2025 Australian MotoGP: Raul Fernandez, Trackhouse take shock first win

Raul Fernandez took a shock maiden MotoGP victory for himself and Trackhouse Aprilia at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, as Marco Bezzecchi recovered from a penalty to third.

A dominant force in Moto2 in 2021, Raul Fernandez’s time in MotoGP had failed to live up to that potential, with the Spaniard a best of fifth twice inside four seasons.

Getting a first sprint podium in Indonesia, Fernandez carried that form into Phillip Island and capitalised on a double long lap penalty for race favourite Marco Bezzecchi to dominate the Australian Grand Prix.

At one stage holding a lead of over three seconds, Fernandez took the chequered flag 1.418s clear of VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio.

Bezzecchi overcame two long lap penalties to complete the podium on the factory team Aprilia, as the Noale brand celebrates its 300th grand prix victory across all classes.

Fernandez’s victory marks a first for American squad Trackhouse, who joined the grid last season, while seven different riders have now stood on the top step of the podium in 2025.

Bezzecchi’s double long lap penalty forced him into a rapid start from second on the grid, with the Italian taking the lead from Fernandez and KTM’s Pedro Acosta.

Acosta would briefly take second from Fernandez on the third lap, before the Trackhouse rider found a way back through on the fourth tour.

Bezzecchi served his first long lap on lap five, which dropped him to third, having built up a lead of over a second.

He took the second on lap seven, which pushed him down to sixth, as Fernandez built up a lead of 1.1s over Acosta at the front.

And Fernandez’s charge would continue as he eked further away from Acosta. At the start of lap 16 of 27, Fernandez led by 2.4s.

Acosta’s podium hopes would fade soon after, as Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez, and then Di Giannantonio, pushed him down the order.

Di Giannantonio would pass Marquez for second on lap 23 at Turn 8, but Fernandez was now 3.1s up the road.

Though that lead gap would come down over the final laps, Fernandez got to the chequered flag a safe 1.418s clear of Di Giannantonio.

Bezzecchi moved into the final podium place on lap 25 ahead of Marquez after his earlier penalties, while Acosta completed the top five.

Luca Marini was just 0.040s behind Acosta on the factory Honda, while Alex Rins took top Yamaha honours in seventh as his polesitting team-mate Fabio Quartararo slumped to 11th.

Brad Binder was eighth on the factory team KTM, as he brushed aside a grid penalty, while Tech3’s Enea Bastianini and KTM stand-in Pol Espargaro rounded out the top 10.

The final points went to Pramac’s Miguel Oliveira in 12th, Trackhouse rookie Ai Ogura in 13th, Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer in 14th and VR46’s Franco Morbidelli in 15th.

Pecco Bagnaia’s miserable weekend on the factory team Ducati ended with a crash at Turn 6 on lap 24 while running in a lowly 12th.

Honda’s Joan Mir, Pramac’s Jack Miller and LCR’s Johann Zarco all crashed out in separate incidents.

Full 2025 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix results