• The Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Portugal, the twenty-first round of the FIM World Championship MotoGP
™ 2025, offered a technical and demanding weekend, while over the course of the days, the allocation renewed by Michelin demonstrated its relevance in very variable track conditions.
• Tire choices evolved throughout the sessions, with a consensus around the Hard front tire for Tissot Sprint and race. At the rear, the riders preferred the Soft tire on Saturday and the Medium on Sunday.
• The FIM MotoE™ season concludes in the Algarve with Alessandro Zaccone (Aruba Cloud) securing the world title. The championship ends, but the innovation continues.
A Friday disrupted by humidity and constantly evolving grip
The first day at Portimão was marked by a very strong track effect. The temperature remained stable at 24°C, but intermittent rain and residual humidity reduced grip, resulting in lap times slower than those projected for 2024. The riders exploited their full allocation, with no clear front/rear combination emerging as early as Friday. The Medium specification showed excellent potential, although the feel was heavily dependent on riding style and individual machine setup. The Practice session encapsulated this diversity, with five different bikes topping the timesheets.
MotoE qualifying was severely disrupted by a sudden change in the weather. Several riders found themselves stranded without rain tires just as the track became wet. This situation raised concerns about its impact on both Saturday races and the awarding of the world titles.
Despite these setbacks, Michelin anticipated a more consistent Saturday and a progressive improvement in grip on dry track, with a likely strategy of Medium at the front and Soft at the rear for the Tissot Sprint.
Another challenging Saturday, followed by a hard-fought Tissot Sprint.
The second day began on a still damp track. The drivers started on rain tires before switching to soft slicks front and rear as the racing line dried.
The track temperature was 22°C and the conditions did not allow for optimal preparation for the Tissot Sprint.
Despite some damp patches, Q2 saw lap times close to the circuit record. For the Tissot Sprint, the tire choices were almost uniform, with a hard front tire and a soft rear tire. Only Somkiat Chantra (LCR Honda) opted for a medium front tire.
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) won the Tissot Sprint after a strong start from fifth place. He prevailed over Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) after an intense duel. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), who started from pole position, completed the podium.
The day also marked the conclusion of the FIM MotoE championship. Alessandro Zaccone (Aruba Cloud) secured the world title after a season marked by the performance gains of the MICHELIN Power tire, which contains a high content of renewable and recycled materials.
A sunny Sunday and a new record duration
The clear skies on Sunday provided stable conditions for the riders, with temperatures reaching 30°C at the start. The grid adopted a uniform strategy with a hard front tire and a medium rear tire, except for Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who opted for a medium front tire.
Marco Bezzecchi, starting from pole position, quickly took control of the race. Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta initially kept pace with him, and Pedro Acosta set a new lap record of 1 minute 38.237 seconds, erasing Enea Bastianini's previous record from 2024.
At the halfway point, Marco Bezzecchi's sustained and consistent pace allowed him to create a decisive gap. He crossed the finish line victorious, setting a new lap record of 41 minutes 13.616 seconds, four and a half seconds faster than the 2024 race, won by Enea Bastianini. Alex Marquez and Pedro Acosta finished second and third, respectively. The performance and consistency of the Hard front and Medium rear tire combination confirmed the effectiveness of the tire allocation that Michelin has retained this year.
Piero TaramassoMichelin Motorsport Two-Wheeled Competition Manager
« This weekend fully illustrated the range of conditions that Portimão can offer. The weather constantly shifted the available grip limit, forcing teams to make some real technical choices.
“Friday was the most confusing day with a very changeable track, lacking grip due to fluctuating humidity levels. We observed a wide variety of feel depending on the bike and riding style. Despite this general lack of feel, the allocation showed remarkable consistency. The Medium tires performed well, and the riders were able to develop their strategies throughout the sessions.”
“Saturday was very instructive. The drivers had to switch from rain tires to slicks on a track in transition, which is never easy. The unanimous choice of Hard front and Soft rear tires for the Tissot Sprint confirmed the confidence that the drivers have in the Hard front tire on this track.”
“Sunday was the most representative day of the true potential of our allocation. Temperatures were stable, the track was clean, and the riders were able to fully exploit the Hard front and Medium rear tires. Marco Bezzecchi gave an excellent example of what this combination can achieve when used at its best. His consistent pace and ability to repeat almost the same lap times allowed him to set the record duration and demonstrated the level of consistency we are looking for on this very special circuit.”
“We also conclude this weekend with the end of the MotoE championship. I congratulate Alessandro Zaccone on his title. The work carried out in this category has brought us enormous benefits, particularly in terms of renewable and recycled materials, and we will continue this momentum in other disciplines. I am proud that Michelin technology continues to demonstrate that performance, consistency, and environmental responsibility can coexist in top-level competition.”
MotoGP Portugal Michelin Portimão MotoGP Portugal Michelin Portimão MotoGP Portugal Michelin Portimão MotoGP Portugal Michelin Portimão
