News Summary
- Jake Dixon finished 14th in the Qatar Grand Prix, scoring his first MotoGP championship points on his return after five years.
- The British rider regretted running wide at Turn 1, which cost him contact with the group ahead.
- Dixon completed only 74 laps throughout the weekend while adapting to Honda’s MotoGP motorcycle after competing in World Superbikes.
Jake Dixon secured his first MotoGP championship points with 14th place at the Qatar Grand Prix, completing an encouraging return to the premier class five years after his previous appearance, although the British rider admitted frustration over an early mistake that cost him the opportunity to fight further up the field.
The 30-year-old replaced Joan Mir at Honda HRC Castrol for the Lusail weekend and became the team’s only representative in Sunday’s race after Luca Marini withdrew because of persistent fatigue.
Dixon finished 28.734 seconds behind winner Marco Bezzecchi, collecting 2 championship points on his first MotoGP start since the 2021 Aragón Grand Prix.
Dixon celebrates first points on Honda return
Dixon had received a late call-up from Honda to replace the injured Joan Mir, returning to MotoGP machinery after spending the 2026 season in the manufacturer’s World Superbike programme.
The British rider had previously competed in two MotoGP races for Petronas SRT in 2021, finishing 19th at Silverstone before retiring at Aragón.
His Qatar appearance therefore represented a new opportunity to score in the premier class, despite limited preparation time.
“First I have to say thank you to everyone in HRC and the Honda HRC Castrol team for all they have done this weekend,” Dixon said after the race.
“Everyone here has been incredible to help me improve each and every session.”
Dixon acknowledged that scoring points had exceeded his expectations when he accepted the replacement opportunity.
“It’s great to get points on our debut, more than I could have hoped for when I was on the plane over here.”
Opening-lap mistake costs Dixon chance to fight
Although Dixon completed the race, he believed his result could have been better after running wide at Turn 1 during the opening laps.
The mistake separated him from the riders immediately ahead and forced him to complete much of the race without the opportunity to battle directly for positions.
“I went wide at Turn 1 during the opening laps of the race and I lost contact with the group,” Dixon explained.
“Honestly I was annoyed about it because when I looked at the times after the race I would have been able to stay with those guys.”
Despite that disappointment, Dixon highlighted the limited preparation available before the Grand Prix.
“74 laps is all we had this weekend, that’s what these riders usually do in a single day of testing,” he said.
The Briton believes the progress made during those laps provides a reason to be satisfied with his performance, particularly given the differences between the MotoGP prototype and the production-based machinery he races in World Superbikes.
Honda’s difficult Qatar weekend leaves Dixon alone
Dixon’s return took place during an unusually complicated weekend for Honda.
Mir was absent because of continuing medical problems, while Marini withdrew from Sunday’s race after experiencing persistent fatigue.
The Italian’s withdrawal left Dixon as the manufacturer’s only factory rider in the Grand Prix, with Johann Zarco and Diogo Moreira representing LCR Honda.
The reduced field also contributed to MotoGP’s smallest starting grid in 15 years, with only 16 riders taking the start at Lusail.
Dixon was one of 14 finishers, completing the race ahead of the two riders who retired.
His performance provided Honda with a classified finish on a weekend when the manufacturer had been forced to make several changes to its expected line-up.
Dixon reflects on unexpected MotoGP opportunity
The British rider ended the weekend satisfied with the experience despite believing he had missed an opportunity to finish closer to the midfield.
He emphasised that the limited time available on the RC213V made the result particularly encouraging.
“We really need to be happy and enjoy this moment – what a great experience it has been,” Dixon said.
“It’s all gone too quickly!”
Honda has not announced whether Dixon will make another MotoGP appearance in 2026. His participation in Qatar was arranged as a replacement for Mir, whose return depends on his recovery.
The Qatar Grand Prix classification confirmed Dixon’s 14th place, while the championship now moves to Portugal on November 20–22.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the 2026 MotoGP championship, including Honda’s rider situation and the final rounds of the season, with breaking news and updates in its MotoGP section.
