DOHA DRAMA: Marquez first Qatar victory in 11 years and penalty drama for Viñales
The Championship leader Marquez, eventually got the better of Top Gun. However, a post-race tyre pressure penalty for the #12 sees Morbidelli promoted to the podium. It was heartbreak for BatMan and not meant to be as he was given a 16-second penalty.
The Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar saw Maverick Viñales clinch a first podium in Red Bull KTM Tech3 colours – or so we thought. Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) recovered to P3 at the line after a dissatisfying Saturday. Drama unfolded for Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), who was forced to settle for P7, which was then P6.
Why?
Because after a tyre pressure penalty for Viñales post-race, most of the points scorers were promoted one position. It saw Franco Morbidelli(Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) elevated to P3 – and, of course, Bagnaia to P2. Those +16s demoted Viñales to P14.
Marc Marquez was the rider to earn the holeshot into Turn 1. However, as the field exited the opening corner, contact was made between the #93 and Alex Marquez, with a piece of bodywork pinging off the rear end of the red machine. This allowed Morbidelli to take the lead into Turn 2 as Viñales made life harder for Alex Marquez. Top Gun was P3 through the fast Turn 3 but fair play to Marquez. He bit back to get behind his older brother once more.
Morbidelli’s lead was up to 0.8s at the beginning of Lap 3, as Bagnaia made a decent start.
The Americas GP winner was up to sixth before more contact! Alex Marquez was trying to muscle his way back past Fabio Di Giannantonio(Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) into Turn 12 but he misjudged it. Both went wide with Marquez dropping to P7. The luckless Di Giannantonio was forced back to P21. For the incident, Alex Marquez was handed a Long Lap penalty.
Meanwhile, Bagnaia was on the move. On the anchors heading into Turn 1 on Lap 5, Bagnaia breezed past Marc Marquez to climb into second place. That meant the Championship leader was third. Viñales was fourth with Johann Zarco (LCR Honda Castrol) running in P5 and Fermin Aldeguer. BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP teammate Marquez was in P6 and P7.
On Lap 6, Marquez completed his Long Lap penalty.
The #73 went from P6 to P12, 4.9s away from Morbidelli. At the front, Marc Marquez forced his way back through on Bagnaia for P2 with 16 laps left. Right behind them, Viñales set the fastest lap of the race as Morbidelli’s lead continued to shrink. What were we saying about Viñales? At the end of Lap 7, the #12 passed Bagnaia for P3 and then set his sights on Marquez.
Unfortunately, Jorge Martin’s (Aprilia Racing) Grand Prix Sunday comeback ended prematurely.
The World Champion suffered a crash and the #1 was taken to the medical centre for a check-up, and then to a local hospital. Aprilia have provided updates on rib contusions and fractures, with Martin remaining in hospital for the moment. It has since been confirmed he’s got 6x broken ribs.
The initial statement said: “Jorge Martin suffered a chest trauma, the rider is conscious without problems with his limbs. Rib contusion on the right thorax with pneumothorax. He will be taken to the hospital to perform a CT for in-depth investigation”.
And with 13 laps to go, Viñales got the better of his second factory Ducati. This was stunning from the Tech3 star, and a lap later, he led. Same spot, same outcome. Morbidelli lost the lead for the first time, and Marquez powered past the Italian as well. Bagnaia was then desperate to pass Morbidelli. The VR46 Academy duo swapped positions five times on Lap 11 of 22, but it cost the pair crucial ground. Over the line, Bagnaia was 0.9s behind Marquez.
VIÑALES LEADS, MARQUEZ PLOTS RESPONSE
Zarco was the next rider to get the better of Morbidelli. The Frenchman grabbed P4 and the Italian immediately started to lose ground. With eight laps to go, Viñales was still holding Marquez at bay, with Pecco 0.8s behind the top two. Then, a mistake. Viñales was slightly wide at Turn 6. That opened the door for Marquez to take the race lead baton with seven laps to go. So what could Viñales and Pecco do now?
PIN PULLED – MARC MARQUEZ STYLE
The answer, for now, was not a lot. Marquez was the fastest of the trio, but only by a tenth over Bagnaia. However, Viñales was 0.3s slower than Marquez on Lap 17, so was this the KTM start beginning to run out of grip and steam? It wasn’t – it was Marquez finding pace. The fastest lap of the race was landed by the six-time MotoGP World Champion. It was two tenths quicker than Viñales and seven tenths faster than Pecco.
Three to go. Another fastest lap of the race for Marquez saw the #93 stretch his lead up to a second. Meanwhile, Bagnaia slipped 1.4s behind Viñales. Heading onto the last lap, it was as you were. Marquez led Viñales by 1.5s, Bagnaia was in a comfortable third. As the chequered flag waved, Marc Marquez bounced back from his Austin disappointment with an almighty bang. For the first time since 2014, Marquez claimed victory. With it, he strengthened his Championship position ahead of a date with Jerez.
YOUR POINTS SCORERS IN QATAR
Morbidelli did fight back in the end to earn P4 across the line. As mentioned, that’s now P3. Meanwhile, Zarco held off the efforts of Aldeguer to earn a career best Honda result in P4. Aldeguer earned his best Grand Prix result in MotoGP with a P5. Alex Marquez’s recovery ended with a P6. This was a top job to get back there from the Spaniard but that’s the run of P2s and podiums over.
Starting from the front row for the first time since 2023, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) bags P7 ahead of Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). Behind them were Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), and Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol). The Italian completed the top 10.
Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) claimed P11. Meanwhile, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) takes home a P12. In addition, Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) finished ahead of Viñales after his penalty. Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) collected the final points.
We look ahead to Jerez, all our well wishes go towards the current world champion in his recovery.
We’ll update you when we know more!