13:54
Bagnaia will be hoping for a big step forward in front of his mentor Rossi this afternoon.
Pedro Acosta, KTM Factory Racing, 2026 Catalan MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
MotoGP Catalunya LIVE: Reaction after Alex Marquez wins the sprint
Live coverage of qualifying and the sprint at the 2026 MotoGP Catalan Grand Prix
KEY MOMENTS
- Alex Marquez wins closest ever sprint
- Bezzecchi only ninth
- Martin crashes for fourth time this weekend
- Acosta on pole
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
14:03
Sprint start: Lap 1/12
We are racing!
Acosta leads.
Bastianini and Mir have crashed at Turn 1! Morbidelli has run on at Turn 1 and is down to eighth.
14:00
Warm-up lap
The warm-up lap is underway.
13:50
Tyre choice
Everyone is on the soft rear and the medium front, so says the tyre sheet right now.
13:42
This sprint will be run over 12 laps.
No word on tyre choice yet, but likely to see everyone on the soft rear.
13:40
Pitlane has opened for the sighting lap.
13:35
MotoGP Catalunya: Starting grid for the sprint
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team |
| 1 | Pedro Acosta | SPA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 2 | Franco Morbidelli | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP25) |
| 3 | Alex Marquez | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP26) |
| 4 | Raul Fernandez | SPA | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| 5 | Johann Zarco | FRA | Castrol Honda LCR (RC213V) |
| 6 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | ITA | Pertamina VR46 Ducati (GP26) |
| 7 | Fabio Quartararo | FRA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 8 | Brad Binder | RSA | Red Bull KTM (RC16) |
| 9 | Jorge Martin | SPA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| 10 | Joan Mir | SPA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| 11 | Jack Miller | AUS | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 12 | Marco Bezzecchi | ITA | Aprilia Racing (RS-GP26) |
| 13 | Francesco Bagnaia | ITA | Ducati Lenovo (GP26) |
| 14 | Enea Bastianini | ITA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) |
| 15 | Fermin Aldeguer | SPA | BK8 Gresini Ducati (GP25) |
| 16 | Luca Marini | ITA | Honda HRC Castrol (RC213V) |
| 17 | Maverick Viñales | SPA | Red Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16) |
| 18 | Ai Ogura | JPN | Trackhouse Aprilia (RS-GP26) |
| 19 | Alex Rins | SPA | Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) |
| 20 | Diogo Moreira | BRA | Pro Honda LCR (RC213V)* |
| 21 | Augusto Fernandez | SPA | Yamaha Factory Racing (YZR-M1) |
| 22 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pramac Yamaha (YZR-M1)* |
13:30
30 minutes until lights out in the sprint.
13:24
Moto2 qualifying has just come to an end, with Celestino Vietti on pole.
That has come at a very good time, as his name has apparently entered the frame for a seat at VR46 in MotoGP next year.
The big boss, Valentino Rossi, is on-site this weekend.
13:18
Things you don't see every day!
13:08
It's warmer this afternoon, but only 19C at the moment.
13:04
Sprint build-up
Good afternoon and welcome back to our live coverage of Saturday at the 2026 Catalan Grand Prix.
The sprint is up next at 2pm BST.
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
10:57
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.
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.