Marc Marquez wins Qatar MotoGP to extend Championship lead

Despite a challenging race, which saw a collision with his brother Alex that damaged his bike, Marquez triumphed at the Lusail International Circuit for the first time since 2014.

The Spaniard had already secured his fourth consecutive pole position with a record-breaking lap and triumphed in the sprint race on Saturday, but it was the main event where he came out on top.

Marquez’s victory boosted his championship points to 123, extending his lead to 17 points over second-place Alex.

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia rounded out the top three, though Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Maverick Viñales was penalized with a 16-second time penalty for tire pressure violations, dropping him further down the order.

VR46 Racing's Franco Morbidelli, who had briefly led the race, was elevated to third place after Viñales' penalty.

“I needed to manage the front tires, so for that reason, in the first part of the race, I was calm,” Marc said. “Morbidelli was going ahead, but I predicted, or I understood yesterday with the rhythms, that he would not be fast in the second part of the race.

“Big surprise when Maverick overtook me. I thought it was [Pedro] Acosta because normally he is the fastest on KTM. He was super fast, but I had that margin for the end. Victory in Qatar is amazing.”

Marquez had an excellent start and took the lead at Turn 1. However, during the opening laps, he collided with his brother Alex, damaging the rear of Marc’s bike.

Alex's race only worsened after this incident. He was involved in another crash with VR46 Racing’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, causing both riders to drop further down the field.

In an attempt to express regret, Alex raised his hand, which led to a long lap penalty from the stewards, dropping him to 12th place and extinguishing any hopes of a podium finish. Despite finishing second in several races this season, this was another setback for the Gresini Racing rider.

With Marquez leading, he engaged in a fierce battle with Bagnaia for second place. The two traded positions multiple times, using each other's slipstreams to gain an advantage.

Meanwhile, Viñales, who had initially been fighting for a podium finish, was also caught in a back-and-forth with Marquez and Bagnaia.

In the closing stages, Marquez struggled to maintain control, with one arm hanging loosely while his leg dangled in the wind. A late-braking maneuver by Viñales saw him surge past Marquez, ultimately claiming second place.

Defending MotoGP champion Jorge Martin made his return after injury but faced a disastrous race. The Aprilia rider crashed out after a brutal collision at Turn 11, resulting in six fractures, a devastating injury for the reigning champion.