Let's talk MotoGP: The crucial question raised by Marco Bezzecchi's victory

Marco Bezzecchi secured his second victory of the season yesterday in Portugal. For the past few months, the Italian has been on an upward trajectory and has undoubtedly rediscovered his 2023 form. Now, it's time to ask some serious questions.

 

One more race

 

Tonight, I wanted to confide in you. Before getting to the big question mentioned in the title, I wanted to quickly revisit Marco Bezzecchi's victory. And, sorry to say, but I wasn't thrilled.Yet, you know I love "Bez"; he's definitely one of my favorite drivers, and I was one of the few who believed in him at the beginning of the year, judging by the comments under my post at the time. However, to be perfectly honest with you, because I can't lie, I've become quite detached from this season in recent weeks, and I know perfectly well I'm not the only one.

 

 

Note: I haven't stopped following along or taking notes, no. Simply, my emotional attachment is no longer the sameI'm just waiting for it to end. It's all over, the races are as uninteresting as can be – this Portuguese Grand Prix was particularly boring, one of the worst events of the year – and the record length of the season is doing it more harm than good, which was to be expected.

Thus, and this saddens me, But I don't have much to say about Bezzecchi's victory itself.Indeed, it's further proof of her talent, of course, but also of Aprilia's strength. The Noale-based firm has been able to reassess itself and make the right decisions between Saturday and Sunday. Apart from Bagnaia and his inconsistent performances, no other rider besides Bezzecchi in Portugal had shown such a significant speed difference between the Sprint and the Grand Prix this year. Once this observation is made, this GP It didn't teach us anything new. Yes, Alex Marquez is still there, very much present, and in fact, excellent during the Sprint – which was beautiful, by the way. He's rarely been so precise with his overtaking maneuvers in 2025. Pedro Acosta, who has been among the elite since mid-season like Bezzecchi, also performed admirably.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on my preamble in the comments. How are you feeling at this stage of the season? Are you able to maintain the same level of interest and passion? Personally, I admit I'm struggling a bit, but it will come back, don't worry about me.

 

 

What is Marco Bezzecchi's ceiling?

 

Now comes the time to address the real subject of this article, namely, Marco Bezzecchi's ceilingThis is the question that has been stirring up the paddock lately: can he compete for the world championship title next season? Ultimately, with strong qualifying performances, two Grand Prix wins, and two Sprint victories, There is cause for concern.There are even arguments to suggest he had a better season than Alex Marquez, considering the circumstances, and I'm willing to listen. So, what to make of it? For your information, I wanted to clarify that I'm not basing my opinion solely on the Portuguese Grand Prix—beware of that dangerous bias—but on the entire season, including the ups and downs of number 72.

Honestly, I think he can do it. First, I believe Marco Bezzecchi is one of the most complete drivers on the gridBasically, he can do everything. Qualifying, sprints, races, adapting, questioning himself over a weekend, maintaining pace regardless of the weather, pure speed, overtaking… He's good at everything. It's a rare quality that some very great drivers lack, starting with his friend Pecco Bagnaia.

Secondly, his mental strength. We've already seen him return from injury in top form in 2023, and after a very disappointing 2024 season, he managed to rediscover his best form in a new team, and on a bike that many considered inferior to the Ducati Desmosedici. I truly feel that the pressure inherent in being a factory rider has done him more good than harm, that he needed such a challenge. Given this, I don't see why participating in a title race would scare him.On the contrary, it can also reveal unsuspected abilities in him.

 

 

Thirdly, his profile. He's a confident rider who likes to interact with the crowd and rides a bike that's also good in all areas. Bezzecchi on the Aprilia is a very good combination because even before they met, they performed well on the same types of tracks. It's always difficult to describe someone's profile because it's a bit subjective. It's based on intuition. To the question: "Do you see Marco Bezzecchi as a world champion?"I would be tempted to say yes, without really being able to explain why. There are drivers who exude an aura, and others who don't.

 

Why it's not a done deal

 

It is quite difficult to find arguments that suggest he could not play for a title. This is probably a signI still have three to submit to you. Firstly, he is good at everything, but excels in no particular area.He's one of the best in the rain, yes, but not the best. He's one of the best at overtaking, but I can list five riders who are better than him at it. As you can see, it's a double-edged sword. That's why few are better than Bezzecchi, but that many drivers are capable of beating him.

Secondly, consistency. On a good day, Bezzecchi is capable of challenging for the podium regardless of the track. The problem is that he sometimes experiences unexplained lapses in performance. This might be due to his bike, which is different from the Ducati, but in a title race against a manufacturer that has already won on every circuit on the calendar… A bad spell can be costly.

Thirdly, Marc MarquezHere, in my opinion, is what would bother him the most. The nine-time world champion is objectively better than Bezzecchi, not to mention absolutely untouchable when he's not injured. Beating Bagnaia and Alex Marquez (occasionally) is one thing; Marc, over a whole season, another one.

I'm curious to hear your opinion on Bezzecchi's chances. Tell me in the comments!

As a reminder, this article reflects only the thoughts of its author, and not those of the entire editorial staff.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport