Johann Zarco crosses the line ninth in Qatar
Lusail International CircuitJohann Zarco earned himself a top-ten finish in Lusail, while Jake Dixon scored points on his Honda MotoGP debut
Castrol Honda LCR's Johann Zarco made a strong start to the Qatar GP and immediately placed himself in the fight for the top five. Throughout the race he battled hard against his rivals, defending his position with determination. Managing tyre wear carefully and avoiding mistakes, the Frenchman crossed the line in ninth place.
Promoted to 15th on the grid due to the withdrawal of his teammate and Bagnaia, all eyes were on Jake Dixon as the sole representative of the Honda HRC Castrol team. Starting well and with Saturday’s learnings at the front of his mind, Dixon made an aggressive start to pass both Lecuona and Morbidelli into the first corner. Latching on to the back of his fellow WorldSBK regular, Dixon and Iker Lecuona tried to break away from Viñales and Morbidelli. Lap four would see Dixon lose contact with the group after running on at Turn 1, the British rider keeping his head down and worked to close back in. Matching the pace of those ahead of him, a fading duo of Diogo Moreira and Brad Binder would promote Dixon into the points, the #96 going on to cross the line in 14th and earn his first points in the premier class. Rider and team were left satisfied with the result achieved in Qatar.
Diogo Moreira also enjoyed a good start to the race, as he looked to fight for points and a top ten finish. Unfortunately, from lap six onwards the Pro Honda LCR rider began to struggle and lost places as the race progressed. Eventually he was forced to enter the pits and retire from the race due to pain in his right elbow, caused by a previous injury. The Brazilian will take a few days to rest and recover before returning to action in Portimao.
Just two Grands Prix remain in the 2026 MotoGP World Championship, a single week off before a Portugal – Valencia double sees out the season. After three physically and mentally demanding races in a row, it will be a welcome chance for the riders to catch their breath and refocus ahead of the final push of the year.
I had good pace and more control than in the Sprint, but there were too many things to manage throughout the race. I made a good start, but I would have liked to have had some cleaner laps early on, as I lost time battling with other riders. I gave everything I had. It was difficult, but I stayed in the fight and managed to score some valuable points.
I had good pace and more control than in the Sprint, but there were too many things to manage throughout the race. I made a good start, but I would have liked to have had some cleaner laps early on, as I lost time battling with other riders. I gave everything I had. It was difficult, but I stayed in the fight and managed to score some valuable points.
First I have to say thank you to everyone in HRC and the Honda HRC Castrol team for all they have done this weekend. Everyone here has been incredible to help me improve each and every session. It's great to get points on our debut, more than I could have hoped for when I was on the plane over here. I went wide at Turn 1 during the opening laps of the race and I lost contact with the group, honestly I was annoyed about it because when I looked at the times after the race I would have been able to stay with those guys. 74 laps is all we had this weekend, that's what these riders usually do in a single day of testing, so we really need to be happy and enjoy this moment - what a great experience it has been. It's all gone too quickly!
First I have to say thank you to everyone in HRC and the Honda HRC Castrol team for all they have done this weekend. Everyone here has been incredible to help me improve each and every session. It's great to get points on our debut, more than I could have hoped for when I was on the plane over here. I went wide at Turn 1 during the opening laps of the race and I lost contact with the group, honestly I was annoyed about it because when I looked at the times after the race I would have been able to stay with those guys. 74 laps is all we had this weekend, that's what these riders usually do in a single day of testing, so we really need to be happy and enjoy this moment - what a great experience it has been. It's all gone too quickly!
Last year, I suffered an elbow injury, and although I’ve fully recovered, I still occasionally feel some pain in that area. This circuit is particularly physically demanding, with many right-hand corners, which made things difficult for me. I had to retire because I was losing strength in my arm. It’s just a matter of getting some rest, and I’ll be fine for Portimao!
Last year, I suffered an elbow injury, and although I’ve fully recovered, I still occasionally feel some pain in that area. This circuit is particularly physically demanding, with many right-hand corners, which made things difficult for me. I had to retire because I was losing strength in my arm. It’s just a matter of getting some rest, and I’ll be fine for Portimao!
