MotoGP: Marc Marquez title hopes on hold after second place in Qatar

Marc Marquez will have to wait to seal a record-equalling eighth MotoGP title after finishing second behind Marco Bezzecchi in the Qatar Grand Prix, according to BBC. The 33-year-old Spaniard won Saturday's sprint race and would have clinched a second successive title, drawing level with Valentino Rossi's record tally, had main rival Jorge Martin finished outside the points in Sunday's grand prix. However, Martin returned from injury after withdrawing from the previous race with a fractured wrist to finish seventh. Ducati rider Marquez holds a 60-point lead over Aprilia's Martin and will have another chance to clinch the title in the season's penultimate race weekend in Portimao, Portugal, in two weeks' time, as reported by BBC. Pole-sitter Bezzecchi claimed his sixth grand prix win of the season, while Spain's Trackhouse Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez finished third. According to The Race, Bezzecchi took victory in the Qatar Grand Prix with a time gap of 3.083s to Marquez, while Fernandez took third at +3.614s. Bezzecchi can mathematically catch Marquez in the title race as he sits 74 points behind him, the exact number of points that remain available, noted BBC. Conversely, The Race reported that Marquez's second place means any point he scores or Bezzecchi drops from this point on across the final two rounds at Portimao and Valencia will eliminate Bezzecchi from title contention. During Sunday's race, Marquez paced himself gingerly through the opening phase, ceding third place to Pedro Acosta on the third lap before Acosta rolled out to let Marquez back through while dealing with front tyre pressures. Marquez then shook off his KTM pursuer and overtook Fernandez for second. Meanwhile, the injured Martin laboured to seventh place, finishing 14.023s behind the winner and protecting his position from Fabio Di Giannantonio. Johann Zarco finished ninth as the lead Honda rider, followed by Gresini stand-in Iker Lecuona in 10th. Other finishers included Franco Morbidelli in 11th, Fermin Aldeguer in 12th, Maverick Vinales in 13th, and Jake Dixon taking 14th to pick up his first two MotoGP points. Retirements included Brad Binder due to a reported gearbox issue and Diogo Moreira struggling with a reported arm issue, while Luca Marini and Pecco Bagnaia did not start.