20:23
Vinales penalised - official story here
READ HERE - Official: Maverick Vinales stripped of second place in Qatar MotoGP
Maverick Vinales, 2025 Qatar MotoGP
Alex Rins, Yamaha Factory Racing, 2025 Qatar MotoGP
© Gold and Goose
2025 Qatar MotoGP as it happened
Recao the 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix
Marc Marquez will start on pole for Sunday's 22-lap 2025 MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix.
The factory Ducati rider came into the fourth round of the 2025 MotoGP season trailing Alex Marquez by a single point in the standings, after crashing out of the lead of the Americas GP two weeks ago.
Marc Marquez also expected to struggle relative to his nearest rivals Alex Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia, but snatched pole with a new lap record on Saturday in Qatar and went on to win the sprint.
He now leads the championship again by two points and will be looking to extend that advantage on Sunday evening. Marc Marquez hasn't won a Qatar GP since 2014, and hasn't been on the podium on a Sunday at Lusail since 2019.
Alex Marquez will go from second on the grid and is looking to at least maintain his 100% runner-up spot record following his run to second in the sprint on Saturday.
Joining them on the front row is Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo, who was a fine fifth in the sprint.
Pecco Bagnaia has been left in 11th on the grid following a crash in qualifying, with the factory Ducati rider unable to get any higher than eighth in a sprint where he struggle with the feeling of his bike on the smaller fuel load.
He is now 21 points back in the championship.
Reigning world champion Jorge Martin made his first race start of the year in the sprint after qualifying a solid 14th on his return from injury. He eventually faded to 16th in Saturday's race and is hoping to simply make it to the chequered flag in the grand prix.
The 2025 Qatar GP begins at 6pm BST.
13 Apr 2025
20:23
Official - Vinales given penalty
Maverick Vinales has been given a 16-second time penalty for a tyre pressure infringement at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix.
He should drop to 15th, pushing everyone above there up one spot. Bagnaia is second.
Morbidelli is now credited with a podium in third.
20:16
The wait goes on
Still nothing official on Maverick Vinales.
19:39
Maverick speaks on investigation
"I don't care. I will have the trophy at the moment, which is the most important thing. And hopefully I'll have the [podium] bonus as well! I will ask. Would be a good bonus, I can bring him [Herve Poncharal] for a dinner!"
19:28
Update - Jorge Martin to hospital
Aprilia has confirmed that Jorge Martin hasn't been seriously injured in a crash at the Qatar GP but is being taken to hospital for checks.
19:22
"I didn't know," Vinales admits.
"Pray for us," Tech3 boss Herve Poncharal says.
Still no decision...
18:47
Breaking - Vinales facing tyre pressure investigation
Maverick Vinales is being investigated for a tyre pressure infringement. He could lose this podium!
18:46
Race Results
18:45
Chequered flag - Marc Marquez wins
It's a third perfect weekend out of four for Marc Marquez as he wins the Qatar Grand Prix.
Maverick Vinales gets a sensational first podium as a KTM rider in second, while Pecco Bagnaia comes from 11th to get third.
Morbidelli is fourth ahead of Zarco, Aldeguer, Alex Marquez, Quartararo, Acosta, Bezzecchi, Marini, Bastianini, Rins, Binder and Ogura.
18:43
Lap 22/22
Marquez begins the final lap. Vinales is safe in second, Bagnaia safe in third.
18:42
Further down, Bezzecchi is 10th for Aprilia ahead of Marini, Binder, Bastianini, Rins, Ogura for the final points.
18:41
Lap 21/22
Onto the penultimate lap. Marquez's lead is up to 1.2s over Vinales, who is 1.8s ahead of Bagnaia.
18:40
Bagnaia is 1.5s behind Vinales now. Looks like that first KTM podium of the season is safe.
18:39
Lap 20/22
Marquez has just put in another fastest lap. Game over.
Morbidelli gets fourth back from Zarco into Turn 1.
18:39
Bagnaia is now a second behind Vinales. So, unless he is just cooling off his front tyre, that fight looks over. And that will sting - even with Alex Marquez out the way, Bagnaia is getting as high as third while his team-mate wins.
18:37
Lap 19/22
Four to go. Marc Marquez sets the fastest lap of the race, so he was in fact playing the long game. He's pulling away from Vinales, who in turn is now 0.9s down on Bagnaia.
18:37
Martin has been taken to the medical centre.
18:36
After his penalty, Alex Marquez's progress has stalled at seventh.
18:35
Lap 18/22
Five laps to go. Marquez leads Vinales, with Bagnaia creeping closer. Zarco is holding fourth from Morbidelli currently.
18:35
Looks like Vinales has cooked his rear tyre - lots of smoke from it going through Turn 11.
18:33
Lap 17/22
Six laps to go, Marquez leads Vinales. Bagnaia is now 0.6s down on third, so second may be a struggle for the KTM now.
18:33
Yellow flags have been withdrawn where Martin crashed.
18:32
Vinales is wide at Turn 6 and Marquez leads!
18:32
Lap 16/22
Seven laps to go, Vinales still leads Marquez. Bagnaia third.
18:31
Martin is still trackside with marshals. This could be a red flag situation.
