The 2025 MotoGP season has already delivered a mix of thrilling victories and unexpected downturns in rider performances through its first 12 rounds, culminating in a three-week break following the Czech Republic Grand Prix. Analyzing the season’s midpoint offers insight into the biggest winners and losers compared to last year, revealing stark contrasts in form and fortunes across the grid. This review focuses on the MotoGP 2025 biggest winners losers by comparing key statistical data from the equivalent points in both 2024 and 2025 campaigns.
By excluding rookies Ai Ogura, Somkiat Chantra, and Fermin Aldeguer, who competed in Moto2 last year, the performance trajectory of 19 riders can be confidently evaluated season-on-season. Jorge Martin, the reigning world champion, however, is an exception due to injury and limited appearances for Aprilia this year, making direct comparison unreliable.
Tracking the Shifting Fortunes: Why Jorge Martin’s Comparison Is an Outlier
Jorge Martin’s transition into 2025 has been marred by injuries and off-track disputes, with just two race entries and a drastic drop from 299 points last year to nine points so far in 2025. His absence severely impacts his ranking and excludes him from this analysis of incremental gains and declines. This gap highlights the challenges even top riders face when confronted with physical setbacks and team conflicts.
Aside from Martin, 12 riders have improved their point totals compared to last season’s halfway mark, with Jack Miller showing the smallest positive increase, moving from 48 points and 15th place in 2024 to 52 points and 14th in 2025. What follows is an exploration of MotoGP’s five biggest breakthrough riders and five biggest fallers so far in the season.
Who’s Thriving: The Five Riders Soaring in Performance Through 12 Rounds
1. Alex Marquez (Ducati) – +157 Points
Standing second in the championship with 261 points compared to 104 last year, Alex Marquez has dramatically elevated his game with an increased contribution from sprint races, holding 36.3% of his points from sprints in 2025 versus 17.3% in 2024. His remarkable consistency includes ten podium finishes in twelve sprints, although many were runner-up spots behind elder brother Marc Marquez. Improving both sprint and Grand Prix outcomes by substantial margins, his form has been essential to his career-best points haul.
2. Marc Marquez (Ducati) – +152 Points
The reigning world champion leads the standings with 381 points, showing marked growth from 229 points at this stage last season. Marquez has dominated both sprints (141 points, a 98% conversion rate) and Grands Prix, securing 10 wins in longer races and 11 sprint victories this season. Despite some crashes that cost him valuable points, his ability to capitalize on sprints has solidified his lead in the championship race.
3. Johann Zarco (Honda) – +92 Points
Zarco’s resurgence is impressive, climbing from 17 points and 19th place last year to 109 points and 8th currently. His performance is highlighted by a Grand Prix win in France and a podium finish in Great Britain, signaling Honda’s improvements. After scoring zero sprint points in 2024, Zarco has already collected 20 in sprints this season, contributing to this rapid ascent up the standings.
4. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) – +74 Points
Bezzecchi’s switch to Aprilia seems to have revitalized his form, rising to 156 points and 4th place in 2025 from 82 points and 12th last year. His adaptation to the new team was initially slow, but he now boasts two podium finishes and four top-four sprint results. His progress illustrates a remarkable personal improvement and contributes significantly to Aprilia’s competitiveness.
5. Franco Morbidelli (Ducati) – +56 Points
The VR46 Ducati rider has shown a strong recovery from a serious pre-season accident in 2024. Morbidelli’s points share between sprints and Grands Prix remains largely the same as last year; however, he has accumulated more points overall, holding 139 points and 6th position. A collarbone injury before the break has curtailed his momentum but he remains a noteworthy improver.
Struggling to Stay Competitive: Five Riders Falling Behind Their 2024 Benchmarks
1. Enea Bastianini (KTM) – -179 Points
Once capable of winning two Grands Prix last season and sitting 4th with 228 points, Bastianini’s switch from Ducati to KTM has been fraught with challenges. His current total of 49 points and 17th position reflects KTM’s ongoing struggles, as the bike struggles to deliver competitive performance. His sprint results have plummeted from 62 to just 7 points this season, indicating a sharp fall in competitiveness.
2. Brad Binder (KTM) – -77 Points
Binder has fallen to 68 points and 12th place in 2025 from 145 points and 6th last season. While his teammate Pedro Acosta faces similar struggles, Binder’s difficulty in qualifying impacts his race starts and results. His sprint finishes have declined notably, succeeding in only three top-nine finishes out of 12 sprints, demonstrating KTM’s ongoing performance issues.
3. Maverick Viñales (KTM) – -70 Points
Viñales has dropped to 69 points, 11th in the standings, down from 139 points and 7th a year ago while riding for Aprilia. Part of this decline is due to missing two events with a serious shoulder injury sustained in Germany. Despite this, his sprint points have decreased sharply from 51 to 21, and his ability to replicate last year’s success has faltered amid KTM’s challenges.
4. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) – -63 Points
Bagnaia, currently 3rd with 213 points, has seen a modest but significant drop from 276 points and 2nd a year ago. Despite consistent podium finishes, the emergence of teammate Marc Marquez as the dominant force on Ducati has overshadowed Bagnaia’s results, limiting his ability to add more points where Marquez now excels.
5. Miguel Oliveira (Yamaha) – -54 Points
Oliveira has declined to 6 points and 25th place in 2025 compared to 60 points and 13th in 2024. While injury sidelined him for several rounds, his post-return form has been insufficient to regain competitiveness. His complete lack of points in sprints contrasts with prior seasons and fuels speculation about Yamaha’s plans regarding his contract renewal for 2026.
Performance Factors Behind the Season’s Dramatic Changes
The 2025 grid has been reshaped by several factors influencing rider performances. The expanded role and points weighting of sprint races have benefited some riders like the Marquez brothers and Zarco, who have capitalized on short-format race opportunities. On the other hand, KTM’s struggles with bike performance have severely curtailed the scoring potential of their riders, exacerbated by injuries to key figures such as Viñales and Oliveira.
MotoGP’s shifting competitive landscape is also evident in rider transfers—with Bezzecchi flourishing after moving to Aprilia, contrasting starkly with Bastianini’s difficulties following his departure from Ducati. Additionally, accident recovery and physical fitness remain crucial, as demonstrated by Morbidelli’s progress despite his serious 2024 crash and subsequent injuries this year.
Implications as the Season Approaches Its Second Half
As the 2025 season resumes after the mid-year break, the standings present a clear indication of who has adapted best to the evolving challenges of this year’s calendar. Marc Marquez’s dominant lead positions him as the favorite for the world championship, while the impressive rise of Alex Marquez and Johann Zarco signals growing threats to the established order. Conversely, KTM’s riders face an urgent need to address technical shortcomings to return to competitive form.
Looking ahead, the continued influence of sprint races, coupled with injuries and team dynamics, will play critical roles in shaping the championship battle. Fans and teams alike will closely monitor how riders such as Bastianini, Binder, Viñales, and Oliveira respond to adversity as the season intensifies towards its climax.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is MotoGP not so popular?
A. Unfortunately, entertainment often attracts more interest than sports do, and MotoGP is looking to profit from this trend. However, the sport lacks personalities who could create the needed excitement.
Q. Has anyone won F1 and MotoGP?
A. John Surtees is well-known for being the only person to win World Championships in both motorcycling and Formula 1 car racing. He skillfully and courageously excelled in both sports.
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A. Formula 1 has just received the green light to buy MotoGP. Here’s what this new development means for the future.
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A. Liberty Media, owners of Formula 1, are set to finalize a £3.6 billion purchase of MotoGP by Thursday. They will acquire 84% of Dorna, the company holding MotoGP’s commercial rights, paying in cash. This deal follows approval from the European Commission last week.
