The race day was filled with unexpected drama. Just before the start, an unanticipated downpour forced riders to rush to the pits to switch to wet tires. This sudden change meant that those who swapped bikes had to start from the pit lane. As a result, 10 riders lined up in the pit lane while a few others, already on wet tires, remained on the grid.

Maverick Viñales found himself in a particularly unusual situation—he didn’t even have a bike available at first. The start of the race was delayed and a red flag was shown, further complicating the situation. Eventually, race officials decided that all riders would start from the grid, a decision that went against standard regulations.

The race was rescheduled to begin at 21:10 CET and shortened to 19 laps due to the delays.

As the lights went out, Marc Márquez had a brilliant launch, with his brother Alex Márquez right behind him. Francesco Bagnaia quickly made moves into Turn 1, securing third place and immediately setting his sights on Alex Márquez. Despite briefly losing the position, Bagnaia managed to reclaim third.

Jack Miller held onto his position, while Fabio Quartararo fought his way up to eighth place, defending against Pedro Acosta. Meanwhile, Franco Morbidelli lost a position to Quartararo but later reclaimed it after a small mistake allowed Miller and Quartararo to overtake him. Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta engaged in a fierce battle behind Quartararo, but both ran wide, allowing Binder to gain an advantage.

Rookie Fermín Aldeguer made an impressive move past Quartararo, climbing to eighth place. Quartararo, struggling with pace, started to lose positions rapidly. Morbidelli continued his charge, overtaking Alex Márquez for second place after Márquez made an error. On Lap 5, Acosta managed to pass Quartararo, further pushing him down the order.

Bagnaia, displaying strong pace, defended his position well while posting faster lap times than Alex Márquez. Marc Márquez, meanwhile, extended his lead at the front. However, it was a tough weekend for Aprilia, with Marco Bezzecchi being their top rider in only 14th place.

Disaster struck on Lap 8 when Pedro Acosta crashed at Turn 1, bringing out a yellow flag. Fortunately, he was able to remount and continue the race. Just one lap later, Marc Márquez crashed out of the lead at Turn 4, rejoining in 18th place and promoting Bagnaia to the front.

As the race progressed, Viñales overtook the struggling Márquez, whose bike was damaged from the crash. On Lap 11, Acosta retired from the race, and another yellow flag was waved after Joan Mir crashed at Turn 12, capping off a miserable weekend for him. Despite his damaged bike, Marc Márquez continued until he eventually retired on Lap 13.

Brad Binder, who had been fighting in the midfield, also retired on Lap 14. Meanwhile, Aldeguer continued his strong performance, battling Johann Zarco and later overtaking him for ninth place.

By Lap 15, Bagnaia had extended his lead to three seconds. Zarco came under attack from Bezzecchi, but Aldeguer managed to pull away from the dueling pair. In a historic moment, Alex Márquez briefly led the championship standings for the first time in his career.

On Lap 16, Jack Miller found himself under pressure from Aldeguer, who eventually overtook him for sixth. Unfortunately, Zarco crashed out, bringing out another yellow flag.

At the checkered flag, Francesco Bagnaia claimed victory at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for the first time, securing a dominant win. Alex Márquez finished second, followed by Fabio Di Giannantonio in third. Morbidelli crossed the line in fourth, with Miller completing the top five.

The race at COTA was packed with action, unpredictable turns, and dramatic moments, from last-minute bike swaps to high-profile crashes. Bagnaia’s win was a masterclass in consistency and control, while Alex Márquez’s strong performance highlighted his growing confidence. The championship battle is heating up, promising even more excitement in the races ahead.

2025 Grand Prix of the Americas