MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix schedule France, Digi Mart USA News (Lusail, Qatar): The twentieth round of the 2026 season, the Qatar Grand Prix, takes place at the Lusail circuit north of Doha from Friday to Sunday. The two MotoGP races, the Saturday sprint and the Sunday Grand Prix, both start at 5 PM in France.
The event was originally scheduled for April 10 to 12. The Qatari federation and the circuit announced on March 15 that it had been postponed to November 6 to 8, with MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta citing the safety of the entire paddock.
According to the schedule published Wednesday by MotoGP.com, after subtracting the two-hour time difference, the MotoGP Q1 session runs from 12:40 PM to 12:55 PM French time, followed by Q2 from 1:05 PM to 1:20 PM. The top ten riders from Friday’s Practice session advance directly to Q2.
Both races are held at night under the Lusail floodlights.
On Friday, Moto3 first practice begins at 11 AM, followed by Moto2 at 11:50 AM. Moto3 Practice takes place at 3:15 PM and Moto2 Practice at 4:05 PM.
On Saturday, second practice starts at 10:30 AM for Moto3 and 11:15 AM for Moto2, with qualifying at 2:50 PM for Moto3 and 3:45 PM for Moto2.
On Sunday, the 16-lap Moto3 race starts at 2 PM and the 18-lap Moto2 race at 3:15 PM. According to the program published Monday by HorizonF1, practice, qualifying and the sprint are broadcast on Canal+ Sport 360, while the Sunday Grand Prix is scheduled on Canal+, with times still subject to adjustment.
The championship stakes are significant. Marc Márquez (Ducati) leads the standings with 44 points over Jorge Martín (Aprilia), with Márquez on 399 points to Martín’s 355.
Three rounds remain, with 111 points still at stake, and Márquez could clinch the title at Lusail if his results widen the gap sufficiently.
The weekend opens Thursday, November 5, with the riders’ press conference scheduled for 6 PM in France.
