Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing #72) kept his title hopes alive with a win under the Lusail lights as the #93 strode to P2 ahead of Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Aprilia #25), with Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing #89) digging deep for P7. Report: BikeReview/MotoGP Press

Friday Practice and Saturday Qualifying
MotoGP

Putting on a show under the lights, Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team #49) was untouchable on Friday evening to bag P1 in Practice and to lead the field into Sprint Saturday. The Italian set a new lap record with a 1’50.406 seeing him with nearly a tenth and a half over nearest rival Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) who suffered a chain failure, whilst Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) led the Noale brand’s charge in third.

Read our MotoGP Round 19 Report here…

Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) took a lap record pole position for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, setting a new 1:50.028 to pull clear of Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) by more than a quarter of a second. Marquez lined up second as he looked to set up a Championship point for Sunday, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) completing the front row.

Moto2

The 1:55s Lusail International Circuit barrier was broken on a Moto2 bike by Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team #96), who set a 1:55.897 in Practice to head into the weekend 0.199s quicker than anyone else. The rider second quickest on Friday evening was Filip Salač (OnlyFans American Racing Team #12), with third-place honours going to title-hunting Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 #28).

Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team #11) was in a league of his own in Qatar, storming to a maiden Moto2 pole with a record-breaking 1:55.241. But behind him, Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP #18) pulled off a masterstroke to snatch second, while title rival Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) was left languishing in seventh, with just 3.5 points separating the pair in the Championship.

Moto3

P1 in the afternoon and then once again in the evening, Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team #28) was in top form to be top dog in Moto3 under the lights at Lusail. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though, after a big highside in FP1 at the end of the session. A 2’03.172 was good enough for the Champion, whilst a second covered the top 14.

Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) made it back-to-back Moto3 poles at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, but the real drama came as the clock ticked down in a truly bizarre end to Q2. The World Champion’s 2:02.288 proved untouchable, with David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #22) just 0.155s adrift and Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo #51) completing the front row after a frantic final flying lap.

Saturday
Tissot Sprint

A drama-drenched Tissot Sprint delivered plenty of twists at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) taking victory to move within touching distance of an eighth MotoGP crown.

The #93 claimed 12 points and headed into Sunday’s Grand Prix holding a Championship match point. The rider best placed to prevent him from sealing the title was Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), whose heroic ride was one of the stories of the day. Meanwhile, Marco Bezzecchi’s title hopes suffered a major blow after the Italian crashed out following contact with Marquez.

Just two weeks after fracturing his right wrist, Martin produced a stunning ride from P11 on the grid to finish P3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) denied the reigning World Champion second on the final lap, earning Saturday silver. As a result, Marquez led Martin by 49 points heading into Sunday’s showdown, while Bezzecchi sat 79 points adrift.

Bezzecchi made a superb start from pole position, narrowly fending off Marquez into Turn 1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo #63) briefly passed his teammate at Turn 2 before Marquez reclaimed second on the exit. Further back, Martin held station during the opening lap, before chaos erupted at the final corner.

Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP #54) made an ambitious move on Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37) but arrived far too late on the brakes. The Spaniard collided with Bagnaia, sending the double MotoGP World Champion crashing heavily. Red flags were immediately deployed as Bagnaia received medical attention. Ducati later confirmed Bagnaia suffered fractures to the fourth and fifth metatarsals in his right foot, while Aldeguer was handed a double Long Lap penalty for the restart.

Following the stoppage, a 10-lap Sprint got underway. This time Marquez grabbed the holeshot ahead of Bezzecchi and Di Giannantonio, while Martin was immediately on the charge. The injured Spaniard climbed to P6 on the opening lap before dispatching Raul Fernandez (SuperFiles Trackhouse MotoGP Team) for P5 and then moving into P4.

The decisive moment arrived on Lap 2. Bezzecchi attempted to challenge Marquez at Turn 15 but couldn’t make it stick. Moments later, the pair came together as Marquez defended his position. Bezzecchi crashed out and saw his title hopes take another significant hit. After review, the incident was deemed a racing incident.

Martin then briefly attacked Marquez in a remarkable display considering his recent injury, but the Championship leader responded and stretched his advantage. Behind him, Di Giannantonio piled pressure on Martin before making a decisive move at Turn 2 on the final lap.

Marquez secured a record 25th Sprint victory ahead of Di Giannantonio and a heroic Martin, as Fernandez and Johann Zarco (Castrol Honda LCR #5) completed the top five. The result left Marquez on the verge of MotoGP history heading into Sunday’s main event.

“It was a strange Sprint Race, especially with the red flag, we hope Pecco [Bagnaia] is OK because it was a nasty crash,” Marquez said.

“I was super concentrated and defended in the best way possible. At turn one when I had the impact [with Bezzecchi], my airbag deployed. Apart from that, everything was fine, perfect. When I opened the gap, I tried to control the race, and 12 points are very important.”

Tissot Sprint Race Results

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo
  2. Fabio Di Giannantonio Pertamina VR46 Ducati (+0.862s)
  3. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing (+1.519s)
  4. Raul Fernandez Trackhouse Aprilia (+2.700s)
  5. Johann Zarco Castrol Honda LCR (+3.720s)

Sunday
MotoGP

The Championship chase rolls on to the Portuguese Grand Prix after a fascinating Sunday under the lights in Lusail. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) bounced back brilliantly from Saturday’s disappointment to claim an important victory, keeping his title hopes alive. It was the Italian’s 12th MotoGP win and arguably his most significant yet. However, second-place finisher Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) also strengthened his title bid by collecting 20 valuable points at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar.

Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) completed the podium in third, delivering a superb performance despite still managing two broken fingers. Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) was another injured star to shine, with the #89 producing a gutsy ride to finish P7 just two weeks after fracturing his wrist.

Bezzecchi made a perfect launch from pole position, shutting the door on Marquez into Turn 1. Fernandez then wasted little time demoting the Championship leader to P3, while Martin climbed briefly from P11 to P8 before Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) edged back ahead. By Lap 3, Bezzecchi and Fernandez had established a gap of over 1.5s to Marquez, who soon came under pressure from Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing #37). The KTM rider moved into P3 at Turn 15 before later appearing to back off amid potential tyre pressure concerns, allowing Marquez to reclaim the position.

At half distance, Bezzecchi led Fernandez by 1.2s, while Marquez sat almost four seconds behind the race leader. Further back, Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #23) and Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team #79) battled for P5 as Martin continued his progress, moving into seventh after Di Giannantonio’s pace faded.

With nine laps remaining, Marquez began to raise the intensity. The #93 fired in the fastest lap of the race and steadily chipped away at Fernandez’s advantage. Every point mattered, particularly with Martin digging deep through obvious discomfort further down the order.

The decisive move arrived with four laps to go. Marquez swept past Fernandez on the run out of the final corner to seize P2 and secure four additional Championship points. Out front, though, nobody could touch Bezzecchi. The Italian controlled proceedings from start to finish to claim victory by 3.6s and ensure the title fight continues into Portimao.

Marquez settled for second, extending his Championship lead to 60 points with 74 still available, with Fernandez completing the podium after a hugely impressive effort despite his injuries. Ogura finished a close fourth, ahead of Bastianini in fifth, as Acosta slipped to sixth after a race hampered by apparent tyre pressure concerns. Martin’s courageous seventh-place finish ensured he remains in the title conversation heading into the next round.

“It feels amazing, and it was the performance we deserve. It’s been a fantastic weekend for us and I’ve been super quick and comfortable on the bike. It’s a shame for yesterday, but it’s part of the game, so to bounce back like this makes it even better,” Bezzecchi stated.

MotoGP Race Results

  1. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing
  2. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo (+3.083s)
  3. Raul Fernandez Trackhouse Aprilia (+3.614s)
  4. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia (+4.885s)
  5. Enea Bastianini Red Bull KTM Tech3 (+6.948s)

Check out the full MotoGP race results here…

MotoGP Championship Points

  1. Marc Marquez Ducati Lenovo – 431
  2. Jorge Martin Aprilia Racing – 371
  3. Marco Bezzecchi Aprilia Racing – 357
  4. Pedro Acosta Red Bull KTM – 309
  5. Ai Ogura Trackhouse Aprilia – 294

Moto2

Some unbeatable late-race pace from MotoGP-bound Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) saw the #96 power to a second victory of the season by 2.2s at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, as Ivan Ortola (QJMOTOR – MSI #4) – from P14 on the grid – and polesitter Alex Escrig (KLINT Racing Team) treated the onlookers to a tight fight for P2 that was won on the run to the line by the rider third in the standings.

Meanwhile, in the Championship chase, drama unfolded. Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) suffered a problem with his bike to see the Spaniard register his first DNF since the 2025 Japanese GP, and with Manuel Gonzalez (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) finishing P6, it means the gap between the pair sits at 13.5 points with two to go. Match point ManuGas in Portimao.

From lights out, Gonzalez got a great launch from the middle of the second row to climb into P3, as Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo #95) tagged Celestino Vietti’s (BETA Tools SpeedRS Team) Boscoscuro and crashed at the opening corner from the top six. Meanwhile, Gonzalez was demoted to P4 by Daniel Muñoz (Italtrans Racing Team #17), with the latter soon slotting himself into P2 behind leader Escrig after carving past Holgado on Lap 2.

On Guevara watch, the rider second in the title race made a getaway from 10th on the grid. The #28 was up to P7, as David Alonso (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) then shoved Gonzalez back to P5 at the start of Lap 3. And talking of being shoved back, Guevara lost a spot to Ortola at the beginning of Lap 4 – the title contender was now P8.

On Lap 8, Ortola then sailed past Gonzalez for P4, with Guevara now behind Gonzalez’s teammate Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #81) in P9. Both of the title chasers were going the wrong way in Qatar, while the Aspar duo of Alonso and Holgado began to reel in Escrig. 0.5s split the trio at the halfway point, before it became a quartet as Ortola dragged himself into the podium places, with Alonso slipping back to P4 – and Holgado shadowing Escrig.

Then, a couple of laps later on Lap 14, huge title race drama unravelled. Guevara was cruising. There was a problem with the Spaniard’s bike going into Turn 1, and for the first time in 13 months, Guevara was out of a Grand Prix. Cruel in the extreme. Up front, Holgado stole P1 from Escrig and immediately put 1.2s, then 1.6s, into Escrig. And in terms of the title fight, Muñoz re-passed Gonzalez to see the latter drop to P6, but at this stage, it was all about bringing his Triumph-Kalex to the finish.

The late race pace from Holgado was unrivalled. After finishing P2 last weekend in Malaysia, the #96 went one better in Qatar to notch up his second win of the season, while Ortola dished out some late heartache to Escrig to win the photo-finish run to the line after getting a brilliant launch out of the final corner to grab P2. In the end, Alonso finished 1.8s away from the Ortola-Escrig scrap in P4, as Muñoz rounded out the top five.

Moto2 Race Results

  1. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team
  2. Ivan Ortola QJMOTOR – MSI (+2.265s)
  3. Alex Escrig KLINT Racing Team (+2.285s)
  4. David Alonso CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team (+4.143s)
  5. Daniel Munoz Italtrans Racing Team (+4.962s)

Moto2 Championship Points

  1. Manuel Gonzalez Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 286.5
  2. Izan Guevara BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 – 273
  3. Ivan Ortola QJMOTOR – Biolec – MSI – 219.5
  4. Daniel Holgado CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team – 215
  5. David Alonso CFMOTO Inde Team – 204

Moto3

Taking his most dominant and comfortable win yet, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) snatched the holeshot at Turn 1 and never looked back. Win number four for 2026 and a mighty display saw him pull clear and finish 2.5 seconds clear of ex-teammate Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing #31) in second and World Champion Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) in third. Taking 14th after a collision and crash early on, Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) wrapped up the Rookie of the Year title in Moto3.

Holeshot honours went the way of Almansa, who got a great launch from second on the grid. Polesitter Quiles dropped to P3 behind Uriarte before being beaten back to seventh by the end of Lap 1 by Fernandez, David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP #64), Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo #83) and Rico Salmela (Red Bull KTM Tech3 #27). The Champion recovered into the top five by the start of Lap 2, but at Turn 1, contact between Muñoz and Uriarte left the latter on the floor. For causing the crash, Muñoz was handed a Long Lap Penalty.

Avoiding all the fighting behind, Almansa began to stretch his legs and by Lap 3 had a second over Quiles, but the Champion was already starting to hunt down the #22, bringing Fernandez and Carpe with him. By Lap 6, the gap was hovering at 1.2s but behind, Muñoz had got himself in more trouble, this time for taking out Eddie O’Shea (Gryd Racing #9) at Turn 14 and therefore being given a double Long Lap Penalty.

At half GP distance, Almansa and Quiles were matching each other, with Fernandez clinging on, whereas Carpe couldn’t stay with the podium battle and had dropped back into the chasing pack of Joel Kelso (Gryd Racing #66) and Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia #9).

With the #22 clear off out front into the closing stages, it was tight for P2 as Fernandez piled on the pressure to Quiles, eventually seeing the World Champion make a rare mistake at Turn 6 with two and a half laps to go. The #31 got into P2 but Quiles hadn’t given up the fight just yet. Try as he might, though, Fernandez had too much going into the final lap.

At the front of the field, Almansa was cruising to another victory, a fourth of the season, and looking to put one hand on the silver medal for 2026. Victory at the chequered flag and leading every single lap from start to finish and going unchallenged, it was one of the #22’s best yet. Fernandez resisted Quiles’ late charge to the line by 0.069s, and whilst P3 left the Spaniard wanting more, it was enough to wrap up the Teams’ Championship for the year.

Moto3 Race Results

  1. David Almansa Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP
  2. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing (+2.516s)
  3. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team (+2.585s)
  4. Veda Pratama Honda Team Asia (+5.653s)
  5. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo (+5.700s)

Moto3 Championship Points

  1. Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team – 392
  2. David Almansa Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP – 253
  3. Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo – 216
  4. Brian Uriarte Red Bull KTM Ajo – 207
  5. Adrian Fernandez Leopard Racing – 177

How Did the Aussies Do?

Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP Team #43) didn’t race in Qatar after Yamaha withdrew from the event amid security concerns surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, views the Australian had publicly shared before the decision was made.

Senna Agius continued his encouraging form in Qatar by qualifying sixth, although a three-place grid penalty saw him start ninth. The Aussie dynamo then recovered brilliantly from a lowly starting position to climb up the grid to finish seventh after a determined ride through the field. After a frustrating Saturday in Qatar, where he qualified 13th despite showing strong pace, Joel Kelso rebounded impressively on Sunday with an excellent ride to secure a respectable sixth.

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