Podium
Marc Márquez claimed victory in the Qatar Sprint Race at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail on 7 November 2026, extending his own record to 25 sprint victories in the premier class. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider crossed the line in a time of 18 minutes 46.450 seconds, with Fabio Di Giannantonio of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team taking second place 0.862 seconds adrift. Jorge Martín of Aprilia Racing completed the podium a further 0.657 seconds back, finishing 1.519 seconds behind the winner.
The event was disrupted almost immediately when a multi-bike collision at the final corner, involving Fermín Aldeguer and Francesco Bagnaia, prompted a red flag. Bagnaia sustained right foot fractures in the incident and was subsequently ruled out of the main Grand Prix, appearing in the final classification as a DNS. The sprint was restarted from the original grid positions. Despite carrying a fractured right wrist and starting from eleventh on the grid, Martín mounted a remarkable charge that briefly brought him into contention with Márquez at the front. However, Martín’s challenge faded in the closing stages and Di Giannantonio moved through to secure second on the final lap, denying the Aprilia Racing rider the runner-up position.
Raúl Fernández delivered a composed performance for Trackhouse Racing to claim fourth place, finishing 2.700 seconds behind Márquez. Johann Zarco of LCR Honda Idemitsu Castrol crossed the line fifth, 3.720 seconds off the pace, while Pedro Acosta brought his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine home in sixth, 4.664 seconds behind the leader. Ai Ogura, Fernández’s Trackhouse Racing team-mate, secured seventh, with Enea Bastianini of Red Bull KTM Tech3 rounding out the top eight a further 0.724 seconds back. Iker Lecuona of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati and Diogo Moreira of LCR Honda Idemitsu Castrol completed the top ten.
The result represents a significant moment for Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team, with the Spaniard’s record-extending 25th sprint victory underlining his consistency at the front of the field. The circumstances of the race — a red flag, a restart, and the absence of Bagnaia from the Grand Prix following injury — add further weight to the outcome as the 2026 season approaches its conclusion. Attention now turns to the main Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit, where the revised competitive landscape, shaped by Bagnaia’s enforced withdrawal, will be closely observed.
Race highlights
Race classification — top 10
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time / Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marc Márquez | Ducati Lenovo Team | 18:46.450 |
| 2 | Fabio Di Giannantonio | Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team | +0.862 |
| 3 | Jorge Martín | Aprilia Racing | +1.519 |
| 4 | Raúl Fernández | Trackhouse Racing | +2.700 |
| 5 | Johann Zarco | LCR Honda Idemitsu Castrol | +3.720 |
| 6 | Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | +4.664 |
| 7 | Ai Ogura | Trackhouse Racing | +4.858 |
| 8 | Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | +5.582 |
| 9 | Iker Lecuona | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati | +8.082 |
| 10 | Diogo Moreira | LCR Honda Idemitsu Castrol | +9.220 |
Race data via TheSportsDB. Classification, timings, podium positions and event metadata sourced live from the official feed at the time of publication.