Qatar MotoGP LIVE: Updates from the race with Marc Marquez on brink of eighth title

Live coverage of the 2026 Qatar MotoGP race in Lusail, where Marc Marquez has a mathematical chance to win the title. The race is due to start at 19:00 local time.

Key Moments

• Qatar MotoGP to start at 19:00 local time/16:00 GMT

Marco Bezzecchi starts on pole position today ad must out-score Marc Marquez by five points in order to keep himself mathematically in the title race after his DNF in the Sprint yesterday.

Marquez starts second and can win the title if he ends the race 75 points ahead of Bezzecchi and 74 points ahead of Jorge Martin, who starts 11th but was third in the Sprint. Any points for Martin will keep the title race alive heading to Portimao in a couple of weeks.

A win for Marquez today would be his third premier class victory in Qatar and second in a row after his 2025 success, while it would also be his eighth grand prix win of the season and 107th in total.

Fabio Di Giannantonio proved to have strong pace yesterday to finish second, and topped Warm Up this morning. He completes the front row of the grid this afternoon and won his first premier class race at Lusail back in 2023.

There's no Francesco Bagnaia on the grid for today's race after breaking two bones in his foot in his Sprint crash with Fermin Aldeguer yesterday.

Maverick Vinales is also a doubt for today, having suggested yesterday he could withdraw from the weekend, although he did ride in Warm Up and was 12th-fastest. Luca Marini was slowest in Warm Up and has since withdrawn from the weekend due to ongoing illness.