Bezzecchi Dominates Qatar GP as Aprilia Secures Double Podium

Marco Bezzecchi led every lap at Lusail to claim his sixth victory of the 2026 season, while Raúl Fernández completed the podium alongside Marc Márquez in second place.

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Aprilia Racing enjoyed a memorable weekend at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, securing victory and two podium finishes with its RS-GP26 machines at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Starting from pole position, Marco Bezzecchi delivered a dominant performance, leading from the opening corner to the chequered flag. The victory marked his sixth win of the 2026 season, adding to his previous successes in Buriram, Goiânia, Austin, Mugello and Indonesia.

It was also Bezzecchi’s 12th victory in the premier class, making him the first rider in history to secure his first 12 premier-class wins at 12 different circuits.

The Italian has now recorded 30 podium finishes in the premier class, including 12 this season. This places him level with Sete Gibernau in 28th position on the all-time premier-class podium list.

Reflecting on the victory, Bezzecchi explained that tyre management became increasingly important as the race progressed.

“In the first few laps, I tried to push and get clear of the group. After that, it was all about managing the race, because with the tyre wear, front and rear, it wasn’t easy. I’m very happy with this win. We’ve done a good job and we’re enjoying it. Now we go home to rest, so we’re ready for Portimão,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jorge Martín finished seventh after starting from the fourth row. Despite still recovering from the injuries sustained in his crash during the Phillip Island Sprint, the Spaniard showed determination throughout the weekend and secured third place in the Sprint race.

Martín admitted that his physical condition continued to affect his ability to get the most out of his motorcycle, particularly when braking.

“The fracture is improving every day, and I’m sure I’ll be close to 100% at Portimão. I gave it everything in the race, but starting that far back it was hard to try a comeback like Saturday’s. I couldn’t make the most of the bike’s potential, because physically I still didn’t have the strength to stop it the way I needed to. So I kept losing a few tenths. I gave it a go, and in the circumstances, I think seventh is a good result,” he explained.

Aprilia’s strong showing was further supported by the SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Raúl Fernández secured third place on his return from injury, completing an all-Aprilia-powered podium alongside Bezzecchi and Marc Márquez, while Ai Ogura finished fourth. The results placed four Aprilia RS-GP26 machines inside the top 10, highlighting the manufacturer’s competitiveness at Lusail.

Bezzecchi’s victory also extended Aprilia Racing’s premier-class tally to nine wins this season and 17 overall. The result brought the Noale-based manufacturer to 311 victories across the FIM World Motorcycle Championship. It was also Aprilia Racing’s first-ever podium finish in the full-length MotoGP race at the Lusail circuit.

Further down the order, Marc Márquez secured second place after an eventful race. The Spaniard initially held his position at the start before being overtaken by Fernández and subsequently Pedro Acosta on lap three.

Márquez reclaimed the position from Acosta on lap six before gradually increasing his pace during the second half of the race. With three laps remaining, he overtook Fernández to move into second place and maintained the position until the finish.

Márquez described the Qatar weekend as an important result, particularly given the competitiveness of his rivals at Lusail.

“It was a crucial weekend because we knew that our rivals were very competitive here at Lusail. When we’re fighting for the title, we’re able to bring out something unexpected. After all, we’re the ones who scored the most points, so we can say we won the battle here in Qatar,” he said.

The Spaniard added that he initially focused on managing the race before deciding to fight for second place after noticing Fernández struggling towards the closing stages.

Meanwhile, Francesco Bagnaia is returning to Italy to undergo surgery following his Sprint crash on Saturday. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider sustained fractures to the fourth and fifth metatarsals of his right foot, with surgery expected to take place between Monday and Tuesday.

Following the conclusion of the 20th Grand Prix of the season, Márquez leads the Riders’ Championship with 431 points, holding a 60-point advantage over Martín. Bagnaia sits ninth with 173 points.

In the team standings, Ducati Lenovo Team occupies second place with 504 points, while Ducati leads the Constructors’ Championship with 569 points.

The MotoGP championship will now head to Portugal for the next round, with the Grand Prix scheduled to take place at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão from 20 to 22 November 2026.