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.

MotoGP headed to Austin for the Grand Prix of the Americas, Round 3 of the 2025 championship. COTA has long been considered Marc Marquez’s second home, and after his dominant performances in the first two rounds, it seemed like only one rider could stop him—Marc himself. And that’s exactly what happened.

Marquez crashed out of the race while leading, rejoining at the back of the field and handing victory to Francesco Bagnaia. Alex Marquez continued his strong form, finishing second yet again. Despite Marc’s misfortune, the Marquez name still tops the championship standings—only this time, it’s Alex leading the way, sitting one point ahead of his brother.

READ MORE: GP of the Americas 2025: Márquez brothers aim for glory at COTA

Drama, Drama and more Drama

Drama ensued on Sunday even before the race began, as riders had to contend with tricky wet conditions during the sighting lap. The rain caught Fabio Quartararo off guard, causing him to crash, but he managed to get back around to the grid. Little did anyone know, this was just the beginning of the chaos at COTA.

Despite the wet sighting lap, the track was drying rapidly, making tire choice a tough decision—slicks or wets? While most riders sat on their bikes awaiting the race start procedure, Marc Marquez was off his, standing on the grid. Just as the three-minute board was about to be signalled, he suddenly sprinted across the tarmac into the pit lane, heading to the garage to swap his slick-shod bike for one fitted with wets.

Looking back at this moment 👀 @marcmarquez93 wasn't sat on the bike and decided to bolt back to the pits #AmericasGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/1SxFj03R5u

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 30, 2025

His move triggered a chain reaction. Bagnaia, Di Giannantonio, Alex Marquez, and several others abandoned their bikes on the grid and ran back to switch to their spare machines. Meanwhile, riders who had already committed to starting on slicks—Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team), and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3)—remained in position. Their gamble might have paid off, but Race Control had other ideas, throwing the red flag and delaying the start.

Race Director Mike Webb explained the reasoning behind the decision:

“We called for a delay and then quick start procedure due to safety concerns. Given the number of riders, bikes and pit staff on the grid and in the pit lane area, it was impossible to start the Warm Up lap. A new race start was the safest way to respond to the unprecedented circumstances at the start of the Grand Prix. We will analyse the situation together with the teams and revisit the regulations.”

After the delay, the pit lane reopened for a quick-start procedure, with every rider resuming their original grid positions. However, the drama wasn’t over yet—last year’s Austin winner, Maverick Viñales, was wheeled off the grid before the race even started.

Marc Marquez’s deliberate tactic in vain

Marc Márquez admitted he deliberately left the grid, anticipating that other riders would follow suit and force the race start to be aborted. Under MotoGP regulations, Article 1.18.1 states that if “more than 10 riders” abandon their grid slots, the start must be called off.

“I really know the rules, and how to do, and how to be on the limit all the time.” Marquez told MotoGP.com afterwards.

“And yeah, I asked to [Marco] Rigamonti my chief mechanic, seven minutes before the start, if the second bike was ready. He told me ‘yes’. And then I said to him ‘maybe I will leave the grid’. Why? Because I predicted when I will leave – I saw that the rain tyres were [already] not the correct strategy – and I predicted that when I will leave, more than 10 riders will follow me and then they’ll stop the race. And that’s what happened.”

However, in reality, exactly 10 riders left the grid—not more than 10. Márquez still got the result he wanted, even though his assumption was slightly off.

A very important clarification, because I think there's some misinformation out there: 10 bikes pulled off the grid today. The rules say that it has to be one more than that to trigger a full restart. pic.twitter.com/6IJRnTtK6F

— Simon Patterson (@denkmit) March 31, 2025

Once the race eventually got underway, Márquez made a perfect launch off the line, immediately seizing control at the front. His brother, Alex, followed closely in second, while Bagnaia, who had started sixth, gained three places to slot into third.

Marc Márquez’s dominant run in 2025 came to an abrupt halt on Lap 9. The Ducati rider misjudged his line, clipping the curb too far and hitting a wet patch at Turn 4, which caused his front end to wash away, sending him to the ground.

MORE DRAMA! 💥💥💥💥@marcmarquez93 HAS GONE DOWN! #AmericasGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JWVRiiJYFt

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 30, 2025

Determined to salvage something from the race, Márquez rejoined in 18th, but his GP25 was significantly damaged, including a missing right footpeg. With the bike lacking pace and any realistic chance of scoring points—let alone fighting at the front—his efforts quickly turned into a lost cause. Struggling to stay competitive, he retired on Lap 13, officially bringing his winning streak to an end.

Francesco Bagnaia rewarded for consistency

With Marc Márquez out of contention, Francesco Bagnaia inherited the race lead—his reward for a consistently strong start to the season. While Márquez had dominated the headlines with his form, Bagnaia was quietly enjoying his best-ever start to a MotoGP season, accumulating 43 points in the first two races.

Although his victory came as a result of Márquez’s misfortune, Bagnaia’s performance was nothing short of brilliant. He managed the race flawlessly, avoiding mistakes and keeping his GP25 upright—something even his in-form teammate failed to do. His composed ride earned him his first win of the season and his 30th career MotoGP victory, putting him just one win behind MotoGP legends Dani Pedrosa and Eddie Lawson. It was also his first triumph at COTA, making it the 17th different track where he has taken victory in MotoGP.

Bagnaia had already showcased his strength earlier in the weekend, briefly leading the Sprint Race on Lap 1 despite starting from sixth on the grid. Now leaving Austin full of confidence, the Italian will look to carry this momentum into the next race weekend. Currently sitting third in the standings, 12 points behind leader Alex Márquez, Bagnaia knows there are still 19 race weekends left—plenty of time for the championship battle to unfold.

Same Name, But a New Championship Leader

The name Márquez still tops the championship standings, but this time it’s Alex Márquez leading the way. The Gresini Ducati rider secured a strong second-place finish in Austin, which, combined with his runner-up result in the Sprint Race, propelled him to the top of the standings.

Pure delight for @GresiniRacing and @VR46RacingTeam 🥳#AmericasGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JVJp7JqwgK

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 30, 2025

Alex’s consistency has been remarkable. He has now finished second in every race this season, making 2025 his best MotoGP campaign in terms of podium finishes. His latest result in Austin marked his third consecutive podium, making 2025 his best MotoGP season regarding podiums.

Having won Moto3 and Moto2 in the past, Alex Márquez now leads the MotoGP World Championship for the first time in his career, with 87 points to his name. Meanwhile, Marc, who was in contention for the win before crashing and eventually retiring, now trails his younger brother by a single point.

More storylines from Austin:

Austin delivered plenty of talking points beyond the dramatic battle at the front.

• Fabio Di Giannantonio secured his first Grand Prix podium since his maiden MotoGP victory in Qatar 2023, finishing P3. This marks his third career podium in the premier class.
• Jack Miller claimed P5, his best result since joining Yamaha this season and his strongest finish since placing fifth in Thailand last year. This also marked Yamaha’s first top-five finish since Fabio Quartararo’s P5 in Malaysia in 2023.
• Luca Marini finished as the top Honda in P8, his best result since joining the Japanese manufacturer last season.
• Marco Bezzecchi produced an impressive comeback ride to P6, making up seven places after starting from 13th on the grid.
• Rookie Fermin Aldeguer showed flashes of brilliance, briefly setting the fastest lap of the race and overtaking Miller for P5. However, his strong performance ended in heartbreak when he crashed out at Turn 15 in the final stages of the race.

Championship Standings and Up Next

With Marc Marquez failing to score, Alex Marquez now leads the world championship by a single point over his brother. MotoGP next heads to Qatar for Round 4 of the Championship from 11-13 April.

A new World Championship leader in #MotoGP 😎 @alexmarquez73 #AmericasGP 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/9qUSgILlYT

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 30, 2025

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.