Fermín Aldeguer’s 2025 MotoGP season — A breakout year for Ducati’s young star

Written by Aaratrika Gupta, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri

MotoGP has seen several breakout stars during its storied tenure, and the 2025 season marked the rise of Fermin Aldeguer, who claimed his maiden MotoGP victory earlier this year. The Spaniard came off several Moto2 campaigns that were well pieced together, along the way.  

Credit: MotoGP

The leap to MotoGP

Fermin Aldeguer entered the 2025 MotoGP season with the burden of the massive expectation. On the back of some spectacular performances in Moto2, in which his speed and accuracy had made him noticeable in Ducati, a promotion to the top level with Gresini Racing was secured. 

His arrival was widely viewed as one of the most significant rookie debuts in recent years, not only because of his speed but also because Ducati rarely entrusts such young talent with machinery capable of fighting near the front.

Riding the competitive GP24 Ducati alongside Álex Márquez, Aldeguer joined the grid as a teenager determined to prove that his raw talent could translate to the top level. 

Ducati’s management had already signalled long-term faith in him, and Gresini provided an ideal environment for development without the immediate pressure of a factory seat. It was a gamble that quickly began to pay off.

Early races and the learning curve

The early rounds of the championship showed both the promise and the growing pains of Aldeguer’s adaptation. In Qatar he produced flashes of raw pace, securing a fifth-place finish in the sprint despite battling severe vibration issues on the rear tyre. 

He later confessed that early in the year he was in doubt of whether he belonged in MotoGP. His integrity was of a level that was mature considering his age and thus allowed him to be grounded as he was getting used to the conditions of a 1000cc bike.

Qualifying sessions often revealed his biggest weaknesses, as he struggled to extract the one-lap performance needed to start near the front. Yet once the lights went out, Aldeguer’s racecraft began to shine. He was rough when braking, not afraid of long corners, and exhibited good late-race speed. Although small mistakes occasionally cost him results, there was little doubt that the building blocks of a top-tier rider were already visible.

Finding form and breaking through

As the season developed, Aldeguer started converting speed into results. His breakthrough came at circuits that traditionally reward riders with strong corner speed and bravery on the brakes. 

By mid-season, he had achieved his first main-race podium, demonstrating that his speed could be sustained across full race distance. Analysts and team principals alike began to take notice.

Another characteristic round was the Austrian Grand Prix. Under intense pressure against the established names Aldeguer rode with great calmness and accuracy to finish second. Even the weekend winner Marc Marquez commented that the rookie was running super fast and that he was more mature than his experience. That podium confirmed that Aldeguer was no longer simply learning—he was competing.

The breakthrough victory

Credit: @themandalikagp via Instagram

Every standout rookie needs a defining moment, and Aldeguer found his at the Indonesian Grand Prix. On a hot, unpredictable Sunday, the race descended into chaos after an early crash involving two of the championship favourites. 

Aldeguer remained calm while others faltered. After qualifying on the front row, he took the lead mid-race and held it to the finish, crossing the line almost seven seconds clear of his closest rival.

The victory was more than a statistical milestone. It established him as the first rookie winner in four years and the second-youngest in MotoGP’s modern history. More importantly, it displayed his capacity to manage the pressure of leading a race from the front, maintaining tyre life and focus under relentless scrutiny. 

The celebrations within the Gresini garage reflected both joy and relief, as their faith in the young Spaniard had been vindicated in the most emphatic way possible.

Temperament and development

Throughout the season Aldeguer displayed a temperament that many veterans would envy. He was analytical rather than defensive after difficult races, often taking responsibility for mistakes and emphasising the need to learn from them. 

His team noted that he studied data obsessively and frequently compared his braking markers with those of more experienced Ducati riders, using every tool available to close the gap.

There were still the inevitable rookie hiccups. A few races ended with crashes or near misses when his ambition slightly outpaced his experience. However, these crashes were interpreted in the paddock as an act of a rider pushing the limit and not losing control.

At the end of the third quarter of the season, Aldeguer started to strike a balance between aggression and patience, which made him more and more hard to overcome in wheel-to-wheel fights.

Recognition and statistics

When the championship reached its closing rounds, Aldeguer had already accumulated multiple podium finishes and a historic win. His performances earned the official MotoGP Rookie of the Year award, placing his name alongside figures such as Jorge Martín and Marc Márquez. 

Beyond the trophy, he ended the season comfortably inside the top ten of the overall standings, a remarkable achievement for a first-year rider in a field dominated by experienced champions.

The numbers only tell part of the story. Aldeguer’s growth trajectory was steep, his confidence visibly higher at each race, and his communication with his crew increasingly sophisticated. 

His comments regarding tyre behaviour and electronic settings often proved to be highly accurate, with engineers praising him, mentioning his feedback was unusually accurate for a rookie. As it would turn out, he was not only fast but technologically savvy, a key to success in long-term MotoGP.

Looking ahead

Going into 2026, Aldeguer will no longer have to worry about impressing the field, but will instead have to maintain competitiveness through a full campaign. His priorities will involve the enhancement of qualifying performance, the art of tyre management in varying track conditions and consistency in the sprint and main races. 

Ducati’s faith in him remains strong, and discussions within the paddock suggest that he is already being considered for future factory opportunities should his progress continue.

There is a solid foundation for the lessons of 2025. Aldeguer has demonstrated that he is capable of winning, adjusting, and being able to take pressure without straying. The following step in his career will be based on converting glimpses of genius into a year-long pattern that will help him remain in the game each week.