MotoGP: more records for Michelin as Bezzecchi wins 2025 finale
The 22nd and last round of the 2025 MotoGPTM World Championship was won by Marco Bezzecchi. The Aprilia Racing rider was first over the line at the Motul Grand Prix of the Valencian Community, pursued by Raul Fernandez (TrackHouse MotoGP Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team). Michelin rounded out the year on a high note, contributing to more new track, race-lap and shortest race-duration records. Read on for more about what happened at the Valencia GP.
Bezzecchi started the year's closing clash from pole-position after posting a new lap record for Valencia in qualifying (1m28.809s).
On a front/rear combination of hard and medium MICHELIN Power slicks, he followed up by claiming Sunday's victory – his third of the campaign and second in a row after his success in Portugal last week. Helped by a perfect getaway and consistently quick times, he completed the 27 laps four seconds faster than the previous shortest race-duration reference.
Fernandez was also in form all weekend and started the year's last showdown from fourth on the grid on the same tire pairing as his Bezzecchi. He passed Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) superbly on Lap 11 to grab second spot and his pace was rewarded with the day's fastest lap (1m29.976s).
Di Giannantonio overtook Pedro Acosta (4th) two laps from home to deprive his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rival of a footing on the podium. The top six was rounded out by Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) and Saturday's sprint-victor Alex Marquez.
Michelin's MotoGPTM range made a mark on 2025's last grand prix thanks to its usual cocktail of grip and consistency. No fewer than five riders bettered the previous track record during qualifying when Bezzecchi lowered the bar to 1m28.809s. All the riders then chose the hard front and medium rear slick for Sunday's bill-topper which saw Fernandez clock a new race-lap record and Bezzecchi shave four seconds off the former race-duration benchmark.
Bezzecchi also made sure of bronze in the final championship standings, behind the 2025 champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Alex Marquez.
The new season 'begins' on Tuesday when everyone reconvenes at Valencia for an official test. The 2026 calendar proper will kick off in Thailand on February 27-March 1.