As the paddock heads into Spain for the first of four times this season, fans brace for a thrilling weekend which this circuit has delivered many times in history – from Rossi vs Gibernau in 2004, to Márquez vs Lorenzo in 2013, to Quartararo vs Márquez in 2020. Join us as we go over everything you need to know before the lights go out in Jerez.

Read more : Marc Márquez back on top

Bagnaia seeks to usurp Marc’s throne

Jerez is the first circuit so far where Bagnaia’s proficiency level is comparable to, if not more than Marc Márquez. Bagnaia has consecutively won the previous three Spanish GPs, from 2022 to 2024. In fact, he also holds the records for best pole time and best race lap.

Another factor which works in Bagnaia’s favour is his consistency. So far, he has not had a single incident this season. And while his performance is not as stellar as it used to be in 2023 or 2024, he has consistently been on the podium for pretty much every race or sprint. If he keeps up this consistency on tracks where Marc is stronger, but still manages to gain an upper hand on him on the tracks where Marc is weaker, he could still be a serious championship contender.

Márquez seeks to end Jerez dry spell

Marc Márquez has also won a grand total of three GPs at Jerez in his time. However, most of his wins here were earlier in his career, i.e. in 2014, 2018 and 2019. He has not won a GP in Jerez since 2019. And while he did secure a respectable second place last year, Jerez is definitely not his best circuit.

However, Marc is currently running ahead with the momentum of a bullet train. If he just keeps doing what he is doing, he will be untouchable. But he must be aware a more proficient rider like Bagnaia will be on his tail, praying for him to make any little mistake.

Jorge Martin sitting this one out

Absolute heartbreak 💔

Sending our best wishes to our Champ @88jorgemartin on his recovery after this one 🦾

📋 The final medical check showed six fractures on the right posterior arches and he will remain under observation at the hospital until the pneumothorax resolves. pic.twitter.com/lq9ATFIJgL

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 14, 2025

The 2025 season has not been forgiving to Martin. First, his pre-season testing crash forced him to sit out the first three races to the season. Following the unfortunate beginning to the season for Martin, he returned to racing in Qatar. However, in his first GP of the season, the defending world champion crashed out again and injured himself quite seriously, fracturing six ribs. Because of this, he will be sitting out the Spanish GP as well.

Yamaha to abandons their signature I4 engine, switches to V4 in private testing

The Yamaha M1 – following the departure of Suzuki in 2022 – is the only motorcycle remaining on the grid which still runs an inline 4 engine rather than the dominant V4. And Yamaha’s star riders, including Fabio Quartararo, have been trying to persuade Yamaha to switch. It appears that Yamaha is now finally conceding, as a V4 motorcycle was spotted at private testing in Valencia at the hands of Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez.

According to Quartararo, the recent testing is not just about the V4 engine but integrating the engine with other components of the bike in the most optimal way – “[…] it’s not about performance. It’s about seeing that everything is working – they are checking a lot.”

Schedule and Where to Watch

All MotoGP sessions can be watched in India on Fancode (digital) or on Eurosport (TV broadcast).

Following is the complete schedule of the MotoGP race weekend in IST:

Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

Under the dazzling floodlights of the Lusail International Circuit, the Qatar Grand Prix turned out to be one of the most eventful races in recent memory, from Marc Márquez reviving his winning streak to several crashes amongst riders, and also some dark horses who made it all the way to the podium before being penalised. Join us as we review, session by session, the spectacle of the Qatar GP.

Read More: Can Márquez maintain dominance as defending champion returns?

Marc Márquez revives his winning streak…

After a major incident at COTA last weekend which caused Marc to lose out on three trebles i.e. pole, sprint win and race win, Marc Márquez came into Qatar determined to reclaim his throne, and he was successful in that endeavor. Marc qualified in pole position at Lusail, and had a rater uneventful sprint race, getting ahead of the pack on the first lap and staying there until the end.

However, the Grand Prix was a different story. Going into the first turn after the race started, Marc was run into from behind by his younger brother Alex, which caused damage to Marc’s tail aero. Also because of this, Marc lost his position to Franco Morbidelli, who led the race for a decent amount of time, before being overtaken by a dark horse in Maverick Viñales. After Marc chased Viñales down for a few laps, he finally managed to regain his position and finish victorious.

…and Alex Márquez loses his runner-up streak

While the weekend was generous to Marc, it was nothing short of unfortunate for younger brother Alex. While he was leading the championship by one point going into the weekend, things looked bright for him on Saturday as he qualified in P2 right behind his brother, and he finished the sprint race in P2 again, behind his brother. This was his fourth consecutive sprint P2 in this season alone.

Sparks flew between @alexmarquez73 & @fabiodiggia49! The Spaniard was then handed a Long Lap Penalty💥#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/g39OGmDlpz

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 13, 2025

It was anyone’s guess that Alex would replicate the same pattern in the Grand Prix as well, but Sunday was not kind to Alex. In the very first turn, he crashed into his brother, which caused damage to his front aero and caused him to fall back a few places. He could have recovered if he had not made an aggressive move against Fabio DiGiannantonio, which caused him to run DiGia off the track while going wide himself. This also caused him to suffer a long lap penalty, which placed him as far back as P11. He did recover towards the end and finished in P6, but he could have done a lot better.

Jorge Martin’s turbulent Aprilia debut

Absolute heartbreak 💔

Sending our best wishes to our Champ @88jorgemartin on his recovery after this one 🦾

📋 The final medical check showed six fractures on the right posterior arches and he will remain under observation at the hospital until the pneumothorax resolves. pic.twitter.com/lq9ATFIJgL

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 14, 2025

After the injuries Martin sustained in pre-season testing, he was out of contention for the first three weekends. Even though he was cleared by medical officials for the Qatar GP, it was evident that he was not in his best physical state. He didn’t even make it to Q2 and qualified P14 on the grid.

During the sprint, he did tussle a bit with his arch-nemesis Bagnaia but was quickly overpowered. He finished P16 in the sprint. However, during the 10th lap of the race, Martin lost control of his motorcycle and crashed out of the race. Martin fractured six ribs in the incident. This incident is sure to end any wild chance of Martin being a world championship contender this season.

Maverick Viñales’ rise and fall

In Qatar, it appeared like Maverick had finally found his footing with the KTM. He had struggled a lot with the motorcycle this season, and surprisingly, he qualified on the front row, putting the bike just behind the Márquez brothers.

In the sprint race, he had a botched start, but he finished the race without anything of note in P10. However, he truly shone in the Grand Prix, where he nailed the start, managing to stay in the leading pack amidst the chaos and rise all the way to the top by the 10th lap. Here, the only one challenging him was Márquez, who Maverick did hold off very well until the 15th lap when Marc overtook him. From here, Maverick battled with Bagnaia and defended against him until the very end.

🚨BREAKING🚨 Maverick Viñales demoted to P14 after receiving a 16-second penalty due to low tyre pressure#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/67WSkClT1L

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 13, 2025

However, it all came down on Viñales after he was imposed with a 16-second penalty for his tire pressure being too low for too long. Essentially, the controversial tire pressure rule states that a rider has to keep his tire pressure over 1.82 bar for at least 60% of the race. This penalty caused Viñales to lose his podium position and drop down all the way to P14.

Highlights of the Qatar GP

Following are some moments in the weekend that I consider particularly exciting :

• Ogura’s overtake on Bagnaia in the sprint for P10
• Last lap battle for P4 in the Sprint between Quartararo, Aldegeur and Di Giannantonio
• First-corner chaos in the Grand Prix
• Alex and Pedro Acosta battle for 7th place in the GP
• Viñales’ battle with Marc Márquez

Championship Standings

This is what the championship standings look like after the Qatar GP :

Read more posts on MotoGP here.

Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

This weekend, the MotoGP paddock returns to the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. This is the only nighttime race in the MotoGP calendar, and the over a kilometer long main straight track gives way to some of the most exciting racing. Join us as we go over everything you need to know before the lights go out in Qatar.

Read more : Francesco Bagnaia wins as Marc Márquez blunders in Austin

Can Marc Márquez recover from his fumble at COTA?

Marc Márquez had the perfect start to his 2025 season, winning back to back trebles (pole, sprint victory and GP victory) for the first two races, and only missing the GP win in the third. While his accident in COTA caused him to lose the championship lead to his brother, the gap between the two is of a mere single point, and Marc must surely seek to get back on top.

However, Marc does not have the most dominant record at Lusail. He has only won the race one time in his sophomore season in 2014, and has only five podiums in his 13 year career. Marc himself admits “It’s the first circuit that theoretically Alex and Pecco are better than me, by the historic results”.

An instant classic as @AndreaDovizioso beat @marcmarquez93 by just 0.320s! ⚔️🔥#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/uAtzlTjxpE

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 9, 2025

However, Marc being Marc has demonstrated his proficiency at the circuit on multiple occasions, including his legendary battle with Andrea Dovizioso in 2019. Also, Marc undoubtedly has momentum from the beginning of the season, and if he can carry it over into Qatar, the weekend is a sealed deal for him.

Will Alex let his younger brother back on top?

Alex Márquez is giving his older brother a run for his money, as he has consistently been P2 in all the sprints and GPs so far. He is also currently leading the championship standings being one point ahead of Marc. As it stands, Alex is in a good position to be extending his own lead, if he can fend off his brother. It will not be easy for him in the long term, however, Qatar is a circuit where Marc is not the best, and this is a great opportunity for Alex to gain some ground on him.

The Martinator is back

CONFIRMED: @88jorgemartin has been declared FIT ✅#QatarGP 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/vIBHV4QehE

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) April 10, 2025

After breaking his right hand and left foot during Day 1 of testing at Sepang, the defending world champion Jorge Martin had to undergo multiple surgeries. This forced him to sit out the first three races of the season, and miss out on his debut on the Aprilia. However, he is returning to the grid this weekend.

This is sure to be bittersweet for Martin, as having missed the first three races of the season puts him at a severe disadvantage championship-wise, but on the other hand, the Aprilia riders, especially rookie Ai Ogura have demonstrated the capabilities of the motorcycle are far beyond what we assumed. Also, Martin holds the all time lap record at the Lusail International Circuit, and also won the sprint race there in 2024.

In the end, the question remains – will Martin be able to be a serious title contender this year?

Aprilia and KTM seek to improve through private testing

KTM and Aprilia are exercising their concessions and have conducted a private testing session at the Misano Circuit. KTM test riders Pol Espargaro and Dani Pedrosa and Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori have attended these sessions. While Savadori has had plenty of time on the Aprilia due to him standing in for Jorge Martin, the KTM test riders haven’t been on the motorcycle since the Sepang Shakedown. For both KTM and Aprilia, this is a chance to close the gap to Ducati, and they could see their efforts coming to fruition very soon if they keep this up.

Championship Standings

Following are the championship standings going into the Qatar GP :

Schedule and Where to Watch

All MotoGP sessions can be watched in India on Fancode (digital) or on Eurosport (TV broadcast).

Following is the complete schedule of the MotoGP race weekend in IST:

Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.