MotoGP 2025: Thunder Returns to Phillip Island

The 2025 MotoGP season hits Australia as Phillip Island hosts another action-packed showdown. With Marc Marquez sidelined, the fight for second heats up. Expect chaos, courage, and championship twists in the Liqui Moly Australian Grand Prix.

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The world’s fastest riders are heading south once again, to the windswept wonder that is Phillip Island. Few tracks on earth carry the same mystique. It’s a place where the weather can change by the minute, where the ocean backdrop meets raw horsepower, and where every lap can rewrite history.

As the 2025 season charges toward its final four rounds, “The Island” takes centre stage once more. Known for close finishes and unpredictable heroes, Australia’s round promises everything from high-speed duels to late-race chaos. And this year, with several big names out injured, the door is wide open for fresh faces to shine.

Champion Sidelined, New Battles Begin

Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) will not line up on the grid this weekend, sidelined by a shoulder injury that rules him out of both the Australian and Malaysian rounds. His absence shifts the spotlight squarely onto the fight for second overall, a battle that’s heating up fast.

Francesco Bagnaia endured a nightmare in Indonesia, failing to score after a crash, while Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing) grabbed a valuable podium and now leads the race for the runner-up spot. Ducati’s test rider Michele Pirro steps in for the injured champion, ensuring the factory team still flies two flags.

The real story from Mandalika, however, belonged to Fermin Aldeguer. The 19-year-old Spaniard shocked the paddock with a sensational maiden victory, becoming the second-youngest premier-class winner in history. Having also triumphed at Phillip Island in Moto2 two years ago, Aldeguer returns to one of his favourite circuits, now with the confidence of a Grand Prix winner and a chance to end his rookie season in style.

Aprilia’s Tough Season, Flickers of Hope

For Aprilia Racing, 2025 has been a rollercoaster. Marco Bezzecchi looked set to challenge for a top result in Indonesia until an opening-lap clash with Marquez ended his day. With Jorge Martin still recovering from injury, Bezzecchi will likely team up with Lorenzo Savadori this weekend, as the Italian marque searches for redemption.

At Trackhouse, Raul Fernandez delivered Aprilia’s highlight last time out: a Sprint podium and a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s race. With Ai Ogura still awaiting medical clearance, Fernandez once again carries the brand’s hopes as he returns to a circuit that suits his flowing style. Expect Aprilia to fight back with quiet determination.

KTM Rising

There’s a growing sense that KTM is peaking at the right time. Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder both finished inside the top four in Indonesia, marking another strong weekend for the Austrian outfit. Acosta’s relentless charge has brought him within 40 points of Bezzecchi in the standings, the rookie phenom still chasing a top-three finish in his first year.

Binder, meanwhile, is rediscovering his rhythm. Fourth place at Mandalika was his best Sunday of the season, and with an unbroken record of top-ten finishes at Phillip Island, he’ll be eyeing the podium. Over at Tech3, Enea Bastianini seeks redemption after his DNF, while Pol Espargaro returns to action as Maverick Viñales continues to recover from injury. The orange armada is growing stronger by the week.

Midfield Mayhem and Local Favourites

Behind the front-runners, the scrap for fifth overall is tighter than ever. Acosta’s surge has displaced Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing), while Aldeguer’s breakthrough win has thrown yet another wildcard into the mix.

Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) is still hunting for consistency, but his teammate Alex Rins nearly grabbed a podium in Indonesia, a sign Yamaha is edging closer to its old form.

And then there’s Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha), the hometown hero. No one lights up Phillip Island quite like the Australian. With a podium here in 2019 and a nail-biting fight for victory in 2022, Miller knows how to make the crowd roar. Expect nothing less than full attack from the local favourite.

Elsewhere, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) and Joan Mir continue Honda’s slow but steady rebuild, with Mir fresh off a podium in Japan. Miguel Oliveira and Somkiat Chantra are quietly putting together solid point streaks, the kind of consistency that could pay off big in the season’s final stretch.

Where Legends Are Made

Few tracks embody MotoGP’s spirit quite like Phillip Island. From photo-finish battles to storm-swept chaos, this circuit delivers theatre like no other. Every rider knows: you don’t win at Phillip Island, you survive it.

With the world champion watching from the sidelines and the rest of the grid smelling opportunity, the stage is set for another unforgettable chapter in Australia.

The Island is ready. The riders are restless. The thunder rolls again this weekend at the Liqui Moly Australian Grand Prix.