BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha MotoGP

Technical Setback Ends Guevara's Qatar Challenge as Ferrández Gains Valuable Experience

BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 rider Izan Guevara was running inside the points in the Grand Prix of Qatar when a technical issue brought his race to a premature end. The retirement meant the initial 3.5-point gap to the championship leader increased to 13.5 points. Meanwhile, rookie teammate Alberto Ferrández showed determination throughout the demanding 18-lap contest, fighting hard to the finish to claim P19 in his first race under the Lusail floodlights.

GRAND PRIX OF QATAR

RACE

Lusail (Qatar), 8th November 2026

IZAN GUEVARA
- / 14 LAPS

19th

ALBERTO FERRANDEZ
+26.091 / 18 LAPS

It was a disappointing end to the Grand Prix of Qatar for BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2's Izan Guevara, whose fight for a top-10 finish was cut short by a technical issue. Rookie Alberto Ferrández battled all the way to the chequered flag in his first race at the Lusail International Circuit, securing 19th place.

Following a three-place post-qualifying grid penalty, Guevara started from P10 and quickly worked his way into the top 7 in the early laps. The Spaniard remained in the fight for a top-10 finish throughout the opening half of the race, but a technical issue forced him to retire from tenth position on lap 14. It marked his first non-finish since the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.

Starting from P22, Ferrández enjoyed a positive opening phase in his first Moto2 race at Lusail, gaining several positions and climbing to 18th. The rookie spent much of the 18-lap contest battling in a tightly contested group. He pushed until the chequered flag, overtaking Deniz Öncü on the last lap for 19th place to finish 26.091s from the winner.

After today’s race, Guevara remains second in the Moto2 World Championship standings with 273 points, and the gap to the championship leader increased to 13.5 points. Teammate Alberto Ferrández sits joint 22nd overall with 17.5 points, while the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Team holds third place in the team standings with 290.5 points.

The Moto2 paddock will now enjoy a one-week break before heading to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the Grand Prix of Portugal, which takes place from 20-22 November, one week before the season finale in Valencia.

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ALEX DE ANGELIS
Team Manager, BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2

"Seeing Izan slowing down at the side of the track was a terrible moment. Unfortunately, a technical problem brought his race to an end, and it was the last thing we needed. In a championship fight, it is particularly disappointing to lose points for reasons like this. The data showed that he was already losing ground on the straights before the bike eventually stopped, and he was no longer able to change gear. We had already been experiencing a lack of engine performance since the previous Grand Prix, and I had been discussing this issue with the appropriate parties since Friday. We don't yet know whether it is the same issue that caused today's retirement, but the engine was clearly not performing as expected.

"I want to congratulate Izan because, even in such a difficult moment, he remained calm and handled the situation professionally. I also want to thank our team, who always give their very best. This issue was not caused by our team; we have always worked hard to solve problems and find solutions. We are obviously very disappointed, and we now need to establish exactly what caused this retirement and make sure that those responsible take responsibility. We are not interested in pointing fingers, but we do need clear answers.

"As for Alberto, this is a very difficult circuit, as we also saw from the different tyre choices made by the riders. He nevertheless had a good race, despite finding himself behind a large group of competitors. He leaves this weekend with more experience and, importantly, with a much better understanding of the bike. We made some changes throughout the weekend, and his performance improved as a result. I think we can take some positives from Alberto's progress and leave Qatar with a small smile, despite the disappointment of Izan's retirement."

IZAN GUEVARA
BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Rider

"I'm proud of the work we've done this weekend. I think the team has done an incredible job, especially considering the difficulties we've been facing with straight-line speed since Malaysia, and even during the previous Grand Prix. This has been quite unusual for us, as we have normally been very competitive in that area. The team had already started looking closely at the data after Sepang and continued investigating the situation here in Qatar.

"Unfortunately, the engine itself was not showing any clear signs of a problem, so there was no obvious solution to implement. But the lack of speed has had a huge impact on our races. For three consecutive weekends, we have been losing around five kilometres per hour compared with other riders, even when riding in their slipstream. I simply couldn't defend my position or fight with the riders around me because they could all overtake me on the straights. That was extremely frustrating, but I tried to remain calm and focus on doing the best possible job.

"Today, I could feel something was not right. Coming out of Turn 6, when I shifted from first to second gear, the engine would hesitate before responding again. Then, with five laps remaining, as I downshifted approaching Turn 1, the gearbox stopped working properly and I had to retire. I'm obviously very disappointed because we deserved a better outcome, but I don’t want to lose sight of the work we have done.

"We have had a very strong overseas tour, and despite this setback, we are still only 13.5 points away in the championship. Nothing is over. We need to stay calm, keep believing in our potential, and give everything in the final two rounds. We're still in the fight, and that’s what matters now."

ALBERTO FERRANDEZ
BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Rider

"Today was a very difficult day, as once again we lost the good feeling we had found with the bike. Yesterday, I felt comfortable during qualifying, but when I started the race today, I couldn't find the same feeling at all. I fought as hard as I could throughout the race and adapted my riding style to try to get the best possible performance, but unfortunately, we struggled a lot and it was another difficult race.

"We know that when we have the right feeling, we can be competitive, but the challenge is to find it consistently and maintain it. Now we'll see how things go in Portimão. We have a week off, which will also be a good opportunity to recover physically, and then we'll get back to work."