Marquez chases first MotoGP title at Qatar as Yamaha absent and Iran tensions cloud weekend

Marc Marquez heads to the Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail, the 20th round of the 2026 MotoGP world championship, with a 44-point lead over the injured Jorge Martin. He needs to extend that advantage to 74 points over the weekend to be crowned champion.

The weekend's outlook is uncertain, with the threat of escalating US conflict with Iran adding major uncertainty in the coming days. Five riders are confirmed absent, after Yamaha withdrew both of its teams the previous weekend.

The round runs from 6 to 8 November, with two free practice sessions on Friday, final practice, qualifying and the Sprint on Saturday, and warm-up and the grand prix on Sunday. MotoGP's Video Pass service will broadcast all sessions live.