New race winner tipped to cause a stir in MotoGP 2025

The 2025 MotoGP season begins this week with the Thai Grand Prix, and the start of any new campaign brings with it a host of questions to be answered.

The 2025 season is one of the most anticipated in years, with a number of high-profile rider changes taking place that could transform the pecking order.

With his move to the factory Ducati squad, Marc Marquez is overwhelming favourite to win the championship this year after a pre-season in which he turned heads with his outright speed and his long run pace.

The absence of world champion Jorge Martin leaves a big question mark hanging over his head coming into his first year with Aprilia, but solid form from his stablemates in testing mean he will at least come to a competitive bike.

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The steps being made by the Japanese manufacturers has added another layer of intrigue to the coming season, with some key players in Fabio Quartararo and Joan Mir desperately looking to break back into the top portion of the field.

In the latest Crash MotoGP Podcast, the team look at what could be the biggest shocks of the 2025 season.

A new winner and the return of a big name in MotoGP 2025 a possibility

Crash MotoGP Editor Peter McLaren believes the series is ripe for some new names to etch their names into the history books as premier class race winners this season.

MotoGP hasn’t celebrated a first-time winner since Fabio Di Giannantonio took to the top step of the podium at the 2023 Qatar GP, with the Italian - racing for VR46 this year - one of three news names to score a victory that season.

Two names stand out for McLaren, based on pre-season form, while the return to the podium for a world champion is something that could also spring a surprise this year.

“I suppose the first thing that comes to mind is a new winner,” McLaren says.

“Who might be a candidate there? Obviously Alex Marquez has stood out in winter testing in that regard.

“Pedro Acosta, I mean it’s not going to be much of a surprise but let’s be honest - KTM hasn’t won for a few years.

“So, in that regard it would be a bit of a milestone if he does get a win. So, those guys there. Looking beyond that, I think Joan Mir on the Honda.

“I think if he follows up these kinds of testing performances, could he fight for a podium?

“I think that would be a real shock to get Honda back onto the podium, really show they have turned a corner since the Marc Marquez era. I think those would probably be up there for me.”

Anything other than domination for Marc Marquez would be a shock

Most paddock voices have Marc Marquez down as favourite to win the title this year, with Crash Senior Journalist Lewis Duncan arguing that anything other than domination for the Ducati rider in 2025 would be a shock.

“In terms of biggest shock, I think it would be if Marc Marquez doesn’t dominate this world championship,” he notes.

“Even with the Ducati having a ’24 engine, even with it starting with ’24 chassis and aero - obviously there are some ’25 bits on the bike that aren’t on those other bikes.

“So, if you just look at the confidence, on the bike, off the bike. I think there was a bit of a worry that Marc being a factory rider again would bring about that corporate cold side of him that we sometimes saw at Honda.

“But if you look at his television appearances recently and his social media presence, this looks like a rider maybe more relaxed than we’ve ever seen him before.

“And usually when Marc is in that kind of headspace, he knows he can win.

“Whatever he says about Pecco [Bagnaia] being favourite, he needs to get a base, needs to consistently fight for wins first - he knows that he’s going in here with his best chance to win the championship for the first time since breaking his arm.

“You just look at the pre-season. Pecco didn’t have a great pre-season, we haven’t see what he can do.

“The other Ducatis have been quick, but nowhere near as good as Marc. The world champion Jorge Martin has not been on the bike all winter.

“The door has been left wide open for Marc to come in at the start of this season and really stamp his authority.

“There’s good tracks for for him for his riding style, his ability to feel a lack of grip - think Austin, Argentina. I just find it really hard to see anyone other than Marc dominating this championship.”

Fabio Quartararo tipped to win again to end Yamaha MotoGP drought

The form of Yamaha over the pre-season has been one of the more talked about storylines coming into the new campaign, with the 2025 M1 a clear step forward from its predecessor.

Fabio Quartararo, especially, has drawn the eye of some big names - with the likes of Davide Tardozzi and Francesco Bagnaia declaring him a rival for the year ahead.

Crash MotoGP Podcast host and social media manager Jordan Moreland reckons Quartararo will be able to win again this year and even tips him to breach the top five in the standings.

“My biggest surprise, I think Quartararo is going to surprise a lot of people in terms of how competitive he’s going to be,” Moreland says.

“Obviously we know how good he is, so I do think the Yamaha has made pretty much a level above again from where it was last year - and that’s a good thing.

“I think he’s going to maybe early on really catch people out and get a few podiums here and there.

“And then when we get into the European swing, I think he’s going to really surprise. I think he can win a grand prix, to be honest, if it falls in his favour.

“He’ll need a lot of things to go his way, mainly the factory Ducati boys not being at the front, but anything can happen in a season and I think he will be top five in the championship.”