The Maralpine pilots experienced a 2025 season filled with highs and lows. Here’s a look back at a year rich in emotions.
Fabio Quartararo: in pursuit of change
Without expecting miracles, Fabio Quartararo wanted to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Although Yamaha managed to improve its machine, it remained far from the competition in this 2025 edition. Nevertheless, the Nice-born pilot once again succeeded in making a difference thanks to his driving. Considered one of the best riders on the grid, he proved that he hasn’t lost any of his talent.
By achieving five pole positions this season, he managed to put himself in good positions at the start of the majority of the Grand Prix races. Although he only led 23 laps during races, El Diablo often fought to cling to the wheels of the best bikes. Result: two podiums in sprint races, in Germany and then in Catalonia, and a second place in Jerez are on his record. Remarkable performances considering the position of his teammate Alex Rins.
This situation, however, often aggravated the Yamaha No. 20 rider. Unsatisfied with his machine’s performance, Fabio Quartararo regularly kept his frustration towards his team in check to focus on performance. But it’s safe to say that the Yamaha rider was eager for this season to end. Ninth in the championship at the end of the 2025 season, he carried a team that seems to have been struggling for too many years.
While there is hope to see engine progress with the introduction of a new V4 in 2026, things don’t seem so simple in practice, considering the delays already reported in the various pre-season tests. This situation opens the door to many speculations, including a potential departure from Yamaha at the end of next year for Ducati. Although for now, these are just rumors, the desire for a new challenge, possibly alongside Marc Márquez in 2027, could inject new momentum into the already well-accomplished career of the 2021 world champion. At 26, the Nice-born rider doesn’t seem to be closing any doors and remains ready to take on new challenges, in what will be his ninth season in MotoGP.
Johann Zarco: a victory for the history books
The 2025 season will be forever etched in the memory of Johann Zarco. Initially, the Cannes-born rider didn’t have the best tools to aim for top positions, but Honda’s progress allowed him to make an excellent start to the season. Three top 7 finishes in the first four races gave him wings, leading up to his home victory at the French Grand Prix, in front of his family who attended the event.
The following weekend, a second place at Silverstone earned him the fourth position in the world championship and a resurgence of popularity within the paddock. Even though Honda had made progress, only the French rider managed to perform with the LCR team’s machine. This highlighted a weakness among the official riders, who continued to face the difficulties they’ve known in recent years. To such an extent that rumors of promoting the No. 5 rider to the official box circulated for a long time.
But it was not to be. The reason was a period of doubt following changes made to the Azuréen’s bike to favor the official riders. As a result, Johann Zarco lost his confidence. The falls accumulated, and his morale dwindled. To bounce back during the summer break, the Maralpine flew to Japan to defend his title at the 8 Hours of Suzuka. Alongside his teammate Takumi Takahashi, he won with flair before returning to the MotoGP paddock.
Subsequently, the Honda LCR team announced the extension of his contract for two seasons. A piece of good news in itself, but it also disclosed a certain bitterness. On the track, the bike no longer responded, and Johann Zarco had doubts. Only two top 10 finishes in the second half of the season allowed him to regain some confidence. He ultimately finished in 13th place in the championship, just ahead of the official riders. A relative satisfaction in a season that felt unfinished. It’s up to Honda now to continue its efforts to hope to see Johann Zarco on the top step of the podium for the third time in his career, as he approaches 36 years old.
Théo Pourchaire: the year of resurrection
After the 2024 season ended without a contract, Théo Pourchaire’s future in motorsport seemed bleak. Until the call from Peugeot to join the lion brand’s endurance program as a development driver came. An opportunity hard to refuse, especially as the door to F1 closed with his departure from Sauber, following the announcement of Gabriel Bortoleto’s appointment as the first driver.
The 2025 season seemed destined to be away from competition, marked by tests in Formula E and endurance racing, until the announcement of his appointment in the ELMS. The gateway to the WEC opened for the Grasse-born driver within the Algarve Pro Racing team, engaged in LMP2. An ideal setting to learn the basics of endurance racing, alongside his program with Peugeot.
Soon, Théo Pourchaire established himself as the team’s reference driver. A peak moment came with a pole position and a podium at Imola, shared with his teammates Matthias Kaiser and Lorenzo Fluxa. The Frenchman’s strong performances, combined with his work on the 9X8, caught the attention of the French manufacturer. In the fall, Théo Pourchaire was announced as an official driver for Peugeot to compete in the season finale in Bahrain, before continuing the adventure in 2026. A crowning achievement for the 2023 F2 world champion, who will have the opportunity to prove his worth at the wheel of a machine aiming for podiums next season.
