Overview
- Aprilia swept the top four in FP2 at Lusail with Marco Bezzecchi fastest on a 1:51.571 after a late three-minute charge that put Raul Fernandez, Ai Ogura and Jorge Martin behind him.
- Marc Marquez led for much of the session but was displaced by Aprilia's late attack and ended FP2 fifth, having spent most running on a soft rear before switching compounds.
- Teams showed a split tyre strategy in FP2, with Ducati, KTM and Honda riders starting on soft rear tyres while Aprilia began on mediums and some riders fitted soft rears for final laps.
- The result sharpens the championship picture because Marquez can still clinch the title this weekend, but practice pace does not guarantee qualifying or race performance because tyre choices and session objectives differ.
- Yamaha has withdrawn from the Qatar round and several regular riders are absent or replaced, a factor that changes the weekend field and leaves injured riders such as Jorge Martin to prove race fitness in qualifying.