10:57
Tech3 announcement
MotoGP action resumes at 2pm BST.
However, we have a special press conference coming up in a few minutes where Tech3 is due to make an announcement.
Very likely that it will be confirmation of a new deal with KTM.
Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing, 2026 Catalan MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
LIVE
MotoGP Catalunya LIVE: Acosta on pole, Bezzecchi and Martin crash in qualifying
Live coverage of qualifying and the sprint at the 2026 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Sprint is at 2pm BST
- Acosta on pole, Bezzecchi crashes
- Bagnaia only 13th
- Joan Mir led FP2, Zarco crashed
The 2026 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix, the sixth round of the season, continues on Saturday 16 May with qualifying and the sprint.
Pedro Acosta put KTM on top of the Friday practice for the 2026 Catalan MotoGP at Barcelona on Friday, ahead of defending winner Alex Marquez.
Brad Binder made it two RC16s in the top three, with Raul Fernandez the leading Aprilia rider in fourth and Johann Zarco top Honda in fifth.
But the big shock of the day was Jorge Martin. The French Grand Prix winner suffered a heavy crash in FP1, and looked off-colour on Friday afternoon in Practice.
A second fall late in the session left him outside of the top 10 and facing Q1 for the first time this season. It ends the French Grand Prix winner's 100% Q2 appearance record this year.
He will join Pecco Bagnaia - who was on pole at Le Mans - in Q1 on Saturday morning, as well as Ai Ogura - who was third in the French Grand Prix - who crashed in Practice.
The top two at the end of Q1 on Saturday morning will advance to Q2 and fight for pole position.
Qualifying will be followed by the sprint later on Saturday afternoon.
2026 Catalan MotoGP: Saturday schedule
FP2 - 9:10am BST - 9:40am BST
Q1 - 9:50am BST - 10:05am BST
Q2 - 10:15am BST - 10:30am BST
Sprint - 2pm BST
16 May 2026
11:40
Why Tech3 didn’t sign with Honda for 2027 MotoGP season
Guenther Steiner explains what kept Tech3 with KTM for 2027 in MotoGP
Why Tech3 didn’t sign with Honda for 2027 MotoGP season
Miguel Oliveira and Tech3 celebrate a KTM victory in Austria, 2020
© Gold and Goose
11:14
Tech3 commits to KTM
Official: Tech3 ends Honda MotoGP speculation with new KTM deal
Guenther Steiner, Tech3.
© Gold and Goose
11:05
Starting grid for the Sprint
Starting grid for the 2026 Catalunya MotoGP Sprint race
Pedro Acosta, 2026 Catalunya MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
10:49
I think Valentino Rossi liked Morbidelli's lap!
10:46
Report: Pedro Acosta grabs pole, Marco Bezzecchi crashes in Catalunya MotoGP qualifying
Pedro Acosta gets his second career MotoGP pole in Barcelona MotoGP qualifying
Pedro Acosta grabs pole, Marco Bezzecchi crashes in Catalunya MotoGP qualifying
Pedro Acosta, KTM Factory Racing, 2026 Catalan MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
10:34
Catalan MotoGP: Qualifying Results
2026 MotoGP Catalunya - QUALIFYING Results
Pedro Acosta, 2026 Catalan MotoGP.
© Gold and Goose
10:31
Pedro Acosta will hold onto a second career MotoGP pole! He heads Franco Morbidelli and Alex Marquez.
Championship leader Marco Bezzecchi is 12th after his crash. Jorge Martin will start ninth.
10:30
Chequered flag
Chequered flag is out.
10:30
Acosta improves to a 1m38.068s as Morbidelli goes to second!
10:27
Quartararo improves to fifth, which knocks Bez down to ninth.
10:26
Crash - Marco Bezzecchi
Bezzecchi has gone down at Turn 2! The championship leader will be eighth at best.
10:26
This is getting silly on the outlap as they all slow looking for position.
10:24
Six minutes to go and the track has come alive again. Has anyone got anything for Pedro Acosta?
10:22
Martin is 2.1s off the pace right now. Got to wonder how much his confidence has been knocked by that Q1 crash.
10:21
Disappointing start to this session for championship leader Bezzecchi. He's only eighth and 0.667s off the best pace.
10:21
Standings:
- Acosta
- Marquez
- Fernandez
- Zarco
- Mir
- Binder
- DiGia
- Bezzecchi
- Quartararo
- Morbidelli
- Miller
- Martin
10:20
Acosta improves to a 1m38.118s ahead of Alex Marquez, 0.224s splitting them.
Raul Fernandez is now onto the front row.
10:19
Acosta leads Di Giannantonio by 0.362s at this stage. Binder in third. That KTM is quick over a single lap.
10:18
First laps on the board and Acosta leads the way with a 1m38.397s.
10:15
Q2 green flag
The pole shootout is GO!
10:12
MotoGP Catalunya: Who is in Q2?
| Rider | Nat | Team |
| Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) |
| Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) |
| Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) |
| Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing |
| Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) |
10:09
Bagnaia was just 0.051s outside of a Q2 place, but that is hugely disappointing on a weekend where the factory Ducati team is missing Marc Marquez.
10:09
A replay of Martin's crash. It went really early.
10:06
Chequered flag
Chequered flag is out.
Morbidelli leads Q1 with a 1m38.550s from Martin, despite his crash.
Bagnaia will start 13th, after pulling Morbidelli to his best lap.
Bastianini, Aldeguer, Marini, Vinales, Ogura, Rins, Moreira, A.Fernandez and Razgatlioglu complete the grid.