the most of that corner in which I know I’m very strong and it went well. Tomorrow will be a completely different race, but we’re competitive.”
Sprint – PortugueseGP
1st – ALEX MARQUEZ #73
6th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54
World Championship Standings
2nd – ALEX MARQUEZ #73 (425 points)
Runner Up MotoGP 2025
8th – FERMIN ALDEGUER #54 (190 points)
Rookie of the Year 2025
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
The Portuguese Grand Prix brought MotoGP to Europe once more and to the fast cambered turns of the AIC for the seventh time. The final ‘back-to-back’ salvo of the season began under cloudy skies and light batches of rain on Friday and then sunshine on Saturday. Pedro Acosta was immediately up to speed and ran in contention for provisional Pole on Friday: the youngster bagged the 3rd quickest lap in Practice for another Q2 entry. He was joined by Pol Espargaro, performing admirably once more while on replacement duty in Red Bull KTM Tech3 colors and 9th fastest.
Brad Binder was just over two tenths of a second from Q2 and went into Q1 with Enea Bastianini. The South African and Italian then throttled through tricky conditions on Saturday morning as the track dried from overnight rain. Brad and Enea ended Q1 with 14th and 16th places on the grid for the Sprint and the Grand Prix. Acosta was again vibrant in Q2 and rushed to a lap less than two tenths of a second away from Pole. He filled P2 for his best qualifying outing of 2025 to-date. Espargaro grabbed P10 for a space on the fourth row.
The Sprint benefited from the positive climate and fully dry asphalt. Acosta slid into P2 and then tussled for the lead with two rivals for the full duration of an exciting race and one of the most intense of the year. After the final flight to the line, Acosta was denied by just 0.120 of a second. The podium appearance was his third on the bounce after Saturday success in Australia and Malaysia. Further back Binder was strong in the opening laps to invade the top ten and was then busy in a four-rider dispute. The South African classified 9th one place ahead of Espargaro who maintained a decent pace and was part of the same persistent pack. Bastianini gained three positions over his qualifying rank to be 13th.
The Grand Prix will begin at 13.00 local time (14.00 CET) and for 25 laps of the AIC.
Pedro Acosta, 2nd in qualification, 2nd in the Sprint: “That was sick. It was nice. I enjoyed it. The only problem is that our weak point is [extra] traction and that was the others’ strong point! I was not losing a lot in places and I was super-strong in turns 3 and 5 but my goal was to be in front, and I tried to be there as long as I could. I was missing 0.2 at the end to try something for the win. The factory and the team are working a lot to give me a better bike and we’re just trying to take the 100% from what we have. Let’s try again tomorrow.”
Brad Binder, 14th in qualification, 9th in the Sprint: “Not too bad. I felt better than I have all weekend. I made up a few places but not as many as I’d like. A bit too late…but we have the main race tomorrow and if we can find a bit more rear contact and more balance then we can make good improvements that will take us a long way.”
Pol Espargaro, 10th in qualification, 10th in the Sprint: “I did a couple of mistakes in the last few laps and I lost one second but to be with the guys and in that battle for 6th was more than I expected. It was insane! They were just in front and I really wanted a bit more but today was fine.”
Enea Bastianini, 16th in qualification, 13th in the Sprint: “The Sprint was a bit complicated because after 4-5 laps I tried to push more but the front tire dropped. I missed confidence on corner entry and grip on the edge. I was losing time in a few places on the track, so we need to continue working. We made some adjustments to the bike for my position but they didn’t work for me. We’ll try something else again tomorrow because I need to use the bike how it needs to be ridden.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “It’s quite special for us when we get the chance to fight for the win and Pedro’s 2nd place was a great result. On the other hand we also feel that today was a very good chance to go for the first victory of the year and we need to analyze what we were missing. We believe we understand, and tomorrow we will have another chance so let’s try to use it well. Generally, it was also a positive day that we could have three riders in the top ten and we have continued our positive trend of work in this last segment of the season.”
Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing
It was an intense Saturday in Portimao for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, which secured a Top 5 finish in the Sprint thanks to Fabio Di Giannantonio’s fifth place. Franco Morbidelli had a tough race and crossed the line in fifteenth position.
After a qualifying session affected by unstable weather, in which he took ninth place, Di Giannantonio gained positions during the Sprint, showing a strong pace. Following a fierce battle with Francesco Bagnaia, Fabio crossed the finish line in fifth place. The #49 rider is now back in sixth position in the World Standings with 231 points.
Morbidelli couldn’t make it into Q2 and had to settle for a spot on the fifth row. Despite losing a few positions in the opening laps, Franco improved his feeling as the race went on and finished in fifteenth place. The #21 currently sits seventh in the World Standings with 227 points.
The Portuguese Grand Prix will end tomorrow with the main race, which will start at 1:00 p.m. (local time, -1 CET).
Fabio Di Giannantonio – 49
“We made a change this morning, but the unstable weather conditions only allowed us to test it during qualifying. We weren’t satisfied, so we went back to the previous setup for the Sprint, as yesterday’s solution gave us a better bike. We managed to get a good start, I had a solid pace, and I was able to close the gap to the top group, although a bit too late since I lost quite a lot of time in the battles during the Sprint. For tomorrow, we’ll try again and aim to get even closer. In the long race we’ll have more opportunities. Tyre choice will be crucial: the soft is an option, but we’ll see if it’s possible to make it last until the end.”
Franco Morbidelli – 21
“With this morning’s weather conditions, we lost a bit of useful time, but the positive thing is that I’ve regained the feeling with the wet tyres and I’m fast in those conditions. I even topped the timesheets at one point. When the track dried up, things got more difficult, but many times we’ve managed to turn the situation around, so we’ll keep working. That’s what we’re doing already and what we’ll continue to do until the end of the weekend: we don’t have grip, so tomorrow’s goal is to find it again. We have some solutions to try, so hopefully we can improve.”
Honda HRC Castrol
12th across the line at the end of the Sprint, a fast-starting Luca Marini brought it home as Joan Mir’s potential was masked by an early issue. The pair frustrated after a run of strong races.
Overnight rain left a damp track as morning practice began, Luca Marini and Joan Mir completing just a handful of laps in the conditions which were too wet for slicks but too dry for wets until the final moments. 18th and third respectively, Marini and Mir turned their attentions to Qualifying and the Sprint as the sun gained control.
Entering Q1 as one of the favourites, Marini attacked straight away having already understood the condition of the circuit from the previous session. As the flag came out on Q1, less than a tenth of a second would again heartbreakingly separate the Italian from progressing further. Starting from 13th and as determined as ever, Marini shot off the line with another rocket launch to immediately charge into the top ten as the Sprint began. A moment at Turn 5 would see Marini lose a handful of positions, settling into 12th place and keeping fellow Honda rider Johann Zarco in his sights throughout the remainder of the Sprint. More work to do as the #10 hunts grip and a step from his overall pace.
Straight into the top 12 shoot out, Mir managed a solid seventh to lead the third row of the grid as he and his side of the Honda HRC Castrol garage continued to refine his feeling on the Honda RC213V. Complications would arise when the 12-lap Sprint began, Mir slow off the line and dropping right down the order into Turn 1. Rallying briefly, the #36 would get back into the top 15 before opting to retire from the race and risk further complications. Honda HRC are investigating the issue but are confident of avoiding a repeat on Sunday.
After such a strong series of races in Japan, Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia, Saturday’s result leaves Marini and Mir with work to do on Sunday. The 25-lap Portuguese GP is schedueld for 13:00 Local Time, ahead of the Moto3 race.
Luca Marini
12th
“A really frustrating day, missing Q2 compromised our race today but also we are lacking something in our overall rhythm. I had a moment at Turn 5 on one lap where I lost a bit of ground but it’s a trickier weekend than we expected speaking honestly. I was able to stay with Zarco in the Sprint after a really good start from myself. We need to try and improve the grip; the circuit is a little greener. We are learning and taking more information for next year, it’s important to always be moving forward.”
Joan Mir
DNF
“We are ready for Sunday, our lap time is good and I know that we can do a lot more than what we showed today. At the start, something wasn’t correct and I got a strange feeling. Everyone is working to understand fully what happened and that will be the first job of tonight. In Qualifying we missed a little bit with the lap time, the track conditions were very critical with grip and that hurts us maybe a bit more than the other riders. We know where our strengths are and I feel like we can exploit them more in the longer race.”
Monster Energy Yamaha
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Fabio Quartararo showed his fighting spirit on the Grand Prix of Portugal Saturday. He turned a positive front-row starting position into a solid 4th place in the Sprint. Álex Rins ran wide in Turn 1 on the opening lap and lost some ground. He ultimately finished in P17.
Quartararo benefited from another superb qualifying effort. He successfully negotiated Q1 to take P3 in Q2, securing his tenth front-row start of the season. At the start of the Sprint, he quickly slotted into fourth place. With a substantial gap starting to form to the leading trio over the first three laps, El Diablo knew that he would have to stay alert for any potential charging rivals. The Frenchman is a fan of the Algarve track and managed the distance between himself and fifth place expertly, crossing the finish line 5.276s from first.
Rins started the 12-lap contest from P17 but soon was relegated to the back of the pack in the usual opening-lap chaos. The Yamaha man was keen to make up ground but lost some time trying to find a way through on Lorenzo Savadori. When the number 42 did pass him on lap 7, the gap to Franco Morbidelli had already become too large to bridge. With three rivals failing to complete the Sprint, Rins crossed the finish line in 17th place, 22.861s from first.
After today’s results, Quartararo stays in 9th place in the overall standings with 188 points, and Rins holds 19th position with 63 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are 6th in the team championship with 251 points, and Yamaha remain in 5th position in the constructor championship with 227 points.
Tomorrow the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP teammates will be back in action for Warm Up from 9:40-9:50 GMT+0, followed by the 25-lap Race, starting at 13:00.
Massimo Meregalli
Team Director, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP
“While the weather improved compared to yesterday, our results remained mixed. On the positive side, Fabio delivered an impressive turnaround, advancing through Q1 to secure third on the grid and then pushing hard for a strong fourth-place finish. It’s a testament to his determination and ability to perform when it matters most. Unfortunately, it was a challenging day for Álex. Starting from P17 and a difficult opening lap compromised his chances to battle in the mid-pack. But he’ll have an opportunity to come back stronger in tomorrow’s 25-lap Race.”
Fabio Quartararo
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
“We had a good day, especially considering how difficult yesterday was. I’m a hard braker, and I wanted more support on the front to be able to brake a bit harder. I was expecting the track to be dirtier, but it actually was quite okay. My pace was good from the first lap of the Sprint, but the three guys in front were faster. I was more pushing myself to the maximum whilst also nursing the tyres. We did feel a bit of a drop, but I saw that Pecco was 1s behind me and on the next lap it was Diggia with 0.8s, so I was pushing more on the last laps, and I could maintain the same gap.”
Álex Rins
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider
“It all began at the start: I had an issue with the clutch, and I lost some positions. After that, on the first lap, I almost crashed into Savadori in corner 1, so I went wide, out of the track. I was a couple of seconds behind. I closed the gap, but I spent 5-6 laps to overtake a rider though I had a better pace than him. So far, it’s been a tough weekend for us. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. I aim to be inside the points.”
Aprilia Racing
Aprilia Racing’s weekend at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve continues on positive notes. Marco Bezzecchi did an extraordinary Q2 session, taking pole position with a time of 1:37.556, his fourth of the season after the ones in Austria, Misano, and Mandalika. He took the lead straight away in the sprint race on the first turn, yielding the position a few laps later, but still finishing with an excellent third place, just six tenths behind the winner. This is Bezzecchi’s thirteenth podium of the season, which includes his Silverstone GP win and his wins in the Misano, Mandalika, and Phillip Island sprint races. These are important points that keep the Italian rider in third position for the overall rider standings with 298 points.
Lorenzo Savadori continued the RS-GP25 development programme in race conditions, finishing the sprint race eighteenth.
MARCO BEZZECCHI
“I’m happy. It was a good sprint race and a good day in general with pole position. The pace I had in the practice sessions was more or less the same as today. I obviously hoped to do a bit better, maybe even battling with the top two, but unfortunately, I was slightly slower.”
LORENZO SAVADORI
“I had a good start and I battled a bit at the beginning. We tried a few new elements for the development of the bike. It’s great to see Marco in pole position and on the podium again today.”
FABIANO STERLACCHINI
“It was a positive Saturday, especially since we were coming from a rather difficult race. Performance this morning in qualifying was extremely positive. We were missing something in the race, but the important thing is staying out front and battling for the win. Lorenzo also did an outstanding job. His contribution is truly important, testing various new things, both in terms of strategy and components that we will then apply to Marco’s bike. Overall, we should be satisfied with our work. We took another step forward towards achieving our goals.”
