2025 Australian MotoGP picks: Who wins this wide open race?

  • What: 2025 Australian Grand Prix
  • Date: Friday, October 17-19, 2025
  • Location: Phillips Island Circuit
  • Where: Victoria, Australia

This weekend’s Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island promises to be one of the most unpredictable races in MotoGP history.

Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez is recovering from shoulder surgery, and several other top contenders are also sidelined. The field is wide open at one of motorcycle racing’s iconic circuits.

The Missing Stars

The absence of frontrunners has turned a predictable race into an open contest. Marc Marquez, the defending Australian GP winner, suffered a fractured shoulder and will not race until Malaysia at the earliest. Jorge Martin, the 2024 champion who owns the Phillip Island lap record, is also out with a fractured collarbone.

He has qualified on pole here for three consecutive years. Maverick Vinales, the 2018 winner, remains sidelined from a shoulder injury sustained in Germany. Moto2 champion Ai Ogura must pass a medical check after a terrifying 260km/h crash at Misano.

The absence of these frontrunners significantly alters this year’s dynamic: together, they account for 13 world championships and last year’s entire Australian GP front row, underscoring just how unpredictable the race has become.

Weather

Weather forecasts show possible showers on Friday and Sunday, with winds up to 50 km/h expected on race day. The 13-lap sprint takes place on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. AEDT, with Sunday’s 27-lap Grand Prix at 2:00 p.m.

Three replacement riders will compete. Michele Pirro will replace Marc Marquez at Ducati, Pol Espargaro will replace Vinales at KTM for the third time this season, and Lorenzo Savadori will take Martin’s Aprilia seat for the 11th race.

With the established order upended by injuries, Sunday’s winner will emerge from memory’s most open Australian Grand Prix field. Whether it’s a resurgent veteran, a breakthrough rookie, or a local hero, one thing is sure: they’ll have earned it on one of motorcycle racing’s most demanding stages.

Before we look at the betting breakdown and picks for the 2025 Australian GP, check out the best sites for MotoGP betting and our betting picks for the 2025 MotoGP Championship.

2025 Australian MotoGP Odds

To Win 2025 Australian Moto GPBetOnline Sportsbook & Casino Review 2025BetUS Sportsbook Review 2025Bovada Sportsbook Review 2025
Francesco Bagnaia+400+400+400
Alex Marquez+500+500+500
Marco Bezzecchi+1100+1100+1100
Fermin Aldeguer+1500+1500+1500
Jack Miller+2000+2000+2000
Pedro Acosta+2200+2200+2200
Fabio Di Giannantonio+2500+2500+2500
Enea Bastianini+2800+2800+2800
Fabio Quartararo+3300+3300+3300
Franco Morbidelli+3500+3500+3500
Brad Binder+5000+5000+5000
Johann Zarco+8000+8000+8000
Raul Fernandez+8000+8000+8000
Joan Mir+8000+8000+8000
Luca Marini+15000+15000+15000
Alex Rins+25000+25000+25000
Miguel Oliveira+25000+25000+25000
Lorenzo Savadori+100000+100000+100000

Alex Marquez

Alex Marquez can achieve something extraordinary this weekend: cementing second place in the 2025 championship behind his brother Marc.

This would create an unprecedented sibling 1-2. The 29-year-old Gresini Ducati rider holds an 88-point lead over Francesco Bagnaia. He needs to maintain a 111-point advantage to seal the runner-up position.

This milestone comes in a season of highs and lows for Alex, who won his first premier-class races this year at Jerez and Catalunya. However, the celebration will be bittersweet, as Marc remains in Spain recovering from surgery after his collision with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia.

I would absolutely wager on Alex Marquez in this race. 

Alex MarquezTO WIN 2025 Australian MotoGP
★★★★★
+500
Bet now

Francesco Bagnaia

Marc Marquez’s absence from the Australian Grand Prix presents both an opportunity and a risk for Francesco Bagnaia.

Pre-season expectations suggested Bagnaia would be the automatic favorite whenever Marquez was sidelined. However, Bagnaia’s wildly inconsistent 2025 season has shattered that logic.

Recent rounds suggest that Marquez’s absence may make little difference to Bagnaia’s results: he dominated Marquez at Motegi (although Marc was focused on clinching the title), but was nowhere near competitive at Mandalika.

Bagnaia denied on Thursday that Ducati’s focus on Marquez has caused his struggles, instead pointing to the bike’s inconsistency. “The same bike in Motegi was working super-well, and the

With test rider Michele Pirro substituting for Marquez, Bagnaia effectively has the Ducati garage to himself this weekend.

This could provide crucial benefits with the post-Valencia test, which kicks off the 2026 season, only a month away. Any additional influence Bagnaia gains, or evidence he produces of what he can achieve when the bike suits him, could significantly impact next year’s development direction.

Bagnaia is the favorite in this race for a reason, he’s worth a wager.

Francesco BagnaiaTO WIN 2025 Australian MotoGP
★★★★★
+400
Bet now

Marco Bezzecchi

Marco Bezzecchi, one of the season’s in-form riders, has podiums in seven of the past 11 rounds. After taking out Marc Marquez in Indonesia, he received a double long-lap penalty for Sunday’s race.

The Aprilia rider admitted that he had misjudged the corner and the speed difference. He simply ran into the back of Marquez at Turn 7.

Despite winning the Indonesian sprint from pole, Bezzecchi’s penalty and lingering pain from the crash will hamper his chances of victory. Aprilia has never finished better than eighth at this circuit.

As tempting as it is to grab the +1100 odds for Bezzecchi, I’ll pass on him at this circuit.

Marco BezzecchiTO WIN 2025 Australian MotoGP
★★★★★
+1100
Bet now

Jack Miller

Australia’s Jack Miller reaches a historic landmark this weekend. He becomes the first Australian to start 250 Grand Prix races across all classes.

The 30-year-old Pramac Yamaha rider believes Phillip Island’s characteristics could suit his struggling machinery. “I feel like there is a big chance. Everyone will be feeling that coming into this one,” Miller said.

His best Island result was third in 2019. After a frustrating season, where his best result came in round three, Miller needs a strong home showing.

Miller’s absolutely a fun one to sprinkle on at 20-1 odds.

Jack MillerTO WIN 2025 Australian MotoGP
★★★★★
+2000
Bet now

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Tony Reyes

Tony is a pro sports journalist who dedicates most of his free time to watching the latest matches and games on TV. When he's not participating in sports-related activities or seeing his friends, Tony enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and basketball. In addition to being a sports expert, Tony has extensive knowledge of finances and accou...

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