Jorge Martin is stealing the headlines this week as the defending World Champion returns to competitive racing for the first time this year. The reigning title holder finds himself down the pecking order in the 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix pre-event odds, relegated by the Marquez brothers and Francesco Bagnaia.
After reading our analysis, check out ourpartner sportsbooks to get valuable promotions and place bets.
In addition to traditional sports betting on MotoGP, the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar has Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Real Money Gaming available in a Pick’Em style on Underdog. Although “fantasy games” might seem misleading, DFS is a significant and growing category within legal sports wagering. MotoGP fans are allowed to legally make better/worse picks with real money gaming in 30 states, including California, Texas & Wisconsin, where traditional sports betting is currently illegal.
Schedule and How to Watch the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
Riders pull out of the pits at the Lusail International Circuit for the first time on Friday, April 11th. Free Practice 1 broadcasts from 8:45 AM ET on Fox Sports. Racing shifts gears on Saturday as we build up to qualifying and the customary Saturday sprint.
Qualifying is set for 8:40 AM ET and riders will line up on the grid for the sprint at 1 PM. Teams and riders return to the track on Sunday for the night Grand Prix, which airs at 1 PM on the East Coast.
Weather Forecast For MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar
Clear skies and scorching temperatures greet riders all weekend. The high 90s are forecast for Friday during FP1 and Saturday during qualifying, with no rain on the horizon. Riders will enjoy slightly cooler weather as they navigate the sprint and GP on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Mid 80-degree temperatures can be expected after sundown.
Best Bets and Picks for the 2025 Qatar MotoGP
Top Picks and Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Marc Marquez
-250
$28.00
Francesco Bagnaia
+300
$80.00
Alex Marquez
+700
$160.00
Marc Marquez (-250):
Marc Marquez starts in the Middle East off the back of crashing out in the Grand Prix of the Americas. The Spaniard was leading comfortably until turn four of the ninth lap when he found himself sliding along the asphalt. “The Ant of Cervera” takes off in Qatar with two wins under the bike in three attempts this season.
Francesco Bagnaia (+300):
Ducati star Francesco Bagnaia entered Victory Lane in Austin, for the first time this season. The win leaves him 12 points adrift of the series leader and handed him his second podium of the term. “Pecco” touches down in the Persian Gulf desperate to retain the crown he claimed a year ago. His start in Qatar catapulted him to an 11-win season in 2024.
Alex Marquez (+700):
The younger Marquez might have struggled to overtake his brother on the track, but he leads him in the Championship. Alex Marquez leads his brother by one point at the start of the Qatar GP weekend after finishing second in every race this year.
Outsider Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Fabio Di Giannantonio
+1100
$240.00
Jorge Martin
+2500
$520.00
Franco Morbidelli
+2800
$580.00
Fabio Di Giannantonio (+1100):
The 2023 Qatar MotoGP Champion Fabio Di Giannantonio is hitting his stride in 2025, improving in every race. “Diggia” greeted the stewards in 10th at the Chang International Circuit, before claiming consecutive top fives in the second and third races. The VR 46 Racing rider climbed onto the podium in Texas and offers excellent value at +1100.
Jorge Martin (+2500):
The 2024 Moto GP World Champion Jorge Martin is back, after missing the first three rounds of this campaign. “The Martinator” reports for duty at the Lusail International Circuit seeking to replicate his success in the previous edition, but he starts on a new bike, after switching to Aprilia at the start of the calendar.
Franco Morbidelli (+2800):
Franco Morbidelli carries long odds into Qatar despite a consistent start to the year. The Italian has crossed the line inside the top five in every race, including the final spot on the podium in Argentina. The elephant in the room is the Italian’s past visits to the Middle Eastern Nation, failing to break into the top 10. Franco crossed the line in 11th in 2019 and 2022, his best rides at Lusail.
Expert Pick for MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
Francesco Bagnaia is an easy expert pick for the Qatar MotoGP, as the defending Champion and a winner already this season. “Pecco” is favorably priced for a strong contender, carrying odds of +300, with a potential payout of $80 on a $20 wager.
Where to Bet on MotoGP
Can the lap record holder at this track Jorge Martin produce a memorable comeback and start his season on a high? Will Marc Marquez bounce back after crashing out in the United States, or can his younger brother finally enter Victory Lane?
Visit our partner sportsbooksto access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you anticipate the upcoming MotoGP Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. If you’re a newbie in the world of MotoGP betting, our comprehensive MotoGP Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.
Monster Energy Yamaha officially unveiled its 2026 M1 and team livery at a factory presentation in Jakarta on Jan. 21, 2026, streaming the launch live. The new livery keeps Yamaha’s blue-and-black identity but shifts to a predominantly black design with Yamaha blue and added white accents, including more blue around the front fairing. Most notably, the factory revealed a modern-era V4-powered M1, ending Yamaha’s inline-four era that began with MotoGP’s four-stroke regulations in 2002; the V4 project began roughly two years ago, and the motor and chassis took more than a year of development. A V4 prototype ran late in 2025 in wildcard outings for test rider Augusto Fernández, who scored a point at Misano and appeared at Sepang and Valencia.
Yamaha and team officials presented the V4 as a technical reset intended to restore competitiveness, saying the new package should bring a return of “full” engine power and significant changes to handling and performance. They tempered immediate expectations, indicating the V4 represents a longer-term development direction whose full payoff may arrive over the coming seasons rather than instantly in 2026. Under the 2026 regulations, Yamaha sits in the most generous concession rank (D), giving it greater testing and development opportunities during the season. The factory plans to use the advantage with scheduled on-track checks at Sepang involving Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins alongside Pramac riders Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.
The launch was framed around both technical ambition and urgent sporting needs. Yamaha has not won a premier-class race since mid-2022 and slipped toward the bottom of the manufacturers’ standings, prompting the change. Fabio Quartararo, retained for 2026, ended 2025 ninth with 201 points, including five poles, and Yamaha’s first podium in two years at Jerez. The Frenchman has stressed the need for a faster, more consistent package able to deliver regular top-3 and top-5 results after a string of setbacks, including a ride-height failure at Silverstone. Alex Rins, also kept by the factory, arrives after a difficult run through 2024–25. He finished 19th last year with a season-best seventh at Phillip Island, a far cry from his career best, which includes six MotoGP wins. Among them were the final inline-four premier-class victory (Valencia 2022) as well as a V4 win for Honda at COTA in 2023. With Quartararo’s contract situation and other rider options being discussed publicly, Yamaha positions 2026 as a development year for the V4 M1 aimed at rebuilding pace and reliability before a full return to consistent front-running results.
Three weeks ago, Marc Marquez was celebrating his seventh MotoGP World Championship. Fast forward to today, and he’s still in the headlines, but this time for the unfortunate fact that the Spaniard won’t be on the starting grid in Melbourne on Sunday. Marquez’s absence has opened the door to a new favorite in the pre-event …
The Catalunya MotoGP at Barcelona witnessed an eventful race, filled with dramatic twists and turns that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Aleix Espargaro clinched a stellar victory, leading Aprilia’s maiden one-two finish, with Maverick Viñales following closely behind. Jorge Martin secured a commendable third spot, while the reigning champion, Francesco Bagnaia, faced …
Ducati’s recent slump — centered on worsening front-end and braking performance — has become a clear wake-up call that has forced urgent setup and development work, team and industry figures said. Factory general manager Gigi Dall’Igna described the lackluster weekend in Austin as a wake-up call and warned the team must work hard on setup and development to regain winning form.
Engineers and riders pointed to a loss of front-end grip and weaker braking and corner-entry performance versus the Aprilia RS-GP; those problems have cost Ducati tire life and race pace and have materially affected early 2026 results.
Best Bets: 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix Pre-Event Odds Analysis
Jorge Martin is stealing the headlines this week as the defending World Champion returns to competitive racing for the first time this year. The reigning title holder finds himself down the pecking order in the 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix pre-event odds, relegated by the Marquez brothers and Francesco Bagnaia.
After reading our analysis, check out our partner sportsbooks to get valuable promotions and place bets.
In addition to traditional sports betting on MotoGP, the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar has Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Real Money Gaming available in a Pick’Em style on Underdog. Although “fantasy games” might seem misleading, DFS is a significant and growing category within legal sports wagering. MotoGP fans are allowed to legally make better/worse picks with real money gaming in 30 states, including California, Texas & Wisconsin, where traditional sports betting is currently illegal.
Schedule and How to Watch the MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
Riders pull out of the pits at the Lusail International Circuit for the first time on Friday, April 11th. Free Practice 1 broadcasts from 8:45 AM ET on Fox Sports. Racing shifts gears on Saturday as we build up to qualifying and the customary Saturday sprint.
Qualifying is set for 8:40 AM ET and riders will line up on the grid for the sprint at 1 PM. Teams and riders return to the track on Sunday for the night Grand Prix, which airs at 1 PM on the East Coast.
Weather Forecast For MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar
Clear skies and scorching temperatures greet riders all weekend. The high 90s are forecast for Friday during FP1 and Saturday during qualifying, with no rain on the horizon. Riders will enjoy slightly cooler weather as they navigate the sprint and GP on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Mid 80-degree temperatures can be expected after sundown.
Best Bets and Picks for the 2025 Qatar MotoGP
Top Picks and Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Marc Marquez
-250
$28.00
Francesco Bagnaia
+300
$80.00
Alex Marquez
+700
$160.00
Marc Marquez (-250):
Marc Marquez starts in the Middle East off the back of crashing out in the Grand Prix of the Americas. The Spaniard was leading comfortably until turn four of the ninth lap when he found himself sliding along the asphalt. “The Ant of Cervera” takes off in Qatar with two wins under the bike in three attempts this season.
Francesco Bagnaia (+300):
Ducati star Francesco Bagnaia entered Victory Lane in Austin, for the first time this season. The win leaves him 12 points adrift of the series leader and handed him his second podium of the term. “Pecco” touches down in the Persian Gulf desperate to retain the crown he claimed a year ago. His start in Qatar catapulted him to an 11-win season in 2024.
Alex Marquez (+700):
The younger Marquez might have struggled to overtake his brother on the track, but he leads him in the Championship. Alex Marquez leads his brother by one point at the start of the Qatar GP weekend after finishing second in every race this year.
Outsider Bets
Driver
Event Winner
$20 Payout
Fabio Di Giannantonio
+1100
$240.00
Jorge Martin
+2500
$520.00
Franco Morbidelli
+2800
$580.00
Fabio Di Giannantonio (+1100):
The 2023 Qatar MotoGP Champion Fabio Di Giannantonio is hitting his stride in 2025, improving in every race. “Diggia” greeted the stewards in 10th at the Chang International Circuit, before claiming consecutive top fives in the second and third races. The VR 46 Racing rider climbed onto the podium in Texas and offers excellent value at +1100.
Jorge Martin (+2500):
The 2024 Moto GP World Champion Jorge Martin is back, after missing the first three rounds of this campaign. “The Martinator” reports for duty at the Lusail International Circuit seeking to replicate his success in the previous edition, but he starts on a new bike, after switching to Aprilia at the start of the calendar.
Franco Morbidelli (+2800):
Franco Morbidelli carries long odds into Qatar despite a consistent start to the year. The Italian has crossed the line inside the top five in every race, including the final spot on the podium in Argentina. The elephant in the room is the Italian’s past visits to the Middle Eastern Nation, failing to break into the top 10. Franco crossed the line in 11th in 2019 and 2022, his best rides at Lusail.
Expert Pick for MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
Francesco Bagnaia is an easy expert pick for the Qatar MotoGP, as the defending Champion and a winner already this season. “Pecco” is favorably priced for a strong contender, carrying odds of +300, with a potential payout of $80 on a $20 wager.
Where to Bet on MotoGP
Can the lap record holder at this track Jorge Martin produce a memorable comeback and start his season on a high? Will Marc Marquez bounce back after crashing out in the United States, or can his younger brother finally enter Victory Lane?
Visit our partner sportsbooks to access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you anticipate the upcoming MotoGP Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar. If you’re a newbie in the world of MotoGP betting, our comprehensive MotoGP Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.
Related Posts
Yamaha Unveils V4 M1 in Jakarta, Starts Technical Reset
Monster Energy Yamaha officially unveiled its 2026 M1 and team livery at a factory presentation in Jakarta on Jan. 21, 2026, streaming the launch live. The new livery keeps Yamaha’s blue-and-black identity but shifts to a predominantly black design with Yamaha blue and added white accents, including more blue around the front fairing. Most notably, the factory revealed a modern-era V4-powered M1, ending Yamaha’s inline-four era that began with MotoGP’s four-stroke regulations in 2002; the V4 project began roughly two years ago, and the motor and chassis took more than a year of development. A V4 prototype ran late in 2025 in wildcard outings for test rider Augusto Fernández, who scored a point at Misano and appeared at Sepang and Valencia.
Yamaha and team officials presented the V4 as a technical reset intended to restore competitiveness, saying the new package should bring a return of “full” engine power and significant changes to handling and performance. They tempered immediate expectations, indicating the V4 represents a longer-term development direction whose full payoff may arrive over the coming seasons rather than instantly in 2026. Under the 2026 regulations, Yamaha sits in the most generous concession rank (D), giving it greater testing and development opportunities during the season. The factory plans to use the advantage with scheduled on-track checks at Sepang involving Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins alongside Pramac riders Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.
The launch was framed around both technical ambition and urgent sporting needs. Yamaha has not won a premier-class race since mid-2022 and slipped toward the bottom of the manufacturers’ standings, prompting the change. Fabio Quartararo, retained for 2026, ended 2025 ninth with 201 points, including five poles, and Yamaha’s first podium in two years at Jerez. The Frenchman has stressed the need for a faster, more consistent package able to deliver regular top-3 and top-5 results after a string of setbacks, including a ride-height failure at Silverstone. Alex Rins, also kept by the factory, arrives after a difficult run through 2024–25. He finished 19th last year with a season-best seventh at Phillip Island, a far cry from his career best, which includes six MotoGP wins. Among them were the final inline-four premier-class victory (Valencia 2022) as well as a V4 win for Honda at COTA in 2023. With Quartararo’s contract situation and other rider options being discussed publicly, Yamaha positions 2026 as a development year for the V4 M1 aimed at rebuilding pace and reliability before a full return to consistent front-running results.
Best Bets: 2025 MotoGP Australia Pre-Event Odds Analysis
Three weeks ago, Marc Marquez was celebrating his seventh MotoGP World Championship. Fast forward to today, and he’s still in the headlines, but this time for the unfortunate fact that the Spaniard won’t be on the starting grid in Melbourne on Sunday. Marquez’s absence has opened the door to a new favorite in the pre-event …
Best Bets: 2023 MotoGP Grand Prix of India Pre-Event Odds
The Catalunya MotoGP at Barcelona witnessed an eventful race, filled with dramatic twists and turns that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Aleix Espargaro clinched a stellar victory, leading Aprilia’s maiden one-two finish, with Maverick Viñales following closely behind. Jorge Martin secured a commendable third spot, while the reigning champion, Francesco Bagnaia, faced …
Austin slump forces Ducati into urgent setup push
Ducati’s recent slump — centered on worsening front-end and braking performance — has become a clear wake-up call that has forced urgent setup and development work, team and industry figures said. Factory general manager Gigi Dall’Igna described the lackluster weekend in Austin as a wake-up call and warned the team must work hard on setup and development to regain winning form.
Engineers and riders pointed to a loss of front-end grip and weaker braking and corner-entry performance versus the Aprilia RS-GP; those problems have cost Ducati tire life and race pace and have materially affected early 2026 results.