Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) continued his scintillating form in the 2025 MotoGP season, securing both pole position and the Tissot Sprint victory at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. The #93 rider’s double success in Doha saw him reclaim the Championship lead from second-place finisher Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), while Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) claimed the final spot on the podium after a thrilling battle that went down to the final corner.
As the lights went out, the top three on the grid – Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) – all made strong starts, with the elder Marquez securing the holeshot. Behind them, rookie Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) briefly held fourth before being overtaken by Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Castrol).
Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), who had a disappointing evening and finished eighth, made progress from 11th to eighth on the opening lap. However, the Italian’s fortunes took a turn for the worse on the second lap, as he found himself behind Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), and his 2023 and 2024 title rival, Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing).
At the front, the Marquez brothers engaged in a thrilling duel, with Alex briefly taking the lead at Turn 1 on Lap 2 before Marc fought back. As the race progressed, Marc began to pull clear, setting the fastest lap and extending his lead to 0.5s. Despite Alex’s best efforts to respond, the gap continued to grow.
The battle for the final podium spot heated up in the closing stages, with Morbidelli, Quartararo, and a charging Aldeguer all in contention. Bagnaia, meanwhile, managed to climb into the points, passing Acosta for ninth place with three laps remaining.
On the final lap, Marc Marquez’s victory seemed assured, but the fight for second and third was far from over. Quartararo and Aldeguer closed in on Morbidelli, but a small error at the final corner saw Quartararo concede fourth place to the impressive rookie. Morbidelli held on to claim the bronze medal, making it four Grands Prix in a row where Marc Marquez has doubled up on a Saturday.
Reflecting on his dominant performance, Marc Marquez said, “We’re having a good weekend, one that I think is the most important of the season for me. It’s too soon to draw conclusions, with the full race still awaiting us tomorrow. At the moment, Pecco, Alex and I have a similar level. From the fifth or sixth lap onwards, with used tyres, I normally feel better in terms of riding, and that’s why I chose to try and pull away as soon as I felt that the bike was sliding a bit more. But the real difference this year has been in the time attack.”
Aldeguer’s sensational mid to late Sprint pace earned him a well-deserved fourth place, while Quartararo settled for fifth after his last-lap mistake. Fabio Di Giannantonio, Ogura, and Bagnaia completed the top eight, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and Viñales rounding out the points-paying positions.
In his first Sprint appearance since the 2024 Solidarity GP, reigning World Champion Martin finished 16th as he continues to regain his form following an injury layoff.
With Marc Marquez once again proving unbeatable on Saturday, attention now turns to Sunday’s Grand Prix, set to take place at 20:00 local time (UTC +3). Can anyone challenge the six-time MotoGP World Champion, or will he continue his winning streak in Qatar?
