Bezzecchi wins Qatar as Marquez moves closer to MotoGP title

Marco Bezzecchi won the Qatar Grand Prix on November 8, while Marc Marquez finished second and extended his lead over Jorge Martin to 60 points with two rounds remaining in the 2026 MotoGP championship.

Martin, who finished seventh, is the closest challenger. There are 74 points available across the remaining rounds at Portimao and Valencia, leaving Marquez within reach of the title but not yet champion. The Qatar result denied him the chance to clinch it there.

Bezzecchi’s victory kept him mathematically in contention, 74 points behind Marquez. The Italian had started from pole and held the lead through the opening phase. Aprilia riders Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura finished third and fourth, giving the manufacturer three of the top four places. Bezzecchi’s win was his sixth Grand Prix victory of the season, according to Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola’s assessment.

The title fight was also shaped by a collision between Marquez and Bezzecchi in the Sprint. FIM stewards classified it as a racing incident, while Aprilia considered Marquez responsible. The stewards’ reasoning was not detailed in the reports. Bezzecchi fell after contact, according to one account, but still recovered to...