The battle for the Moto2 title enters the next round
For the conclusion of the long overseas trip, the entire LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP Team heads to the Middle East this weekend for the Qatar Grand Prix. There’s a lot at stake for both teams, as the battle for the Moto2 world championship, led by Manuel Gonzalez, is getting more and more exciting, and David Almansa’s second-place finish in the Moto3 class isn’t yet secured either.
The last stage of this year’s Motorcycle World Championship long-haul journey is an enormous challenge for everyone involved. The Grand Prix in the desert of Qatar, not far from the capital Doha, marks the end of the long Asia/Australia tour. In just over two weeks, teams and riders will traverse three climate zones that could hardly be more different. From the cold and wet conditions of Australia and the hot and humid conditions in Malaysia, the action moves directly to Qatar, where, although the schedule at the Lusail International Circuit is mainly set for the afternoon hours, dry and hot conditions are still to be expect. Qatar is the only race weekend on the calendar where the decisive sessions for all classes are scheduled for late afternoon local time. While the Moto3 class battles out the best starting positions in Saturday’s qualifying and its race on Sunday under day light, the Moto2 sessions take place at sunset, with the circuit’s massive floodlight system creating a fascinating atmosphere.
Moto2 World Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez heads into the upcoming race weekend with a narrow lead of 3.5 points. The 24-year-old Spaniard has fond memories of Qatar, having finished third on the podium there in 2025. On the other side of the LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP team’s garage, teammate Senna Agius is looking to strike back in Qatar: The 21-year-old Australian has set his sights on closing the gap to third place in the overall standings and getting back in the race for bronze medal.
The Moto3 team, featuring David Almansa and David Muñoz, once again delivered strong performances last weekend. With this in mind, hopes are high for equally brilliant performances in Qatar, especially since David Almansa’s primary goal is to solidify his second-place position in the championship. The 20-year-old Spaniard has been in excellent physical condition and top form since the start of the second half of the season and is considered in many respects to be the only serious challenger to the newly crowned champion, Maximo Quiles. David Muñoz, on the other hand, is making encouraging progress in his recovery from the severe pelvic injury he sustained at the Hungarian Grand Prix in June. In last Sunday’s race at Sepang, which took place under scorching conditions, the 20-year-old from Seville surprised everyone with a hard-fought eighth-place finish. Building on that, the ambitious Spaniard aims to take the next step in Qatar.
The weekend's time schedule (CET):
Friday 6 November
11:00 - 11:35 Moto3™ Free Practice 1
11:50 - 12:30 Moto2™ Free Practice 1
12:45 - 13:30 MotoGP™ Free Practice 1
15:15 - 15:50 Moto3™ Practice
16:05 - 16:45 Moto2™ Practice
17:00 - 18:00 MotoGP™ Practice
Saturday 7 November
10:30 - 11:00 Moto3™ Free Practice 2
11:15 - 11:45 Moto2™ Free Practice 2
12:00 - 12:30 MotoGP™ Free Practice 2
12:40 - 12:55 MotoGP™ Qualifying 1
13:05 - 13:20 MotoGP™ Qualifying 2
14:50 - 15:05 Moto3™ Qualifying 1
15:15 - 15:30 Moto3™ Qualifying 2
15:45 - 16:00 Moto2™ Qualifying 1
16:10 - 16:25 Moto2™ Qualifying 2
17:00 MotoGP™ Sprint (11 Laps – 59.180 km)
Sunday 8 November
12:40 - 12:50 MotoGP™ Warm-Up
14:00 Moto3™ Race (16 Laps – 86.080 km)
15:15 Moto2™ Race (18 Laps – 96.840 km)
17:00 MotoGP™ Race (22 Laps – 118.360 km)