DIXON RECALLS CRUTCHLOW’S PRAISE AFTER A TOUGH MOTOGP START IN QATAR

Jake Dixon believes his Qatar Grand Prix stand-in ride for Honda showed he could become a front-runner in MotoGP if given more time on the bike. The British WorldSBK rider was drafted in to replace the unwell Joan Mir, making his first premier-class appearance since 2021. He was the only factory Honda rider on the grid after Luca Marini withdrew with fatigue.

The weekend began with a steep learning curve. Dixon crashed on his sighting lap, and journalist Manuel Pecino said he was “completely lost” in the opening session. A review of his telemetry showed he was barely using the front brake and choosing the wrong gear for a corner. With help from Santi Hernandez, Marc Marquez’s former crew chief, and the Honda team, Dixon made adjustments and improved as the event went on.

He qualified 17th, just 0.745 seconds short of Q2, ahead of full-time rider Maverick Vinales. Dixon finished 16th in the Sprint, 19 seconds behind winner Marc Marquez, then took 14th in Sunday’s race, 28.7 seconds behind the winner. He scored his first two MotoGP points and finished ahead of Vinales and Franco Morbidelli, though he later dropped back to last on the road. Dixon said he could not have imagined doing better across the weekend.

Dixon also shared the encouragement he received from Honda test rider Cal Crutchlow, a three-time MotoGP race winner who had competed in six races for LCR Honda this season after replacing the injured Johann Zarco. “As much as Cal teases me, and as much as he teases everyone else, he says a lot of truth when he talks,” Dixon said. Crutchlow told him that other MotoGP riders would not necessarily be able to match his performance if they switched to Dixon’s WorldSBK machine. Dixon said Crutchlow wanted him to consider that comparison, and understood the challenge because he had ridden the Honda himself. Crutchlow was proud of Dixon’s performance and supported him throughout the weekend.

The Qatar experience left Dixon convinced he could make further progress in the premier class. “Most importantly, I’ve proven to myself that I could be up front if I could get some time here,” he said. “I can feel it. I know it’s easy to say, but I truly believe it.”

Dixon recalled thinking on the grand prix formation lap that it might be his last chance to ride in MotoGP, and said he wanted to savour the moment. He described the weekend as fantastic, though it passed too quickly, and said he had gone from the bottom to the top over the course of the event. Whether Honda gives him another opportunity in 2026 remains uncertain.