MotoGP heads to Lusail for the Qatar Grand Prix on November 6-8, with the floodlit circuit hosting the championship’s final stop outside Europe this season.
Fans can watch every practice, qualifying session, Sprint and Grand Prix live on SPOTV NOW. Here are five things to know ahead of the weekend.
Match point for Marquez
Marc Marquez has his first opportunity to secure an eighth MotoGP world title in Qatar, arriving with a 44-point lead over Jorge Martin after winning in Malaysia.
The Ducati rider has won twice in the premier class at Lusail, in 2014 and 2025, with last year’s victory coming alongside a Sprint win. Repeating that double would bring him another 37 points and the championship if Martin scores no more than seven across the weekend.
Martin withdrew from Sepang while recovering from his wrist injury. If he also misses Qatar, Marc would need at least 30 points to put him out of contention.
Marco Bezzecchi remains a factor too. The Aprilia rider trails Marc by 67 points, but a Marquez double would also end his title hopes regardless of where he finishes.
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Yamaha sit out
The Qatar grid will be missing Yamaha’s teams after the Japanese manufacturer decided to maintain their company-wide restrictions on travel to the Middle East, with Yamaha planning to return in Portugal later this month.
MotoGP said the race would proceed following consultations with Qatari authorities and independent safety advisers and also warned that Yamaha’s absence carried contractual and sporting implications, with the FIM responsible for any sporting consequences.
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A different time of year
Qatar’s November date changes the conditions teams would usually prepare for, but Lusail is not entirely unfamiliar territory at this stage of the year. The circuit also hosted MotoGP in November 2023, when Fabio Di Giannantonio claimed his first premier-class victory after the event was moved to accommodate circuit upgrades.
November is generally cooler than April during the day, potentially easing the physical demands on riders after the heat of Sepang. However, the evening temperatures and changing grip between daytime practice and night racing will still matter. Wind-blown sand can also affect the surface, giving teams more to consider than the temperature alone.
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Two remain in Moto2 title race
Moto2’s championship fight is now down to Manuel Gonzalez and Izan Guevara, with just 3.5 points separating the Spanish pair. Gonzalez leads on 276.5 points after finishing fifth in Malaysia, one place behind Guevara, who moved to 273.
With three races and a maximum of 75 points remaining, third-placed Ivan Ortola can no longer catch the leader. His total of 199.5 leaves him 77 points behind. Neither contender can settle the championship in Qatar, ensuring their contest continues to Portugal.
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Moto4 Asia Cup finale
The Moto4 Asia Cup will crown its 2026 champion at Lusail, with two races remaining and three riders still in contention.
Japan’s Hayato Chishiki leads on 161 points, ahead of Indonesia’s Bintang Pranata on 129 and fellow Japanese rider Waku Kunitate on 121. Chishiki strengthened his position by winning Sunday’s race at Sepang after Pranata received a track-limits penalty, while Kunitate crashed at the final corner.
With 50 points available in Qatar, the leader can finish the job in the opening race. Second place would guarantee the title, while finishing ahead of both rivals would also put him beyond reach before the final race.
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