Martin finds his form when it matters most to win the Qatar sprint

After both making good launches, Martin dove to the inside for title rival Bagnaia as contact was made heading into turn one.

Luca Marini led from pole with Alex Marquez second, however, the slowest starting Ducati was Fabio Di Giannantonio who dropped from second to sixth.

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There was contact again on lap two as Martin put a big move on Bagnaia for third, before the world champion lost fourth to Di Giannantonio. 

At the front, Marquez attempted to take the lead for the first time but Marini fought straight back to keep the lead. 

The fastest riders on circuit, Martin and Di Giannantonio immediately caught the top two while Marc Marquez was shoved from sixth to ninth after contact from Brad Binder. 

After failing to make his second attempt at taking the lead stick on lap five, Marquez lost second to a charging Martin. 

Before lap five was over, Martin took the lead at the first time of asking as he dove to the inside of Marini at the final corner. 

Trying to win his first race in MotoGP, Di Giannantonio tried to follow Martin after coming through on Marini on lap six. 

Clear of Marini, Di Giannantonio’s first lap in clean air was a quick one as he gained two tenths on Martin to reduce the lead to three tenths. 

Despite intense pressure from the Gresini rider, Martin held strong to take victory and close to within seven points of Bagnaia. 

The reigning world champion was only fifth as he held off Maverick Vinales, who was the first non Ducati finisher.