Marc Marquez fastest in Lusail opening practice
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 6, 2026
Marquez leads
Marquez opened Round 20 of the 2026 MotoGP season by setting the pace in opening practice at the Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail. He arrived in Qatar leading Jorge Martin by 44 points in the championship, with Marco Bezzecchi 67 points back and Pedro Acosta 104 behind. The margin gave Marquez a clear shot at the title. He could clinch his eighth MotoGP crown in Qatar if he outscored Martin by 30 points. He backed up that position on track with the fastest lap, a 1 minute, 52.278-second run. That put him 0.110 seconds ahead of Bezzecchi and left him on top of the timing sheet when the session ended. Fabio Di Giannantonio took third and Acosta finished fourth, with Martin fifth after his return to action. The order at the front put Marquez in control from the start and kept the championship focus on the gap between him and Martin.
Jorge Martin returns
Martin’s presence in Qatar added another layer to the opening session. He was declared fit for first practice after missing the previous round because of a right radius fracture suffered in a Phillip Island Sprint crash. That clearance got him back on the bike, but his participation beyond first practice still depended on another medical assessment. He made the most of his 16 laps, finishing fifth. Martin slotted in behind Marquez, Bezzecchi, Di Giannantonio and Acosta, a solid return after sitting out the previous round.
Yamaha skips Qatar
The rest of the field faced a disrupted session before the speed battle fully took hold. Only 18 riders took part in opening practice because Yamaha skipped the Qatar Grand Prix and left four bikes off the grid. That reduced the field before a lap had been completed and changed the shape of the session from the outset. Jake Dixon crashed on his first flying lap, a costly early mistake that ended his run almost as soon as it began. Brad Binder also crashed early in the session, then returned to action later. Fermin Aldeguer and Raul Fernandez were cleared to compete for the full weekend, keeping them in the field for the remainder of the event. Alex Marquez was absent after collarbone surgery. With those pieces in place, the session became more than a simple pace check. It also showed which riders were cleared to race, which ones were still under medical review and which ones were already dealing with the consequences of earlier injuries. Marquez led the way, Martin came back into the mix and the weekend started with a field shaped by absences, crashes and recovery.
