The MotoGP championship arrives with a reduced grid for the Qatar Grand Prix, due to Yamaha’s withdrawal from the event. The decision by the Japanese brand is due to the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East, causing several prominent riders not to participate.
With Yamaha’s withdrawal, four riders will not compete: Fabio Quartararo, Alex Rins, Jack Miller, and the substitute for Toprak Razgatlioglu, Augusto Fernandez. Thus, the grid remains with only 18 riders, the smallest of the 2026 season so far.
Among these 18 riders, only 16 are full-time riders, as Alex Marquez and Joan Mir will not be able to participate due to illness. Therefore, the Gresini team has turned to Iker Lecuona to replace Marquez, while superbike rider Jake Dixon has replaced Mir.
In contrast, Jorge Martin, who injured his wrist during the race in Australia, has also traveled to Qatar, hoping to compete if he passes fitness tests after the first practice session.
Marc Marquez, who has expressed his opposition to continuing the race in Qatar, has the opportunity to become champion if he achieves a 30-point lead over Martin and 8 over Marco Bezzecchi in the two scheduled races.
Ducati, which has recently dominated in Qatar with six victories in the last seven races, hopes to maintain its good momentum, while the Aprilia team, despite not having the same trajectory, trusts that the current setup of its RS-GP will better adapt to the Lusail circuit.
Participants and absentees at the MotoGP Qatar GP
| Rider | Team | Bike |
|---|---|---|
| Johann Zarco | Castrol Honda LCR | Honda |
| Luca Marini | Honda HRC Castrol | Honda |
| Diogo Moreira | Pro Honda LCR | Honda |
| Maverick Vinales | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | KTM |
| Franco Morbidelli | Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team | Ducati |
| Enea Bastianini | Red Bull KTM Tech3 | KTM |
| Raul Fernandez | SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team | Aprilia |
| Iker Lecuona | BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP | Ducati |
| Brad Binder | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM |
| Pedro Acosta | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM |
| Fabio di Giannantonio | Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team | Ducati |
| Fermin Aldeguer | BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP | Ducati |
| Francesco Bagnaia | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati |
| Marco Bezzecchi | Aprilia Racing | Aprilia |
| Ai Ogura | SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team | Aprilia |
| Jorge Martin | Aprilia Racing | Aprilia |
| Marc Marquez | Ducati Lenovo Team | Ducati |
| Jake Dixon | Honda HRC Castrol | Honda |
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_ef9c7ef2a3f801a1b5bb69c36f9cace5be94da53