Marco Bezzecchi set the early pace in the opening MotoGP practice session for the 2026 Qatar Grand Prix, moving ahead of Marc Marquez after approximately ten minutes at Lusail International Circuit. Francesco Bagnaia was third and Jorge Martin fourth, although Martin was already 1.3 seconds away from Bezzecchi’s benchmark. The order had changed quickly: Ducati Lenovo riders Marquez and Bagnaia had occupied the top two places earlier, before Bezzecchi moved to the front.

The first timesheet came from an unusually difficult point in the day. FP1 began at 14:45 local time under strong midday sunlight, with a sandy surface and bikes throwing dust and grit into the air on the main straight. Practice is scheduled for 19:00, making that session a more relevant indication of the conditions expected later in the weekend. Qatar remains the only night race on the MotoGP calendar, so the contrast between the opening session and the evening running is particularly important.

Dixon’s difficult return to MotoGP

Jake Dixon’s first outing as Joan Mir’s replacement lasted only one lap before he fell. The British rider lost the front while turning into Turn 15, making an abrupt start to his weekend as a factory Honda MotoGP rider. He had already experienced a major moment at Turn 11, where a spinning rear tyre produced a pronounced oscillation through the long left-hander. Ai Ogura was nearly caught up in the incident after Dixon backed out of the throttle.

Dixon is competing in Qatar as a Honda WorldSBK rider, filling in for Mir, whose illness problems resurfaced during the Malaysian race. Brad Binder was the next MotoGP rider to crash, going down at Turn 7. The early falls added to a session in which the sand made grip and track conditions less predictable than they should be under the evening lights.

A grid affected by injuries and absences

The Qatar entry list has been altered by a series of injuries. Jorge Martin was passed fit to ride after breaking his wrist at Phillip Island, but he is still racing with the fracture. He withdrew midway through the previous Malaysian weekend, having completed two and a half sessions there. Martin has acknowledged that the bone remains broken, while his title challenge has become increasingly difficult.

Raul Fernandez is also due to compete while carrying broken fingers sustained in Indonesia. Fermin Aldeguer is present at Lusail despite not having raced since breaking bones in his hand at Mandalika, also known as the Indonesian round. His Gresini team-mate Alex Marquez is absent after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder following the Malaysian race, with Iker Lecuona taking his place.

Yamaha has not sent its riders or teams to Qatar because of the continuing instability in the Middle East. That uncertainty has remained in the background of the weekend since February. Teams were reportedly given guidance covering several emergency situations, including what to do if an incident occurred outside, inside a circuit building or at a hotel. The other four manufacturers and their teams are present, alongside the Moto2 and Moto3 fields, including Pramac’s Moto2 operation.

Marquez carries the championship advantage

Marquez arrived in Qatar as the championship leader and the most recent race winner. He won at Lusail last year and then took victory in Malaysia the previous weekend, keeping his mathematical title hopes alive. To remain in contention, the Spaniard needs to gain 30 points on Jorge Martin this weekend and eight on Bezzecchi.

Bezzecchi’s strong opening session came at a circuit where his record is less convincing. He has never finished on a MotoGP podium in Qatar, nor has he taken a Grand Prix podium in any class. His best Lusail results came in 2021, when he finished fourth in both races, while his best MotoGP result at the circuit is ninth, achieved last year.

Martin has a stronger history at Lusail. He took his first MotoGP podium there in 2021 and finished third at the 2024 season opener. His current wrist injury, however, makes this weekend a different test from those previous appearances.

Holgado heads the opening Moto2 order

Daniel Holgado finished at the top of Moto2 FP1, ahead of Celestino Vietti and Izan Guevara, with Manuel Gonzalez fourth at the chequered flag. Gonzalez had briefly looked capable of challenging for the lead: on his final lap he was almost 0.2 seconds quicker than Holgado through the first three sectors, but he was held up in the final sector by Furusato while Guevara was ahead as a reference.

Those Moto2 positions, like the early MotoGP order, need to be read against the conditions. The midday sun and sandy track made the first practice sessions less representative of the grip and temperatures expected during the evening programme. Bezzecchi’s advantage is therefore an important opening marker, but the 19:00 practice session should provide a clearer indication of the competitive order at Lusail.