Qatar GP Qualifying: Bezzecchi takes a monster pole, Martin furious with Acosta

Aprilia shines with the rider from Rimini in Lusail, but Marquez is right there: a Q2 to forget for Martinator, who took issue with Acosta at the end.

Qualifying for the 2026 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix ended with Marco Bezzecchi taking pole position in 1'50"028, setting a new lap record at the Lusail International Circuit. The Aprilia rider beat Marc Marquez's Ducati by 266 thousandths of a second and Fabio Di Giannantonio's by 299.

Fermin Aldeguer and Pedro Acosta were the two riders to make it through Q1 and into Q2. They were the expected qualifiers, and both delivered. The first rider to miss out on Q2 was Franco Morbidelli, who set the session's third-fastest time while following Luca Marini's Honda. He will start 13th on the grid, alongside Valentino Rossi's brother and Iker Lecuona's Ducati.

Rookie Diogo Moreira will start from P16, near Jake Dixon and Maverick Vinales. With the Yamaha riders absent, only eighteen grid slots will be filled this MotoGP weekend.

Bezzecchi, Marquez and Diggia lead Q2 and the starting grid. The second row is headed by Raul Fernandez's Trackhouse Aprilia, alongside Pecco Bagnaia on a Ducati and his teammate Ai Ogura. Johann Zarco (Honda LCR) posted a strong seventh-fastest time; he will line up alongside Acosta's KTM and Aldeguer's Ducati.

Jorge Martin could do no better than 11th, so he will start from the fourth row, between the KTMs of Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder. The Aprilia rider was angry with Acosta at the end of qualifying, after finding him ahead during his final time attack. Martin felt that his compatriot had not done everything he could to avoid getting in his way. Starting so far back will certainly make his races this weekend much more difficult.

1. Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia)

2. Marc Marquez (Ducati)

3. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Ducati)

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4. Raul Fernandez (Aprilia)

5. Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati)

6. Ai Ogura (Aprilia)

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7. Johan Zarco (Honda)

8. Pedro Acosta (KTM)

9. Fermin Aldeguer (Ducati)

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10. Enea Bastianini (KTM)

11. Jorge Martin (Aprilia)

12. Brad Binder (KTM)

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13. Franco Morbidelli (Ducati)

14. Luca Marini (Honda)

15. Iker Lecuona (Ducati)

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16. Diogo Moreira (Honda)

17. Jake Dixon (Honda)

18. Maverick Vinales (KTM)

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