Neil Hodgson column: My 2025 MotoGP season awards, including Rider and Disappointment of the Year

TNT Sports pundit Neil Hodgson looks back on the season's action as the 2025 MotoGP campaign comes to a close at Grand Prix Valencia. In his exclusive column, Hodgson names his highlights of the year as Marc Marquez regained the world championship. In the first instalment of a three-part series, Hodgson nominates his Rider of the Year, as well as the most disappointing aspect of the season.

Neil Hodgson is providing expert insight to TNT Sports throughout the MotoGP season.

In his latest column, he shares his thoughts on the highlights and standout moments and riders of the year.

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This has been another storming year of MotoGP action, and with the final weekend of the season upon us, it gives me a chance to look back at the highs and lows of 2025.

Grand Prix Valencia

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Rider of the Year - Marc Marquez

This is going to come as a massive shock, but my rider of the year is Mr Marc Marquez. He just absolutely destroyed the rest of the competition.

Don’t get me wrong - we all expected Marc to win this year, but I don’t think any of us really believed he would win in such a dominant manner. The scale of his victory is something extraordinary. If you look at it, of the 34 races that he has started this year, he’s been beaten just seven times. Of course, he’s been injured since then, but he probably would have just carried on in the same way had he stayed fit.

In one of those races he didn’t win, in Le Mans, he finished second, where he still rode brilliantly. Another was at Silverstone in the UK, where it was a strange weekend in strange weather. But he’s just been so far ahead of everyone else. Total dominance, and clearly starts next season as the heavy favourite.

• Martin set to return for Valencia finale - 'Can't wait to be back
• Bezzecchi celebrates 'fantastic race' as Hodgson says Italian has 'found a home' at Aprilia

Looking back to 2019, the year before his big injury, that was such a strong year for him. I would say that he matched that this year, and so we would have to say that Marc is now back to his absolute best. 

He answered the question that was being asked this season, which was not whether he would win again after his injury, but whether he could match his previous standards, and he really has.

From that moment in 2020 to this season, we needed to find out if the sport had fundamentally changed, and if the other, younger riders coming through had found something new. We needed to know if the sport had changed too much for Marc, and the answer is a resounding no. His level is still far, far better than anyone else’s.

I think that the next generation coming through, with Fermin Aldeguer and Pedro Acosta, and potentially Marco Bezzecchi, are the only riders right now who are showing the potential to eventually be able to challenge Marquez. Nobody else looks capable of taking it to the world champion.

Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini - they’re good riders - but I think they’ve peaked, and they may even be in decline. So if anyone is going to challenge Marquez next year, it’s from Acosta, Aldeguer and Bezzecchi, and, of course, his brother, Alex.

Highlights: Bezzecchi secures win at Portugal Grand Prix as Marquez takes second place

Video credit: TNT Sports

Disappointment of the Year - Pecco Bagnaia

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the disappointment of the year is no surprise, either: it’s Pecco Bagnaia’s season.

In the previous four seasons, he finished second or first in the world - either the best or closest to it, and he’s been Ducati Lenovo’s No. 1 rider.

This is the first time that he’s had to go head-to-head with the truly extraordinary Marquez though, and we needed to see if he could match him, if he could deal with the pressure. Unfortunately for Pecco, the results have been disappointing. He’s been so inconsistent.

He’s been blaming the bike, but we can’t know how much that is true, especially when his team-mate became world champion on the same package. There have been flashes of brilliance. He is too talented to not show it on occasions. He was the very best in Japan, but he’s also been last, and crashed out. There have been times he’s been last and still crashed out. It’s been such a disappointment.

What I find so confusing is those moments of classic Bagnaia. He was so strong in Japan, and then we’d heard he tested the 2024 Ducati, but then we never saw that version of him again afterwards.

Highlights: Marquez overcomes Acosta in thriller to clinch Portugal Grand Prix Sprint race

Video credit: TNT Sports

Next year, there are so many contracts up for renewal, including his, and I think there’s no way he will be re-signed by Ducati. He’s now in such a weak position that he may be forced to just wait and see what else is available.

Ducati Lenovo have got the main man in Marquez, and understandably, all their effort will be making sure they have him in place for 2027 and beyond.

Stream every race of the 2025 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+

Grand Prix Valencia

Martin set to return for Valencia finale - 'Can't wait to be back'

Yesterday at 19:48

Portugal Grand Prix

Bezzecchi celebrates 'fantastic race' as Hodgson says Italian has 'found a home' at Aprilia

09/11/2025 at 16:47