Not having the last two MotoGP champions on the track is not preventing us from enjoying an intense end to the season, and the example is the Portuguese GP. Dodging the inclement weather and with a perfect weekend in terms of weather, the most spectacular circuit and one of the most technically complicated in the championship hosted the penultimate battle of the season.
And the Autódromo Do Algarve is usually the place for spectacular races, and this time it was no different, in a weekend where there were, especially, three great protagonists: Marco Bezzecchi, Álex Márquez and Pedro Acosta.
Álex and Pedro play it in the Sprint
Slipstream City stuff 💨@alexmarquez73 into 2nd now! #PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/HC4ZsbMVm5
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 8, 2025
Although Álex Márquez did not manage to sneak into the front row, something that Bezzecchi, Acosta and Quartararo did, as soon as the race started he managed to place himself in the leading group with Marco and Pedro. The three had a spectacular start to the race, although the Aprilia rider, who after what was seen in training was the main candidate for victory, lost a few meters to the Spanish duo.
But there was still the best part of the Sprint race. Both Acosta and Márquez were looking for victory and both gave their all at every moment, starring in a direct and intense duel that, in addition to being tremendously spectacular, allowed Bezzechi, who had lost a few meters, to get closer to the Spaniards again.
With everything to be decided and with the three drivers prepared to fight for victory, a final lap was reached in which, finally, Álex Márquez pulled his weight as runner-up to take the victory by 120 thousandths over Pedro Acosta, and 637 over Bezzecchi.
ELBOWS OUT for that gold medal between @37_pedroacosta and @alexmarquez73! ⚔️🔥#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/h9meWQPvBe
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 8, 2025
Despite the time lost during overtaking and battles, the rest of the grid could not get closer and Quartararo, who was fourth, crossed the finish line more than five seconds behind. Di Giannantonio, Aldeguer, Zarco, Bagnaia and Binder completed the top9 that gives the right to points.
Bezzecchi, unstoppable, takes the victory of the Portuguese GP
Like every weekend when the sprint race is spectacular, everyone expects that when the GP arrives the battle will be prolonged, so all eyes were on Márquez, Acosta and Bezzecchi as the main candidates for victory in the Portuguese GP.
Once again Álex Márquez started well to recover positions, but Bezzecchi and Acosta asserted their best position on the grid and between them they were playing for first position when they reached the end of the straight. On this occasion Marco managed to secure first place and began to impose a rhythm that was difficult to follow. So much so that although Márquez and Acosta were riding behind him, they lost half a second from the beginning which, as would be seen later, was impossible to recover.
And the pace set by Bezzecchi and his Aprilia RS-GP was relentless. The Italian, at a moment in spectacular form and with a bike that lacks regularity, but that when it works is at the level to fight for victories, did not fail from traffic light to flag. He kept the pace and took the victory indisputably.
Meanwhile, Márquez and Acosta battled for second position, which went to the Catalan, with the Murcian taking full advantage and even more so against a KTM that is clearly one step behind, although increasingly closer to the best. As was the case on Saturday, after the first three classified, separated by just over three seconds, the distance with the rest was once again very large.
A MASSIVE moment there for @37_pedroacosta 😱#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/0YuYEhRwzJ
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 9, 2025
Fermín Aldeguer climbed back to fourth place, but already 12.8 seconds behind Bezzecchi and the Murcian in turn distanced himself by almost 4 seconds from Brad Binder with whom he had a clash. Fabio Quartararo, sixth, continues to do magic with the M1 on one lap and although the bike has improved during the season, it is still less competitive than the Frenchman needs to last the entire race.
On this occasion the second best Aprilia was that of Ai Ogura, seventh, after Raúl Fernández suffered a very hard fall on Friday that left him out of combat for the rest of the weekend on a track where the Madrid native would surely have been fighting for the front positions.
Bumping, barging and twitching 💥@BradBinder_33 🆚 @Aldeguer54 🔥#PortugueseGP 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/ImDYrstK45
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) November 9, 2025
Fabio Di Giannantonio, blurred this weekend, could not get past eighth position with Johann Zarco ninth. Pol Espargaró, possibly replacing Maverick Viñales for the last time, managed to score points again with a solid tenth position and making it clear that he has the speed and pace to continue being a full-time driver.
After this intense weekend there is no time for rest, as everyone is already looking to Valencia and the last race of the season, which will take place this week. There Bezzecchi has every chance to take third place overall after a new fall for Bagnaia, whom he leads by 35 points after Portugal. But the Italian is not even assured of fourth position, since Acosta is only three points behind and could take it away from him.
