Relive the Qatar MotoGP Sprint in live text

Usually held at the start of the season, the Qatar Grand Prix is ​​taking place this year in April. As a direct consequence, pre-season testing was also not held at Losail, meaning the teams and drivers are left with almost a blank slate. MotoGP began this weekend. The first major answers will be revealed this evening with the Sprint, starting at 19 p.m. French time. Ducati's supremacy is unlikely to be overturned, but who will achieve the first success of the weekend on the Losail circuit?

Follow the ranking in real time on the website MotoTiming.

MotoGP – Grand Prix of Qatar
Relive the sprint race with live commentary

Qatar – Sprint: Marc Marquez still undefeated

19h28 - Thank you for following us for this Sprint, we'll see you tomorrow at 19 p.m. for the Qatar Grand Prix, still live on AUTOhebdo.fr!

19h27 - Unsurprisingly, the reigning world champion immediately put ice on his left wrist to reduce any swelling.

11 / 11 - On his return, Jorge Martín crossed the line in sixteenth position.

11 / 11 - As in every race this season, Àlex Márquez finished second, and Franco Morbidelli took third place. Unfortunately, Fermín Aldeguer overtook fabio quartararo in the last bend!

11 / 11 - 🏁 Marc Márquez wins his fifth Sprint in as many races this season!

11 / 11 - Last lap for the Márquez brothers, as Fabio Quartararo returns to Franco Morbidelli's wheels!

10 / 11 - The same goes for Maverick Viñales, who has just lost seventh place to Ai Ogura, then eighth to Pecco Bagnaia.

10 / 11 - Given the significant tire wear on the softer tires, tomorrow's Grand Prix, which will cover twice the distance, could prove to be exciting depending on the choices made. Acosta was overtaken by Bezzecchi and collapsed at the end of the race.

9 / 11 - Francesco Bagnaia gets back into the points, he moves up to ninth ahead of Pedro Acosta.

9 / 11 - The Márquez brothers have taken off, two seconds ahead of Franco Morbidelli. Behind, Fabio Quartararo is only six tenths of a second behind; the Nice rider might just be able to reach the podium!

8 / 11 - Bagnaia now takes tenth place ahead of Zarco, still no points for the number 63 for the moment, even if he now has Pedro Acosta in front of him, also struggling with the soft tire on the back of his KTM.

7 / 11 - Up front, Johann Zarco is now tenth, the Honda rider constantly losing places. Maverick Viñales, who also started with a soft tire at the rear, has just been snatched fifth place by Fermín Aldeguer.

7 / 11 - Without much surprise, Jorge Martín falls back in the rankings, he is now seventeenth, the objective is above all to push his body as far as possible without taking risks.

5 / 11 - And now it's Fabio Di Giannantonio who overtakes Johann Zarco. The Frenchman has started on soft tires, so they may be starting to have some difficulties. Up front, Quartararo is still fourth, and he's widening the gap on Maverick Viñales.

5 / 11 - Johann Zarco lost a place after a slight mistake and was overtaken by Fermín Aldeguer, who is now sixth.

4 / 11 - Bagnaia overtakes Martin, the Spanish rider will certainly start to feel the pain increase in his left arm, he who only completed a short series of laps in free practice.

4 / 11 - Status quo at the front of the race, the leading trio is slightly escaping, half a second ahead of Fabio Quartararo, still fourth.

3 / 11 - Ogura overtakes Bagnaia… and then Martín does it too! The two riders who fought for the 2024 title are now at war for eleventh place.

3 / 11 - The Italian set the fastest lap of the race, while this time the #73 driver failed to overtake his brother for the lead. Behind him, Di Giannantonio took back eighth place from Pecco Bagnaia, now under pressure from Ai Ogura and Jorge Martín!

2 / 11 - Franco Morbidelli overtakes Fabio Quartararo to take third place, as expected the Frenchman is struggling a bit with race pace.

2 / 11 - And it's a battle between the Márquez brothers at the end of the long straight! Alex takes the lead in the first corner but the elder brother goes straight back in front!

1 / 11 - Pecco Bagnaia has gained three positions since the start and has just overtaken Fabio Di Giannantonio for eighth place.

1 / 11 - Having started well and moved up to fourth, Fermín Aldeguer admitted defeat against Morbidelli, Viñales and Zarco in the first lap.

1 / 11 - 🟢 It's off to a great start, with Marc Márquez taking the lead into the first corner ahead of his brother and Fabio Quartararo, with no changes in the top three.

19h00 - The track temperature was 33°C, while the temperature rose to 55°C during the qualifying session this afternoon. The drivers will therefore certainly have more grip, which should not spoil the show in any way.

19h00 - Let's go for the warm-up lap!

18h57 - The safety car takes off for its traditional lap before the start.

18h55 - Five minutes until the start of this Sprint in Qatar! It's worth noting that Joan Mir, who is ill, will ultimately not be taking part in this race; the Spaniard prefers to try to recover for tomorrow's Grand Prix.

18h49 - After a crash in qualifying, Francesco Bagnaia, winner of the last GP in Austin, will have a lot to do from eleventh place on the grid, ten positions behind his teammate Marc Márquez, once again on pole.

18h47 - The bikes arrive on the grid after their grid-in lap, and among them, for the first time this season, is Jorge Martín. The reigning World Champion will be competing in his first race this year, following an injury sustained during pre-season testing in Malaysia. He will start fourteenth.

18h40 - Like every year, the Qatar Grand Prix takes place at night, but it's still 29°C in Losail! The body will be put to the test during the eleven laps scheduled for today.

18h35 - Once again, the Márquez brothers qualified on the front row, but this time they were joined by Fabio Quartararo, an excellent third with his Yamaha! The full grid:

18h30 - Good evening everyone, welcome to AUTOhebdo to follow the Qatar MotoGP Grand Prix Sprint!