Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) stormed to a phenomenal first pole position of the season under the glorious Grand Prix of Qatar lights, the 2021 Rookie of the Year beating Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) by 0.147s with a 1:53.011. Eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) lines up on the front row in P3 as we see the top three in the 2021 World Championship struggle.

Unexpectedly, the reigning World Champion found himself in Q1. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) was the fastest rider out the blocks in qualifying to beat compatriot Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) by just over a tenth. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) climbed to P2 on his second flying lap to sit just 0.051s off Quartararo, as the riders dived back into pitlane to get ready for their second time attack.

Darryn Binder (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™ Team) crashed unhurt at Turn 2 which brought out the yellow flags, as Quartararo ran wide on his third flying attempt. The yellow flags caused Zarco’s time to be cancelled, the double 2021 Qatar podium finisher was out, as Brad Binder went top of the pile with his last attempt. Quartararo slipped to P2 but it was enough to see him head into the Q2 battle.

Shadowing 2020 World Champion Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Marc Marquez set the first benchmark time – a 1:53.566 – but he wouldn’t stay at the top for long. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) was the pacesetter after the first runs were completed, the Australian was less than a tenth clear of Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team), Martin was third, Marc Marquez fourth. Bastianini was occupying P5 as fresh rubber was slotted in.

Tensions were high under the lights heading into the final six minutes, as we got ourselves set for the first pole position battle of the season. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marc Marquez were first to emerge back out of pitlane, the latter getting his RC213V hooks into the back of Pecco’s GP22. Halfway around the lap, Pecco was 0.018s under teammate Miller’s time – Marc Marquez just 0.015s off. The tables turned through the third split as Marquez was a tenth quicker than provisional pole, Pecco half a tenth. At the line, it was Marquez who went pole by 0.128s ahead of Pecco.

This wasn’t over though. Far from it. Red sectors galore – Miller, Pol Espargaro and Martin were all on fire, as was Bastianini and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Tucked up behind the Repsol Honda of Espargaro, Martin leapt to P1, with Miller going third and Brad Binder slotting into P4.

Attention then turned to Mir and Pol Espargaro. Neither went onto the front row though, but Bastianini was on course to. Aleix Espargaro, a little up the road, went P5, before Bastianini pounced to claim P2 – his first front row. This meant sophomore duo Martin and Bastianini were P1 and P2 on the grid, with Marc Marquez completing the front row in P3.

Miller was shuffled off the front row after Bastianini’s late time, the Aussie makes it three Ducatis in the top four, with Aleix Espargaro bagging a top five for Aprilia. Younger brother Pol Espargaro lines up alongside the RS-GP in P6, with Brad Binder coming through Q1 to bag P7. Mir is the leading Suzuki in P8, the Hamamatsu factory have looked like the team to beat but the Spaniard and ninth place Bagnaia have work to do on Sunday. Free Practice 2 pacesetter Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) had a quiet session in P10, with both Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ riders struggling – Quartararo starts his title defence in 11th, one place ahead of teammate Franco Morbidelli. 

The Martinator takes the first MotoGP™ pole position of the season, as we now get set for race day under the lights. Tune into the premier class race at 18:00 local time (GMT+3) to see who rises highest in the desert. 

Top 10:
1. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) – 1:53.011
2. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) + 0.147
3. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.272
4. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.287
5. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.308
6. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.335
7. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.339
8. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.396
9. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.400
10. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.470

Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) benefitted from Sam Lowes’ (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) cancelled lap time to claim a maiden Moto2™ pole position at the Grand Prix of Qatar. The Italian set a late 1:59.082 to lead Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) by just over a tenth, as Lowes slips to third after exceeding track limits.

The early session table topper in the pole position battle was rookie Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™) from Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), as Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) suffered an early crash at Turn 5 – the Thai rider went to the medical centre for a check-up.

Double 2021 Lusail winner Lowes then leapt to P1 as the yellow flags were then shown for a Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) crash at the final corner. The reigning Moto3™ World Champion was all ok but his maiden Moto2™ qualifying session was over.

Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) set a time good enough for the front row but it was later chalked off for a yellow flag infringement, as compatriot Lowes increased his advantage at the summit. No one was able to beat Lowes’ time, Vietti went closest on his final flying lap, as late drama unfolded. Lowes’ lap was cancelled for exceeding track limits at Turn 15, which handed Vietti pole position. 

Rookie Salač put in a mightily impressive performance to front the second row of the grid in P4, the Czech rider has Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) for company on the second row. Dixon will launch from P7 alongside Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) and Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40), with Acosta starting P10 for his first Moto2™ race after a final corner crash.

The Moto2™ race gets going at 16:20 local time (GMT+3)!

Top 10:
1. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) – 1:59.082
2. Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.112
3. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.144
4. Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™) + 0.205
5. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.220
6. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.257
7. Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.275
8. Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors Speed Up) + 0.277
9. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) + 0.398
10. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.446

For the first time in his World Championship career, Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) will start from pole position after leaving it late to set a session topping 2:04.811. Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) came through Q1 to earn a fantastic P2, with Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) occupying the outside of the front row in P3 at the Grand Prix of Qatar.

Fresh from finishing fastest in Q1, Sasaki was the early pacesetter in Q2 and his initial advantage stood at 0.5s – the fastest lap of the weekend at that stage. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) closed the gap to 0.2s on his second flying lap as a lot of the riders piled into pitlane, with only four riders within a second of Sasaki heading into the final five minutes.

Sasaki was towing teammate John McPhee and the British rider climbed to P5, with Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) going P4. A freight train of frantic Moto3™ riders formed behind Foggia, typical lightweight qualifying shenanigans were in play, slipstream vital for a good time in Qatar.

A gaggle of riders crossed the finish line within tenths of each other, as Guevara grabbed P1 from Sasaki. Masia claimed P3 with Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) slotting in ahead of Foggia, who slipped to P5. Yamanaka and McPhee’s strategy to go out ahead of the big group worked well as they line-up P6 and P7 for the opening race of the season, Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) set his best time on the final lap but only managed P8. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and quickest rookie Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) round out the top 10.

The opening Moto3™ race of the season promises to be a belter at the Lusail International Circuit. Tune in at 15:00 local time (GMT+3) to see who will claim the first win of the season. 

Top 10:
1. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) 2:04.811
2. Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 0.085
3. Jaume Masia (red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.212
4. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.363
5. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.378
6. Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) + 0.725
7. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) + 0.738
8. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Asar Team) + 0.847
9. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 0.872
10. Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team) + 0.952

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) is the fastest rider heading into MotoGP™ qualifying at the Grand Prix of Qatar after his 1:53.432 from Friday remains unbeaten. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) complete the top three as the top four stays unchanged after FP3, but reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) misses the top 10 cut and will have to compete in Q1.

The only improver in the early stages of FP3 was Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), as the riders went in search of some race pace rhythm and optimal settings. No one was troubling the combined standings, in terms of the top 10 anyway, as Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) moved from P18 to P16 with 14 minutes to go. The Frenchman was a second down on Rins’ FP2 time though.

The session then came alive with five minutes to go. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) shot to P1 from P11, eliminating Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) from the top 10, but the Italian’s lap time was cancelled for exceeding track limits moments later. Pecco then climbed to P6, crucial for one of the pre-season favourites, as Quartararo failed to improve from P9 on his last lap as the chequered flag dropped.

That proved vital. Bastianini responded to go P5 on his final lap, and with Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) also finding time, Quartararo was shoved outside the top 10 into P11. Early season drama for the 2021 World Champion, who misses the Q2 cut by 0.020s – just the fourth time in his premier class career that he’s not automatically through to Q2.

Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) sits as the leading Ducati in P4 as Bastianini’s 1:53.790 sees the Italian rise to P5. Pol Espargaro is sixth thanks to his late charge, the Spaniard is just ahead of the only Yamaha automatically challenging in Q2 – Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), who is unhurt after a Turn 6 tumble. Bagnaia is into Q2 in P8, he’s 0.015s ahead of teammate Jack Miller in P9, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) holding onto 10th by the skin of his teeth as he sat in his box watching the late flurry of times fly in.

With 0.7s covering 16 riders and the World Champion competing in Q1, an already unmissable Qatar GP qualifying just got even tastier. Tune in at 18:00 local time (GMT+3) to watch the first Q1 and Q2 action of the year unfold.

Top 10 combined:
1. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) – 1:53.432
2. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.035
3. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.147
4. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) + 0.220
5. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) + 0.358
6. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.371
7. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.413
8. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.423
9. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.438
10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 0.454

Augusto Fernandez will lead a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 into Moto2™ qualifying at the Grand Prix of Qatar, as the top five positions remain unchanged on the combined standings. Fernandez’s 1:59.112 is 0.160s faster than teammate Pedro Acosta – a crasher in FP3 – as injured Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) rounds out the Free Practice top three.

As expected, there weren’t too many riders who managed to go quicker than they did on Friday afternoon. However, an injured Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) was able to leap up to P6 overall with a late lap that saw him claim P1 in FP3, but that was 0.4s away from the fastest time of the weekend set by Fernandez. Acosta crashed unhurt at Turn 1 as we saw numerous riders hit the deck in a windy FP3, including fellow Q2 qualifier Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team).

Mooney VR46 Racing Team’s Celestino Vietti sits fourth ahead of the opening qualifying sessions of the season, the Italian is 0.007s ahead of Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40). Lowes is sixth thanks to a fantastic lap in FP3 despite his ongoing left wrist tendinitis issues, with Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), rookie Filip Salač (Gresini Racing Moto2™), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and American Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) round out the top 10.

Dixon was shuffled down to P11 and is ok after his Turn 5 crash, the British rider sits ahead of Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) and two FP3 improvers – Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) and Jorge Navarro (Flexbox HP40). The duo snatching all-important top 14 spots on Saturday.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team), Marcos Ramirez (MV Agusta Forward Racing), Romano Fenati (MB Conveyors Speed Up), and Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha VR46 Master Camp) also crashed in FP3 – the latter went for a check-up in the medical centre.

Moto2™ qualifying kicks off at 16:25 local time (GMT+3) – tune in! 

Top 10 combined:
1. Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:59.112
2. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.160
3. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.164
4. Celestino Vietti (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) + 0.437
5. Aron Canet (Flexbox HP40) + 0.444
6. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.482
7. Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.547
8. Filip Salac (Gresini Racing Moto2™) + 0.554
9. Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) + 0.590
10. Cameron Beaubier (American Racing) + 0.593

Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) will front the Moto3™ field heading into qualifying at the Grand Prix of Qatar after his Friday time, a 2:04.920, went unbeaten in FP3. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) remains P2 as the top two head into Q2 thanks to their FP2 times, with Foggia third on the combined times after a small improvement in FP3.

Heading into Saturday’s action, no one really expected too many changes on the overall timesheets in FP3 with conditions worse than they were in FP2 on Friday. Foggia did manage to find a little bit of time though, the Italian sat 1.4s of the pack at one point in FP3, before the rest of the field then found time.

There were no riders able to penetrate the fastest time, Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) did manage to go P2 overall but his time then got chalked off for a yellow flag infringement. This meant the top three stayed the same from Friday – Guevara heading McPhee and Foggia.

Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) and Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) round out the top five after Free Practice, ahead of Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) and FP3 improver Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power). Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing PrüstelGP) and his teammate Xavier Artigas complete the top 10.

Riccardo Rossi (SIC58 Squadra Corse), Ryusei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI), fastest rookie Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power) and Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) earn the remaining top 14, automatic Q2 spots for the opening round of the year.

Elia Bartolini (QJMotor Avintia Racing Team), Lorenzo Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Alberto Surra (Rivacold Snipers Team) crashed unhurt in FP3, while Ana Carrasco (BOE SKX) suffered a mechanical issue with her machine.

Tune into Moto3™ qualifying at 15:30 local time (GMT+3)! 

Top 10 combined:
1. Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – 2:04.920
2. John McPhee (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) + 0,424
3. Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) + 0.450
4. Tatsuki Suzuki (Leopard Racing) + 0.525
5. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) + 0.583
6. Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) + 0.587
7. Kaito Toba (CIP Green Power) + 0.606
8. Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.654
9. Carlos Tatay (CFMoto Racing Prüstel GP) + 0.692
10. Xavier Artigas (CFMoto Racing Prüstel GP) + 0.861