The 2025 MotoGP rider rankings spotlight an incredible season where Marc Marquez and Ducati commanded the championship, with Marquez overcoming hurdles to secure his seventh world title. Alongside Marquez’s historic campaign, a new mix of talents, seasoned racers, and break-out stars left an undeniable mark on the year.
Overview of a Standout MotoGP Season
Marc Marquez, riding for Ducati, was undeniably the headline act in MotoGP’s 2025 season. At 32 years old, Marquez was finally able to move beyond the lingering effects of his devastating 2020 injury, capturing his first championship since then and his inaugural MotoGP crown with Ducati. His main competition, at least in the opening rounds, came from younger brother Alex Marquez. Aprilia’s advancements also caught the paddock’s attention, suggesting a shift in power may be on the horizon. This season featured not only dominant frontrunners but also determined rookies, experienced riders redefining expectations, and machinery considered underwhelming, yet performing above all predictions.
Top 10 Riders of the 2025 MotoGP Season
Below is a detailed look at the top 10 riders based on their 2025 performances, reflecting their achievements, challenges, and moments that defined an emotionally charged and intensely competitive year.
10. Luca Marini – Honda HRC: Rising Through Adversity
Luca Marini entered 2025 with little hype, having been selected from a limited pool to replace Marc Marquez at Honda’s factory team. Marini’s 2024, spent on a satellite Ducati, delivered reasonable results, but hadn’t matched the displays from peers like Marco Bezzecchi and Enea Bastianini. However, with a more competitive Honda this year, Marini made an immediate impact, securing four top-10 finishes in the opening rounds. A severe Suzuka 8 Hours crash sidelined him for three races, stalling his momentum, but upon return, Marini managed impressive fifth-place finishes in Hungary and Indonesia, plus a fourth in Hungary’s sprint.
He narrowly missed out on matching race winner Johann Zarco in championship points for Honda and proved himself a consistent performer, providing valuable development feedback for HRC as the team rebuilt around him.
9. Raul Fernandez – Trackhouse Racing Aprilia: Redemption Delivered
High expectations greeted Raul Fernandez as Aprilia’s sole returning rider. The early season was rough; after eight rounds, Fernandez managed just two top-10s and felt pressure from promising rookie Ai Ogura, even drawing public criticism from Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola. When Trackhouse tested Manu Gonzalez on the RS-GP, it was a turning point for Fernandez. He dramatically improved after the Italian Grand Prix, consistently finishing in the top 10 and clinching his maiden podium in Indonesia’s sprint.
Australia proved decisive, as Fernandez took his first MotoGP grand prix win, followed by a hard-fought second in Valencia shortly after missing the Portugal round due to a crash. He dramatically increased his annual points tally but must find steadiness if he’s to establish a stronger reputation with Trackhouse and Aprilia in 2026.
8. Johann Zarco – LCR Honda: Veteran Shows His Worth
Johann Zarco made a bold move by shifting to Honda, leaving behind superior machinery and entering the twilight of his career. Zarco became Honda’s sole bright spot during a challenging period, starting 2025 as LCR’s strongest rider with consistent top-seven finishes and a remarkable fourth in Qatar. His career-defining moment came with a masterful win in wet conditions at the French Grand Prix, a historic performance backed by LCR’s tactical brilliance as the weather shifted. Zarco added a second-place at Le Mans and secured a contract extension through 2027. Although his results dipped midseason as upgrades took time to arrive, Zarco remains vital to Honda’s prospects moving forward.
7. Pecco Bagnaia – Ducati Corse: A Year of Frustration
For Pecco Bagnaia, once considered a title favorite, 2025 was a season rife with surprise setbacks. Bagnaia, a double world champion, struggled with the Ducati GP25, particularly with front-end feel, and was overshadowed by Marc Marquez’s dominance on identical machinery. While Bagnaia started with solid results—five podiums in six races and a victory in America—his form faltered as the year progressed.
Disappointing non-scores, mid-pack qualifying efforts, and fierce competition led to a points gap of 257 behind Marquez. The season ended with major uncertainty regarding his future at Ducati, as Bagnaia’s inability to match team expectations became increasingly problematic.
6. Fermin Aldeguer – Gresini Racing Ducati: Rookie Emerges
Ducati secured Fermin Aldeguer’s services ahead of the 2024 Moto2 campaign, and though his transition to MotoGP initially looked precipitous, Aldeguer soon found his rhythm. The rookie shined alongside crew chief Frankie Carchedi, earning early top-five finishes in Qatar and double podiums in France. He added another podium in Austria before a dominant maiden win at Indonesia’s Mandalika, where his skill in tire management stood out.
Although a sprint podium at Sepang was stripped away due to a tire penalty, Aldeguer secured strong results in the closing rounds and was comfortably crowned rookie of the year. With consistent growth and impressive adaptability, Aldeguer positioned himself as a hot prospect for future rider markets.
5. Pedro Acosta – KTM Factory Racing: Promise Amid Disappointment
Pedro Acosta entered 2025 with the expectation of contending for the world championship after a standout rookie showcase. However, he was unable to secure a race victory for a second consecutive year as KTM’s RC16 lagged behind early in the season. Acosta’s frustration was evident, but following technical upgrades and a personal shift in mindset, he transformed into a persistent podium contender, collecting eight podiums in the final ten events.
Acosta overtook Pecco Bagnaia in the standings to finish fourth overall and was the clear leader within KTM, greatly outpacing his teammates in both performance and qualifying sessions. Even if he felt he “fought for nothing” this year, Acosta proved to be an exceptional talent whose presence will be sorely missed if he moves brands for 2026.
4. Fabio Quartararo – Yamaha Factory Racing: Battling Against the Odds
Yamaha approached 2025 with renewed optimism after a promising preseason, hoping their revised M1 would enable frequent podium appearances. That hope largely materialized because Fabio Quartararo extracted extraordinary performance from the machinery. Between Qatar and Silverstone, Quartararo delivered five consecutive front-row starts—including four poles—and fought to second in Spain’s grand prix, while only a mechanical fault denied him a near-certain victory at Silverstone.
Despite the M1’s power and grip limitations, Quartararo was consistently in the top five, boasting a points gap of 122 over the next-best Yamaha rider and being the only Japanese bike pilot to reach the championship’s top 10. As Yamaha moves towards a V4 engine, Quartararo’s patience appears to be running out, though his 2025 efforts were a vivid reminder of his world-class capability.
3. Alex Marquez – Gresini Racing Ducati: Stepping From the Shadows
Alex Marquez delivered a breakthrough campaign on the upgraded Ducati GP24. After a modest 2024, the new machinery allowed Alex to contend at the sharp end from the outset, starting with a trio of second-place finishes and his first victory at Jerez. Despite penalties and missteps—such as a costly double DNF at Brno and a collision with Joan Mir in Austria—Alex rebounded, holding firm under pressure to secure critical wins, including a memorable victory at the Catalan Grand Prix.
The younger Marquez replicated his winning ways in Malaysia and closed the season with two sprint victories, amassing nearly 300 points more than the prior year. His consistent performances earned him a coveted factory Ducati GP26 seat, firmly establishing him among the sport’s elite.
2. Marco Bezzecchi – Aprilia Factory Racing: Emerging as a Leader
Initially signed to support Aprilia’s reigning champion Jorge Martin, Marco Bezzecchi found himself thrust into team leadership after Martin’s injuries. Bezzecchi adapted quickly, becoming Aprilia’s main development focus. Early races revealed promise, but a breakthrough win from eleventh on the grid at Silverstone signaled his real arrival among MotoGP’s top class.
Following a pivotal Aragon test that addressed braking instability, Bezzecchi claimed consistent podiums, challenged Marc Marquez head-to-head, and benefitted from Marquez’s absence in Indonesia to secure back-to-back wins in Portugal and Valencia. Despite occasional errors costing podium places, Bezzecchi’s maturity and resilience saw him on the podium in ten of the last twelve rounds. He demonstrated race-winning ability on a brand new machine, cementing himself as a future title contender should he continue his growth into 2026.
1. Marc Marquez – Ducati Corse: The Return of a Champion
Marc Marquez’s 2025 season ranks as one of the sport’s most impressive displays of excellence and perseverance. Joining Ducati as the title favorite, Marquez delivered on every expectation. He swept three of the first four grands prix, set new standards with dominant 37-point weekends across multiple events, and amassed 11 grand prix victories alongside 14 sprint wins in the 18 races he started.
After correcting early errors in America and Spain, Marquez was a model of consistency, leading even as rivals on identical machinery, like Pecco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio, struggled for results. Marquez’s remarkable resurgence, particularly after his serious injury, was a rare feat in elite sport. Although his campaign ended prematurely due to a collision with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia, he set such a high bar that with continued fitness, he remains the clear favorite for the seasons ahead.
Potential Shifts and a Look to the Future
While Marc Marquez’s dominance stood above all, the 2025 MotoGP rider rankings reveal a grid in flux: rising stars like Fermin Aldeguer and Pedro Acosta are set to shape future races, while established names face mounting challenges from new machinery and competitive rivals. Aprilia’s upward trajectory and Yamaha’s relentless development hint at tighter battles ahead. As the championship landscape evolves, the anticipation for 2026 grows, with unknowns and intense rivalries promising another high-octane year of MotoGP action.
