Jake Dixon impresses as Honda MotoGP stand-in in Qatar

Jake Dixon stepped in as a factory Honda MotoGP rider at the Qatar Grand Prix at late notice, replacing the injured Joan Mir. He did not win and was not particularly close, but he cut his deficit to Honda benchmark Johann Zarco from over two seconds to under one in the single lap, and maintained competitive pace in the race, losing two or three seconds to Zarco over the final half.

Dixon, who won seven of his 124 Moto2 starts, said he was happy with the performance given that his preparation amounted to a day's testing, a total of 74 laps. He added that he believed he could be at the front of the field if given more time.

The weekend also highlighted the rider talent available in World Superbikes, Dixon's current series, where he is a Honda factory rider. A serious hand and wrist injury limited his 2026 season, leaving him 19th in the championship.