Losail, Qualifying 1: Pedro Acosta in commanding form, stand-in rider Dixon springs a surprise

The first MotoGP qualifying session at Losail marked a first: for the first time in the 2026 season, KTM factory rider Pedro Acosta took part in Q1. Fourth-placed Acosta in the World Championship could not manage better than 14th place in this crucial qualifying session. Consequently, the RC16 rider went into the 15-minute session as the favourite.

Returnee Fermin Aldeguer also took to the 5.3 km desert circuit with confidence. The youngest MotoGP rider had narrowly missed out on Q2, finishing eleventh by just 0.038 seconds. Also in Q1 were Honda factory rider Luca Marini and Tech3 rider Viñales, who finished second at the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix. Notably, following Yamaha Racing’s withdrawal, there were just eight riders on the track for Q1 at Losail – the top two qualify for the subsequent second qualifying session.

Gresini rider Fermin Aldeguer got off to a flying start. Pedro Acosta’s neighbour from Murcia took the lead after the first flying lap, but was overtaken first by his team-mate Lecuona, then – unsurprisingly – by KTM rider Pedro Acosta. Whilst Aldeguer’s time was disallowed for running wide, Honda rookie Moreira set the third-fastest time.

Aldeguer used Lap 2 to overtake Lecuona and secure his place in Q2, but Pedro Acosta was out of reach. The KTM rider extended his lead in Q1 to 0.320 seconds. Honda stand-in rider Dixon provided an early surprise. At the halfway point of Q1, the Briton was in fifth place, just 0.598 seconds off the pace, ahead of Morbidelli, Honda’s regular rider Marini and Maverick Viñales.

Rückkehrer Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini-Ducati)

Foto: Gold and Goose

Topic of the week

World Champion Kimi Antonelli: record-breaker, heart-breaker, the Tifosi’s dream

With his third-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest of the 36 Formula 1 world champions to date. The 20-year-old Italian is on a record-breaking run. The Tifosi are dreaming of Antonelli in a Ferrari.

Mathias Brunner

Read More

TV Program

Tomorrow

Lusail: International Livestream

MotoGP World Championship

08.11.2026 - 12:35

With five minutes to go, the riders took to the Losail Circuit for their final attempt – two more flying laps to secure a place in Q2 at the last minute. Fermin Aldeguer pushed hard and managed to beat Acosta’s time – 1:50.876 mins. But Acosta fought back on his final lap and was on course for a fastest lap. By the time he crossed the line, however, the fourth-placed rider in the World Championship had lost 0.2 seconds. His place in the next round was not in jeopardy, though. Third and fourth places went to the Italians Morbidelli (VR46) and Marini (Honda HRC).

A strong performance from Jake Dixon. The Englishman finished in 7th place, just one tenth behind regular rider Moreira, who will start from 16th. Tech3 rider Viñales will start from the very back of the grid for both races at Losail. The Spaniard was 0.848 seconds slower than Aldeguer.

Jake Dixon verlor nur 0,7 s auf die Bestzeit

Foto: Gold and Goose