Ducati’s Marc Márquez returned to the top step of the podium with victory at the Qatar Grand Prix despite damaging his bike in a collision with his brother Alex on the first lap. Marc, who had taken his fourth successive pole with a lap record as well as a fourth sprint victor on Saturday, won at the Lusail International Circuit for the first time since 2014.
Red Bull KTM’s Maverick Viñales was second, pending an investigation for tyre-pressure infringements, while Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia came third ahead of VR46 Racing’s Franco Morbidelli, who briefly led the race early on. Victory moved Marc Márquez up to 123 points at the top of the rider’s standings, 17 points ahead of Gresini Racing’s Alex, while Bagnaia is third on 97 points.
“I needed to manage the front tyres, so for that reason in the first part of the race I was quiet,” the victorious Ducati rider said. “Morbidelli was going [ahead] but I predicted or I understood yesterday with the rhythms that he will be not fast in the second part of the race.
“Big surprise when Maverick overtook me. I thought it was [Pedro] Acosta because normally he is the fastest on KTM. He was super-fast, but I had that margin for the end. Victory in Qatar is amazing.”
Marc Márquez had another perfect start off the line to take the lead into turn one but contact with his brother led to damage on the back of Marc’s bike and Morbidelli, who had started fourth on the grid, capitalised to surge into the lead.
Alex Márquez did not fare any better and the Spaniard was involved in another collision, this time with VR46 Racing’s Fabio Di Giannantonio which led to both riders losing positions. Alex Márquez immediately put his hand up to apologise and the stewards gave him a long lap penalty that dropped him down to 12th, putting an end to any hopes of a podium having finished second in every sprint and race this season.
Bagnaia and Marc Márquez then swapped positions while battling for second, using each other’s slipstream to overtake, while Maverick Viñales on the Red Bull KTM also moved up to third. But Marc Márquez was clearly struggling without one fin and another flapping loosely in the wind as Viñales out-braked the six-time champion at turn one to take second place.
Viñales then set his sights on Morbidelli and the KTM rider took the lead on the main straight with 12 laps left while Marc Márquez and Bagnaia also found their way past the yellow VR46 bike.
The defending champion, Jorge Martín, was competing in his first race of the season after returning from injuries but the Aprilia rider went down at the kerb on turn 11 and did not finish.
Up front, Marc Márquez finally regained the lead for the first time since lap one when Viñales ran wide and allowed his compatriot to move up a place with seven laps left.
That was all Marc Márquez needed in the business end of the race as he decided there was no more need to conserve his tyres, setting back-to-back fastest laps to open up a gap on Viñales before cruising to the chequered flag.