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.
MotoGP returns to Brazil at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia on March 20–22, with World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) and local rookie Diogo Moreira under the spotlight. The 22-rider field includes Moreira, who scored points on his MotoGP debut in Thailand and arrives for LCR-Honda.
Acosta heads to Goiânia as championship leader for the first time after a controversial Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday podium in Thailand. The Goiânia layout is new to every rider: 3.835 km with 12 turns, a straight of more than one kilometer and the championship’s second-shortest circuit after the Sachsenring.
Dorna, the government of Goiás and Brasil Motorsport have signed an agreement to keep the championship at Goiânia through 2030 and oversaw upgrades to the pits, track surface, control tower, medical center, spectator areas, run-off zones and selective track widening. The venue last hosted world championship races in 1989, having staged Grands Prix from 1987–1989.
Teams say they will need to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar circuit and conditions after the Buriram opener reshuffled the pecking order. Aprilia arrived strongly with Luca Bezzecchi taking pole, setting a lap record and winning on Sunday, and Bezzecchi, Raul Fernández, Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura occupy second through fifth in the standings. Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo) suffered a rear-tire puncture in Buriram and sits 23 points behind Acosta; Ducati more broadly had a mixed start, with Fabio Di Giannantonio leading Ducati’s classification. With momentum carrying over from Thailand, the Brazilian round could be a chaotic follow-up to Buriram and an early test of teams’ adaptability across the grid.
Pedro Acosta said KTM still had too much work to do on performance and reliability after its strong showing in Hungary and before the Brno weekend, where he said he would approach the race carefully. He said he still felt like the only KTM rider consistently carrying the manufacturer, that the rest of KTM’s lineup needed to improve to speed development, and that the bike was still too far from regularly fighting for wins or the championship. He also backed MotoGP’s removal of front-lowering devices and called the proposed move to 850cc engines “a step backward,” saying riders should make the difference instead of machines becoming easier to manage.
KTM is also using Acosta in its development work for the 2027 MotoGP cycle. He is set to test KTM’s new 850cc RC16 on Pirelli tires in Brno on Monday as part of preparation for the 2027 technical rules, even though he is widely expected to move to Ducati next season. Acosta said he had not been told much about the test but would take part if asked, while KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer said Acosta was the team’s fastest rider and best benchmark for feedback on the next-generation machine.
The Brno session will be the first chance for current MotoGP riders to try the 2027-style bikes and Pirelli tires, and KTM and Honda are using active riders for the test. Acosta is expected to be joined by Dani Pedrosa or Pol Espargaró, who already work in KTM’s development program, while Honda is taking a similar route with Joan Mir and Luca Marini on its own 2027 prototype. Acosta’s selection came after he retired from fifth place in the Czech Grand Prix because of a last-lap technical problem, and another Pirelli test is planned at the Red Bull Ring in September.
The Indonesian MotoGP delivered a race teeming with excitement and unexpected twists. Francesco Bagnaia’s sublime victory, clinching the win from 13th on the grid, was a masterclass in skill and determination. With Jorge Martin’s unforeseen fall, the title dynamics have swung back in favor of Bagnaia, amplifying the excitement for the forthcoming races.As the dust …
Marc Márquez crashed three times during the final pre‑season test at Buriram, visiting the medical center after each fall and failing to complete a race simulation. He said a stomach bug left him tired and briefly lacking concentration, and he acknowledged that a prior shoulder injury had not recovered as well as expected — some outlets describe that damage as a coracoid fracture with right‑shoulder ligament injury that required surgery and sidelined him for the final four rounds of 2025, while others refer to a broken collarbone.
Despite the setbacks, Márquez posted the third‑fastest time at Buriram overall; his Sepang outing before Buriram was described as broadly successful, but he was unable to reproduce a full race run in Thailand. Teammates Alex Márquez and Pecco Bagnaia completed stronger race‑simulation laps in testing; Bagnaia posted the fourth‑fastest time at Buriram and abandoned a final‑day simulation after a technical issue.
Reactions were mixed: Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi said the crashes should not influence Márquez’s performance at the Thai GP and that Ducati expects him to be a championship contender from the first race. Stefan Bradl framed the incidents as part of Márquez’s process of relearning his limits and suggested the rider could be “very dangerous” once he rediscovers them. By contrast, Ducati adviser Peter Bom called the first crash “really, really silly,” said Márquez no longer bounces back as he used to and is more vulnerable with a shoulder that has not fully recovered, warning there is a serious chance he might not dominate or win the 2026 title despite remaining among the pre‑race favourites. The converging facts — three crashes with medical checks after each, illness and lingering injury concerns — leave uncertainty over how quickly Márquez can rebuild fitness and confidence ahead of the opening rounds.
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
Acosta Leads as MotoGP Returns to Goiania Grand Prix
MotoGP returns to Brazil at the Autódromo Internacional de Goiânia on March 20–22, with World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM) and local rookie Diogo Moreira under the spotlight. The 22-rider field includes Moreira, who scored points on his MotoGP debut in Thailand and arrives for LCR-Honda.
Acosta heads to Goiânia as championship leader for the first time after a controversial Tissot Sprint win and a Sunday podium in Thailand. The Goiânia layout is new to every rider: 3.835 km with 12 turns, a straight of more than one kilometer and the championship’s second-shortest circuit after the Sachsenring.
Dorna, the government of Goiás and Brasil Motorsport have signed an agreement to keep the championship at Goiânia through 2030 and oversaw upgrades to the pits, track surface, control tower, medical center, spectator areas, run-off zones and selective track widening. The venue last hosted world championship races in 1989, having staged Grands Prix from 1987–1989.
Teams say they will need to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar circuit and conditions after the Buriram opener reshuffled the pecking order. Aprilia arrived strongly with Luca Bezzecchi taking pole, setting a lap record and winning on Sunday, and Bezzecchi, Raul Fernández, Jorge Martín and Ai Ogura occupy second through fifth in the standings. Marc Márquez (Ducati Lenovo) suffered a rear-tire puncture in Buriram and sits 23 points behind Acosta; Ducati more broadly had a mixed start, with Fabio Di Giannantonio leading Ducati’s classification. With momentum carrying over from Thailand, the Brazilian round could be a chaotic follow-up to Buriram and an early test of teams’ adaptability across the grid.
Acosta to Test KTM’s New 850cc RC16 at Brno
Pedro Acosta said KTM still had too much work to do on performance and reliability after its strong showing in Hungary and before the Brno weekend, where he said he would approach the race carefully. He said he still felt like the only KTM rider consistently carrying the manufacturer, that the rest of KTM’s lineup needed to improve to speed development, and that the bike was still too far from regularly fighting for wins or the championship. He also backed MotoGP’s removal of front-lowering devices and called the proposed move to 850cc engines “a step backward,” saying riders should make the difference instead of machines becoming easier to manage.
KTM is also using Acosta in its development work for the 2027 MotoGP cycle. He is set to test KTM’s new 850cc RC16 on Pirelli tires in Brno on Monday as part of preparation for the 2027 technical rules, even though he is widely expected to move to Ducati next season. Acosta said he had not been told much about the test but would take part if asked, while KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer said Acosta was the team’s fastest rider and best benchmark for feedback on the next-generation machine.
The Brno session will be the first chance for current MotoGP riders to try the 2027-style bikes and Pirelli tires, and KTM and Honda are using active riders for the test. Acosta is expected to be joined by Dani Pedrosa or Pol Espargaró, who already work in KTM’s development program, while Honda is taking a similar route with Joan Mir and Luca Marini on its own 2027 prototype. Acosta’s selection came after he retired from fifth place in the Czech Grand Prix because of a last-lap technical problem, and another Pirelli test is planned at the Red Bull Ring in September.
Best Bets: 2023 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix Pre-Event Odds
The Indonesian MotoGP delivered a race teeming with excitement and unexpected twists. Francesco Bagnaia’s sublime victory, clinching the win from 13th on the grid, was a masterclass in skill and determination. With Jorge Martin’s unforeseen fall, the title dynamics have swung back in favor of Bagnaia, amplifying the excitement for the forthcoming races.As the dust …
Crashes, illness and shoulder surgery cloud Márquez’s 2026
Marc Márquez crashed three times during the final pre‑season test at Buriram, visiting the medical center after each fall and failing to complete a race simulation. He said a stomach bug left him tired and briefly lacking concentration, and he acknowledged that a prior shoulder injury had not recovered as well as expected — some outlets describe that damage as a coracoid fracture with right‑shoulder ligament injury that required surgery and sidelined him for the final four rounds of 2025, while others refer to a broken collarbone.
Despite the setbacks, Márquez posted the third‑fastest time at Buriram overall; his Sepang outing before Buriram was described as broadly successful, but he was unable to reproduce a full race run in Thailand. Teammates Alex Márquez and Pecco Bagnaia completed stronger race‑simulation laps in testing; Bagnaia posted the fourth‑fastest time at Buriram and abandoned a final‑day simulation after a technical issue.
Reactions were mixed: Ducati team boss Davide Tardozzi said the crashes should not influence Márquez’s performance at the Thai GP and that Ducati expects him to be a championship contender from the first race. Stefan Bradl framed the incidents as part of Márquez’s process of relearning his limits and suggested the rider could be “very dangerous” once he rediscovers them. By contrast, Ducati adviser Peter Bom called the first crash “really, really silly,” said Márquez no longer bounces back as he used to and is more vulnerable with a shoulder that has not fully recovered, warning there is a serious chance he might not dominate or win the 2026 title despite remaining among the pre‑race favourites. The converging facts — three crashes with medical checks after each, illness and lingering injury concerns — leave uncertainty over how quickly Márquez can rebuild fitness and confidence ahead of the opening rounds.