Marc Marquez reclaimed the MotoGP championship lead with a dominant win in the Qatar Sprint, pulling over 1.5 seconds clear of brother Alex Marquez in a near-flawless ride. Starting from pole, Marc briefly swapped places with Alex on lap two but quickly reasserted control, leading every lap from there to the flag.
Alex maintained his 100% runner-up record in 2025, while Franco Morbidelli completed the all-Ducati podium for VR46, fending off a late charge from Fabio Quartararo. The Yamaha rider made a move for third on the final lap but ran wide at the last corner, handing fourth to Gresini rookie Fermin Aldeguer.
Sprint disappointment struck Francesco Bagnaia, who started 11th after crashing in Q2. The reigning champion lacked pace and finished a distant eighth, 10.334s behind Marc Marquez, and now trails by 21 points in the standings.
Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura impressed with seventh, while Marco Bezzecchi claimed the final point in ninth for Aprilia. KTM riders Pedro Acosta and Maverick Vinales gambled on soft tyres but faded out of the points.
Jorge Martin, making his comeback from injury with Aprilia, dropped to 16th after a promising start. LCR Honda’s Johann Zarco retired with tyre issues, and factory Honda’s Joan Mir didn’t start the race due to illness.
