As we gear up for another spectacular showdown in Italy, we’ve got the whole breakdown about what happened last round and everything in between leading up to this MotoGP weekend.
Maiden Wins in Moto 3
In a stunning final lap that had us all on the edge of our seats, David Muñoz clinched his first Moto3 career win in Spain, just out of the grasp of the rookie Máximo Quiles. He and many other riders on the grid are closing in on their first wins, with their sights set on Mugello. José Antonio Rueda still leads the championship despite his soft tyre choice and race errors, resulting in a ninth-place finish in Aragón. He’ll be looking to make those points back up in Italy, where he finished fifth at last year’s event.
Here’s how the current championship points stand:
- José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) — 149
- Ángel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) — 97 (-52)
- Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) — 86 (-63)
A Moto 2 Photo Finish For the Ages
If you thought the last corner of the Moto3 was close, then you would have been even more thrilled and in awe of the fantastic checkered flag finish of Moto2. There were only three-thousandths of a second separating Deniz Öncü and Diogo Moreira, making it the closest finish in this modern era of the series. The entire race was marked with drama, with CFMOTO Inde Aspar teammates Daniel Holgado and David Alonso coming together before the first lap was complete. Throughout the race, there were constant overtakes and position changes at the front of the pack. Barry Baltus, Senna Agius, Filip Salač, and Arón Canet all vied for that third position spot, but Baltus held on to make it to the podium.
This is where the championship leaders sit going into Mugello:
- Manuel González (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) — 118
- Arón Canet (Fantic Racing Lino Sonego) — 118
- Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team) — 90 (-28)
Marquez Domination Continues
It seems like there’s no stopping the Marquez siblings and their championship leads in the MotoGP. In both the sprint and the primary Sunday race, Marc and Alex brought all the action right at lights out. In the sprint, Marc came into contact with Pedro Acosta before the first turn and gave Alex an excellent opportunity to take the lead from his older brother. But it didn’t take long for Marc to come back through, taking his lead back at the halfway point. The sprint ended in an all-Spanish lockout, with Marc, Alex, and Fermín Aldeguer securing podiums and points.
It was a much smoother start from Marc in Sunday’s race in what can only be described as a pure masterclass from start to finish. Alex wasn’t far behind, though, cutting Marc’s lead to under two seconds. However, with not enough laps to make a move, it remained another one-two finish for the Márquez brothers, and Francesco Bagnaia made up for his poor result in the sprint by securing third place for another Ducati-dominated weekend.
The 2025 World Championship standings are as follows:
- Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) — 233
- Alex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) — 201 (-32)
- Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) — 140 (-93)
Things to note: Fermín Aldeguer underwent arm pump surgery a couple of days after Aragón but is expected to be medically cleared to race in Italy. This is a common issue that many motorbike riders experience due to the expansion and pressure in the forearm muscles.
One Rider Out of a Ride in 2026
After much talk and speculation, it was announced that two-time World SBK Champion Toprak Razgatlioğlu will be joining the MotoGP Grid in 2026. The Turkish rider signed a contract with Prima Pramac Yamaha, leaving serious questions about the future of current team rider Australian Jack Miller, who is on a one-year contract with no secure ride as of yet. While his teammate, Miguel Oliveira, is on a two-year contract, Oliveira has missed four Grand Prix this year due to injury and is at risk due to performance clauses.
The paddock is also still abuzz with questions about when the reigning MotoGP World Champion, Jorge Martín, will return this year and whether he will stay with Aprilia next year. While no decision has been made, announcements from both Aprillia and Martín himself have only fueled the conversation. Ambiguous, though it may be, we can only wait and see what further announcements will come. It could mean a seat opening where no one thought it would.
There are a few riders who could already be in deep conversations to fill that seat. Johann Zarco, Luca Marini, and Franco Morbidelli all find themselves wide open for contract renewal in 2026. There is also speculation coming from the camp of embattled KTM that their riders are unsatisfied with the pace of the bike. Rumours are circulating regarding Acosta and Enea Bastinini, in particular, involving a potential team switch. This may or may not work to their advantage as there are currently numerous potential investors and buyers for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team, including former Haas F1 team boss Guenther Steiner. However, these are all just hearsay until the official word comes out. If the silly season is anything like last year, the final grid for 2026 could be much more surprising than we think.
What to Expect at the Mugello Circuit
Holding its first race in 1976, the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello has been on the MotoGP calendar every year since 1991. The 5.245km race track in the Tuscany countryside is a beautiful combination of slow and fast corners that has become one of the most challenging circuits for riders and engineers alike.
Race Distance by Category
Moto3: 17 Laps – 89.17km/55.4 miles (13 Laps if Red Flagged)
Moto2: 19 Laps – 99.66km/61.92 miles (14 Laps if Red Flagged)
MotoGP: 23 Laps – 120.64km/74.96 miles (17 Laps if Red Flagged)
Weather Forecast
Typical Mugello temperatures at this time of year range anywhere from 18°C to 23°C. However, it appears that temperatures will be significantly hotter for the race weekend, reaching up to 32°C by Sunday. This will have a major impact on rear and front tyre choices. The riders will need to do well to stay cool in their leathers, and with no current predictions for rain, it will be just as essential to keep their physical conditions in check.
Schedule
While the Spanish riders may have done their home crowd in Aragón proud, there is no shortage of Italian names looking to make statements of their own. Last year’s Mugello winner, Bagnaia, is seeking to regain momentum as his 2025 season has had some mixed results. However, Morbidelli and Marco Bezzecchi have been making waves in their performances, with the latter making up 10 positions in the last grand prix. Across all series, we’ve had some exciting racing, so we can expect another barnstorm of a weekend in Mugello. And we’ll be here to cover all the action for you!
Friday
- Moto3: Free Practice 1: 9:00 – 9:35 local time/CEST
- Moto2: Free Practice 1: 9:50 – 10:30 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Free Practice 1: 10:45 – 11:30 local time/CEST
- Moto3: Practice: 13:15 – 13:50 local time/CEST
- Moto2: Practice: 14:05 – 14:45 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Practice: 15:00 – 16:00 local time/CEST
Saturday
- Moto3: Free Practice 2: 8:40 – 9:10 local time/CEST
- Moto2: Free Practice 2: 9:25 – 9:55 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Free Practice 2: 10:10 – 10:40 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Qualifying 1: 10:50 -11:05 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Qualifying 2: 11:15 – 11:30 local time/CEST
- Moto3: Qualifying 1: 12:55 – 13:10 local time/CEST
- Moto3: Qualifying 2: 13:20 – 13:35 local time/CEST
- Moto2: Qualifying 1: 13:50 – 14:05 local time/CEST
- Moto2: Qualifying 2: 14:15 – 14:30 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Sprint Race: 15:00 local time/CEST
Sunday
- MotoGP: Warm Up: 9:45 – 9:55 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Rider Fan Parade: 10:00 local time/CEST
- Moto3: Race: 11:00 local time/CEST
- Moto2: Race: 12:15 local time/CEST
- MotoGP: Race: 14:00 local time/CEST