Marco Bezzecchi
A multitude of riders have thrown out surprises throughout the running of the current campaign, and MotoGP legend Dani Pedrosa has named who he thinks has been the biggest ‘surprise’ of the season.
Alex Marquez is an immediate name that comes to mind when debating the most surprising riders of the 2025 MotoGP season.
His career best finish of P2 in the championship standings wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card ahead of the current term, and Marquez has been rewarded with a factory spec Ducati bike next season to aid his efforts in snatching a title away from his older brother, Marc Marquez.
Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta are two more names that can be thrown into the same hat. The Italian rider has thrived under the pressure of being Aprilia’s flag-bearer, and Bezzecchi has emerged as a serious contender to Marquez’s crown for the upcoming season.
In his sophomore season in the premier class, Acosta’s raw ability has been displayed yet again. The KTM rider has often overachieved atop sub-optimal machinery, and the fact that he’s even in the hunt for fourth place in the riders’ standings is a testament to his grit and determination.
READ MORE: Pedro Acosta thinks MotoGP has changed for the worse since Marc Marquez was fighting Valentino Rossi
Marco Bezzecchi is Dani Pedrosa’s biggest ‘surprise’ of the 2025 MotoGP season
Speaking as a guest on a recent episode of the Dura La Vita podcast, Pedrosa was involved in a debate over the thrilling Portuguese Grand Prix that saw Bezzecchi, Acosta, and Marquez duke it out for the top spot of the podium.
In his assessment of the penultimate round of the season, the Spaniard stopped to hail the season-long performance of the eventual winner, as well as praise the strides that Aprilia engineers have made to get Bezzecchi into such a position.
Pedrosa said, “For me, he’s been the surprise of the year, just like Alex, who’s also been a real revelation this season. But I think Marco has done really well, because he switched brands and still pushed hard.
“He had the weight of the brand on his shoulders since Jorge was injured, and he came in as, let’s say, the second rider. Honestly, I didn’t expect it from him.
“Coming from Ducati, he got on a new bike, won races, and even challenged Marc when they were together in some races. I’d also highlight that Aprilia has improved a lot.
“They already had a bike that was sometimes very fast, but now it’s fast on more circuits. And, above all, it no longer has the reliability problems it used to.
“In the past, we sometimes saw the bike stop because of electronic issues, overheating, or things like that.”
READ MORE: Marco Bezzecchi answers ‘without a doubt’ if he’s now at the same level as Marc Marquez
Marco Bezzecchi has previously explained how Jorge Martin’s absences throughout 2025 have harmed Aprilia
Of the 21 rounds that have been contested so far in 2025, Jorge Martin has been on the sidelines for 15 of them, leaving Bezzecchi as the only full-time rider on the Italian constructor’s roster.
Bezzecchi highlighted the effect of Martin’s absence on the team in a recent interview, detailing how his lack of feedback and knowledge as a MotoGP world champion has harmed the overall development path that Aprilia had intended to take with the bike.
However, the 27-year-old has stepped up to the plate instead and has flourished in his role as the lead rider within the ranks of the Scorze-based team.
It remains to be seen how Bezzecchi’s natural promotion will affect the team dynamic once Martin is back to full fitness, and whether the reigning world champion will be able to replicate the results of his high-flying teammate once he gains the necessary experience atop an Aprilia.
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