The title is within touching distance, and the next MotoGP stop could be where it all ends. After his dominant Malaysian Grand Prix win, Marc Marquez arrives in Qatar with a real chance to wrap up the crown.
The Ducati rider beat Pedro Acosta by 4.172 seconds at Sepang, with brother Alex Marquez third. He now has 399 points, 44 ahead of Jorge Martin and 67 ahead of Marco Bezzecchi.
Why Lusail could settle it
Only three rounds remain, starting with Qatar from 6 to 8 November. If the Marc Marquez Qatar weekend goes well and his rivals slip again, the gap can grow too big for anyone to close in the final two races at Portimao and Valencia.
Martin is working to return from a broken wrist, so his weekend is far from certain. The Aprilia rider was closing in earlier in the year, when Marquez swept Motegi and trimmed the gap to two points. That momentum has flipped completely.
Alex Marquez will miss the race because of planned shoulder surgery. His absence adds another layer of drama for Ducati, while Marc declined to say whether the race should go ahead.
A shrinking grid under pressure
Yamaha has said it will not travel to Qatar because of safety concerns linked to the Middle East. MotoGP organisers said they were disappointed, pointed to contractual obligations and left any sporting penalty to the FIM. Ducati, Honda, Aprilia and KTM are still expected to race.
Yamaha says it will return for Portimao. Meanwhile, Fabio Di Giannantonio of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team sits sixth in the standings on 265 points and will aim to climb at Lusail.
The Marc Marquez Qatar weekend could decide the season. His rivals need a big result, and Lusail may be their last real chance to deliver one.
