MARQUEZ KEEPS HIS APPROACH AS QATAR TITLE CHANCE LOOMS

Marc Marquez arrives in Qatar with a chance to secure his eighth MotoGP world title after winning in Malaysia, his seventh victory of the season. He holds a 44-point championship advantage, but says the prospect of clinching the crown will not alter how he approaches the weekend.

Marquez has generally managed his effort across the season, only choosing to push at full intensity from the opening practice session in Malaysia. His priority in Qatar is again to build the weekend step by step and make the most of Sunday’s main race, where the right results could settle the championship.

“Qatar is a great track, but not one of my favorites, and in the past, in some years, I've really struggled a lot here,” Marquez said. He noted that last year was different, when he and his team were “really fast and competitive.” Reflecting on Malaysia, he said they handled the weekend well, particularly Saturday, when it was easy to make mistakes. “The strategy won't change here: we work day-by-day and aim to give our absolute best in Sunday's race.”

Francesco Bagnaia also heads to the Lusail circuit looking to improve his results. The Qatar event is one of his final three races with Ducati before he moves to Aprilia for 2027. He won there in 2024, and the track’s high grip could suit the Desmosedici GP, but his recent form has been difficult: he has not finished in the top six since Germany.

Bagnaia described Qatar as “another really nice track, but very tough in this final stretch of the season.” He added that the circuit has “always brought out the best in the Desmosedici GP” and that he has “always been very competitive” there. The team, he said, will keep working to close the gap to the leading group.