Riders Preferred Membership
Shop by Vehicle
Track Order
Contact Us
Marc Márquez didn’t just defeat his competition in 2025. He annihilated it.
The nine-time world champ seized his seventh MotoGP title with five races to spare. Even after a crash at the Indonesian Grand Prix ended his season — effectively forfeiting 173 points — Márquez still finished 78 points ahead of his brother, vice champion Alex Márquez. Translation: Last year’s title chase was far from dramatic.
That doesn’t mean that drama didn’t unfold elsewhere in the paddock. After all, MotoGP isn’t just about action on the track; it’s about the human drama, as well. Mere days away from the season opener at Thailand’s Chang International Circuit, it seems like there’s even more in store for 2026.
The war from within
Marc Márquez faced little opposition in 2025, but most of that limited resistance came from within Ducati’s ranks. Among the top 10 finishers, six of them piloted a Ducati. That trend doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. At least that’s what the pre-season tests suggest.
Only seven riders broke into the 1:56s at the Sepang preseason test in Malaysia. Five were aboard Ducatis. Chief among them were Gresini Ducati’s Alex Márquez and VR46 Ducati’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, who finished first and third on the combined time sheet. The two satellite riders also finished the final test at Buriram, where the racing begins this weekend, in the top 10. This, after both turned in consistent performances in 2025. In other words, all signs point to them challenging Marc Márquez's title defense in 2026.
Another name that appeared at the top of the timing screens was Ducati factory rider Francesco Bagnaia, who finished both pre-season tests no lower than sixth place. Considering Pecco’s struggles with the Desmosedici GP25, that’s an encouraging result.
“This bike, at least at first glance, allows me to push a little harder,” Bagnaia commented. “[The Sepang] test was also important for me to improve my one-lap pace, and I think we worked well. [I’m] more than relieved.”
Will the winningest rider in Ducati history return to form in 2026? Can he foil his teammate’s repeat bid? Marc Márquez might have something to say about that.
In many ways, the only person who could beat Marc Márquez last season was Marc Márquez himself. While number 93 is known for his risky riding style, he was exceptionally even-keeled in 2025, recording just 14 crashes throughout the 22-race calendar. Unfortunately, the one crash that ended his season also left him with a fractured shoulder and ligament damage.
That injury cast doubt over Márquez’s early-season form. The Spanish rider put much of that to rest on the time sheets. The defending champ recorded the fourth-fastest time in Sepang and the third-fastest in Buriram. Even after three crashes during the Thailand test, Marc Márquez remains the benchmark in 2026. At the same time, his rivals are on the upswing.
New contenders
In 2022, Aprilia finally got over the development hump. Aleix Espargaró earned the manufacturer’s first MotoGP race win and finished fourth in the year-end standings. Aprilia has remained competitive ever since, but consistency proved the team’s Achilles heel. That could change in 2026, or at least, that’s what Marco Bezzecchi’s pre-season test results point to.
Bez finished second in Malaysia and first in Thailand. He also performed well in the 10-lap Sprint simulation at Sepang. Given the Italian rider’s breakout 2025 season and his recent results, it’s reasonable to cast him as a top contender in 2026. The same goes for the man nipping at his heels, KTM’s Pedro Acosta.
The 21-year-old rider said he was “quite happy with the time attacks" he did at the Buriram test. Finishing inside the top five was the team's target.
After finishing in the top 10 of both tests, Acosta has every right to be optimistic. Still, there’s room for improvement when it comes to KTM’s RC16, even if there are signs of progress.
“My race simulation was quite okay,” Acosta continued, “but it’s true that Aprilia and Ducati’s ones looked quite scary. But I was happy. We arrived at lap 24, 25 alive with the tire, which is different to last year.”
Many fans have joked that MotoGP has become the Ducati Cup in recent years. If Bez and Acosta take the next step this season, more manufacturers should be in the mix. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Yamaha will be one of them.
Teething problems
Yamaha floundered in 2025. And that’s putting it lightly. The Iwata Factory finished last in the Constructors’ Championship, with Fabio Quartararo accounting for 201 of the manufacturer’s 247 points. Most of the brand’s woes related to its inline-four engine, as the YZR-M1 was the last non-V4 machine remaining on the grid. That changes in 2026, with both factory and satellite squads fielding the YZR-M1 V4 for the full season. Based on the Japanese marque’s pre-season testing, growing pains are in store.
Not only did a technical issue force Team Blue to suspend operations on the second day of the Sepang Test, but all four riders placed well outside the top 10. The results were worse in Buriram, where neither Quartararo, Alex Rins, Jack Miller, nor newcomer Toprak Razgatlıoğlu cracked the top 15. Post-test interviews revealed Razgatlıoğlu’s frustrations with the situation.
“For me, it’s not easy to see your name so down when you look at the screen, especially after Superbike,” the Turkish rider admitted.
After winning three of the last five WSBK titles, Razgatlıoğlu is used to fighting at the front. That won’t be the case in 2026, with the rookie struggling to adapt to MotoGP as well as a work-in-progress race bike. Razgatlıoğlu understands that the process will take time. So too does Fabio Quartararo. The problem is, time isn’t a luxury for El Diablo.
The 2021 MotoGP champion has voiced his disappointment with the direction of Yamaha’s MotoGP project for the past few seasons. He’s even more skeptical this year.
“In one week’s time, even in a month, we will not be ready on my side,” Quartararo acknowledged. “Since I’ve been with this bike, I’ve never made two runs in a row with the same bike.”
Maybe that’s why the latest rumors around the paddock hint at the Frenchman taking his talents to another manufacturer in 2027. The 2026 season hasn’t even started, but silly season is well under way. It’s just one of many changes headed to the series.
A sign of the times
Last week, MotoGP announced that the Phillip Island Circuit will no longer host the Australian Grand Prix following 2026. Instead, the event will be run on the Adelaide Street Circuit from 2027 until 2032. It marks the first MotoGP race to be held in a city-center location. The shift evoked swift outcry from racing fans, but street circuits have become synonymous with MotoGP’s new rights holder, Liberty Media.
Audiences won’t have to wait for 2027 for another big change in MotoGP: the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup. The one-make series will consist of 12 races spread across the U.S., Italian, Dutch, British, Aragón (Spain), and Austrian race weekends. Teams from the United States, Italy, Australia, and Indonesia will vie for the World Cup title.
Ultimately, Liberty Media hopes the spectacle of bagger racing attracts new viewers to MotoGP. The same can be said for the introduction of street circuits. Yes, technical regulations are scheduled to reset in 2027, but other changes are already coming MotoGP’s way. It’s up to race fans to determine whether those changes are in the name of sport or show.
