MotoGP sliced through the green hillsides and monument to speed that is the ‘Autodromo Mugello’ for the opening actions of the Italian Grand Prix. Saturday was marked by Maverick Viñales’ competitiveness to head sessions, qualify 5th and then push to within a few seconds of his first Sprint podium result of the year. Elsewhere KTM toasted another Moto3™ Pole with the KTM RC4.
- Maverick Viñales charges to 4th place and his strongest Sprint result of 2025 after nearing the lap record on Friday and topping Practice and Free Practice 2
- Enea Bastianini briefly enters the points-scoring range for the Sprint in hot conditions at Mugello but crosses the line in 11th
- Crashes for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder early in the 11-lap Sprint
- The KTM GP Academy roars in Mugello with a first Moto3™ Pole Position for Alvaro Carpe and a second row berth for Deniz Öncü in Moto2™
Picturesque and pacey: Mugello brought a typical Italian flavor to MotoGP for the sweeping and curvy 5.2km circuit’s 39th hosting of a Grand Prix and the ninth round of 2025. Tuscany cooked in high early summer temperatures as the riders and teams quickly found their marks and tried to refine set-ups for a course that rewards flow and consistent corner speed.
Red Bull KTM began the first of two Grands Prix on Italian asphalt this year with signs of promise. Both Pedro Acosta and Brad Binder were 2nd and 3rd fastest in FP1 with Maverick Viñales also in the top ten. During Practice on Friday Viñales excelled and almost broke the lap record to head the results sheets. Acosta made the Q2 cut in 8th, a meagre four tenths of a second from his brandmate while Binder was unlucky to crash at Turn 3 and didn’t have time to find another flyer. Enea Bastianini was 12th in Practice and much closer to Q2 entry.
Saturday’s schedule brought FP2 – again led by Viñales – and the run through Q1. Binder and Bastianini hovered around two tenths of a second from breaching the top two and confirmed 15th and 16th on the grid. Q2 provided a 15-minute rush for Pole Position and Viñales clocked the 5th best time with his latest attempt, giving the Spaniard a lot in the middle of the second row. Countryman Acosta was 8th fastest.
The Saturday Sprint involved 11 laps but the race was over quickly for Binder who was tagged while leant into the first corner and crashed. Acosta ran slightly wide into the long lefthanded final turn and also went down and out. Viñales made a pursuit for 3rd and came within striking distance of the position before running out of laps. His P4 was still a season-highest for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 crew. Bastianini sharpened his pace and passed the flag in 11th.
MotoGP goes long and hard for 23 laps and begins at 14.00 local time CEST Sunday afternoon.
Maverick Viñales, 5th in qualification, 4th in the Sprint: “A solid result and, so far, it has been a very positive weekend. It is important to keep pushing in the right way. I’m very excited for tomorrow because it is clear we have a great opportunity. I am aiming for a good start, good first laps, hitting the marks and lines and keeping the high level. I feel I can ride the bike smoothly and this will help for the long race distance. I flow through the corners really well. We just need to improve the last corner and I think I can bring that through the riding style.”
Enea Bastianini, 16th in qualification, 11th in the Sprint: “I think we have made a step but I still need to work on my weaknesses because I could not push with the front from the start. The pace was better later in the race and I think we can do something better tomorrow and go for the top ten. We have a base setting to play with now. We modified the engine brake and I am more comfortable with the rear brake and I can use it better.”
Pedro Acosta, 8th in qualification, DNF in the Sprint: “I still think the hard tire choice was the best decision but I struggled to stop the bike. The first lap was a mess with guys hitting each other. I lost the front but I wasn’t forcing it. A mistake. It is what it is. I think our potential today was to fight [for the podium]. From 3rd to 5th could be our possibilities tomorrow.”
Brad Binder, 15th in qualification, DNF in the Sprint: “I had a rocket launch: my start was insane and when I turned into Turn 1 I had a touch and it was enough to make the front end tuck. That was my race and very unfortunate. I could have done with some race time. My race pace is good and I’m sure I can make a decent comeback.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Brad was very unlucky to be taken out by another rider in the same corner and unfortunately Pedro crashed also after a small mistake into Turn 15. So, mixed feelings today but the most positive part of the Sprint was Maverick’s result and Enea’s improvement with his feeling on the bike. Tomorrow, we have the GP and, of course, our preparation has been good from Friday. We have to try and bring home as many points as we can and continue our positive line of work from most of the season so far.”
Results Qualifying MotoGP Grand Prix of Italy
1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 1:44.169
2. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +0.059
3. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +0.083
5. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.345
8. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.611
15. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:45.331 (Q1)
16. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 1:45.370 (Q1)
Results MotoGP Sprint Grand Prix of Italy
1. Marc Marquez (ESP) Ducati 19:31.416
2. Alex Marquez (ESP) Ducati +1.441
3. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati +2.561
4. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +3.099
11. Enea Bastianini (ITA) Red Bull KTM Tech3 +11.870
DNF. Pedro Acosta (ESP) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
DNF. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
