Bastianini continues run of late season form with fifth in Qatar

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Enea Bastianini, MotoGP Race, Qatar MotoGP, 8 November 2026 // Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool //

Red Bull KTM Tech3 MotoGP rider backs up top five finish in Malaysia with another fifth place under the lights at the Lusail International Circuit.

Red Bull KTM Tech3’s Enea Basatianini continued his impressive run of late season form at the MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar on Sunday, where the Italian scored his third top-five finish in four races after securing fifth under the lights at the Lusail International Circuit. Here is all you need to know:

– With Yamaha withdrawing their teams and riders from the Qatar race due to the current situation in the region, a smaller than normal grid competed in the traditional night race under floodlights in Lusail.

– Bastianini secured eighth in Saturday’s Sprint race, but found more speed for Sunday’s full Grand Prix race, advancing quickly from 10th place on the grid during the opening laps.

– The Italian had passed his way up to fifth already by the end of Lap 2 and joined the early battle for third place between Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pedro Acosta and Riders’ Championship leader Marc Márquez.

Enea Bastianini, Pedro Acosta at MotoGP World Championship Stop 20 at Losail International Circuit, Qatar on 08 November 2026 // Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

– Bastianini was unable match Márquez, but passed Acosta late in the race to secure his third top five finish in the last four races after a fourth in Japan and fifth in Malaysia, as Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi dominated the race from pole position.

– Acosta looked set to fight for the podium for the first half of the race, engaging in a back and forth battle for third with Márquez, but dropped off the pace and back through the field in the latter stages to end the Grand Prix in sixth.

– This damaged the Spanish rider’s hopes of moving up from fourth place and securing a top three finish in the 2026 MotoGP World Championship with just two races remaining in Portugal and Valencia.

– Further down the field, Johann Zarco was the top Honda in ninth place and Maverick Viñales claimed 13th place, while there were DNFs for Brad Binder on the second Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine and LCR Honda’s Diogo Moreira.