GRT Yamaha’s Lucas Mathias stands on the verge of taking the 2017 WorldSSP title as nearest rival Kenan Sofuoglu looks unlikely to take part after a triple hip fracture at Jerez saw him med-evac’d home from Spain.

Mathias is 20 points ahead of the Puccetti Kawasaki rider with Honda’s Jules Cluzel a further ten points back with only 25 available so it looks likely that all Mathias has to do is show up and the title is his.

“I love the Losail circuit, especially because riding at night is a very different sensation! The track itself is awesome and also very fast, so I think it should suit the R6. I have only ridden twice in Qatar in WorldSSP, both times finishing in fourth position,” he said.

“Obviously, there is a lot of pressure on me for the championship. If I am honest, I have found it hard to focus on anything else since Jerez, but this has just made me even more determined to become world champion.”

It is believed that Sofuoglu will travel to Qatar and undergo a fitness test tomorrow...