MotoGP 2025 Portuguese Grand Prix: Preview
- Finn Glover
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Written by Finn Glover, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
After over a month away on an Asian adventure full of calamity and chaos, MotoGP returns for its penultimate round, a rollercoaster ride around one of the world’s most undulating circuits: Portimao.
The championship may well and truly be over, but there’s still so much to play for. Three riders from three manufacturers are in play for third in the riders’ standings, and still, points mean prizes, even this late in the season.
The Portuguese Grand Prix: Algarve International Circuit
A spectacular racing circuit that only debuted in the series in 2020, the Algarve International Circuit provides unique and brilliant challenges for riders with its flowing turns and twists, somewhat dangerous but incredibly exciting.
At 2.853 mi (4.653 km), it is a slightly shortened version of the circuit F1 raced at in 2020 and 2021. Spanning 15 corners, it offers a very fast, long straight, as well as tight braking zones and awkwardly cambered corners, making it a rather attritional race, if we are going off past results.
Nestled in the rolling hillside of the Algarve region, wind and maybe weather in this season may play a serious part in the outcome of the race, and race-defining mistakes and crashes have been a common theme over the prior five editions of this grand prix.
Past Results
The original Portuguese Grand Prix was held at Estoril, on the outskirts of Lisbon, but since debuting at Portimao in 2020, there have been four different winners in five editions.
Last year, it was a rapturous performance by Jorge Martín, who dominated the field. But also, Pecco Bagnaia, Fabio Quartararo, who has won twice, and homeboy Miguel Oliveira, have all won on the rollercoaster.
Shockingly, among this quartet, only Bagnaia has won a race this season. And, he is the only rider in the last five to win a grand prix in MotoGP, to have even stepped on the podium at the venue! It really is a bonkers track, and a bonkers season. Even the dictatorial governor of MotoGP, Marc Márquez, has never won a race here! He had his best opportunity last year, till he crashed with future teammate Bagnaia at the awkward turn five.
Will we get another fairytale story like that of 2020, where Miguel Oliveira dominated at his beloved home circuit, in his final race with the Tech3 squad? Can we make it six in a row?
Key Notices
The list of absentees continues, with Pol Espargaró still in for Maverick Vinales, as well as the champion still out. This week, however, he will be replaced by WorldSBK ace Nicolò Bulega, the runner-up to MotoGP-bound Toprak Razgatlıoğlu in the past two WorldSBK seasons.
The Italian races for the Aruba Ducati team in the series, and only tested MotoGP machinery for the first time last week. He will be hoping for much better fortunes than the previous attempt of this by Ducati, when then-champion Álvaro Bautista stepped in in the 2023 Malaysian Grand Prix, and slumped at the rear of the field all weekend long.
Furthermore, Lorenzo Savadori will still be in place for Jorge Martín, who will hope to return to the season finale in Valencia.
Three riders from three manufacturers; Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati), Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia), and Pedro Acosta (KTM) are contesting for third in the championship, and are all separated by just 31 points, with 74 to play for in the final two weekends. It’s a gripping fight, and no one dare place a bet as to their winner! So much so for a boring MotoGP season!
With just two rounds to go, it will be all elbows out for MotoGP this weekend. As shown by past results here, we have no clear idea of what to expect, and are so intrigued to see who will conquer the rollercoaster this weekend!
Can we make it a phenomenal SIX winners in a row? Tune in to find out. The race starts at 1 PM BST (12 pm GMT).
