Marco Bezzecchi
Marco Bezzecchi is looking to battle Marc Marquez for the 2026 MotoGP championship, and that is not something he is scared of.
The Aprilia rider became Marquez’s closest rival by the end of 2025. He helped develop the RS-GP into a race-winning bike and closed the gap to Ducati at the front.
Bezzecchi won the final two races of the season as Marquez missed the final four rounds through injury after a crash with the Italian in Indonesia. The Ant of Cervera now faces a tough fight to keep the Aprilia star behind him in 2026.
Prove me wrong: Marco Bezzecchi will be Marc Marquez’s closest rival in 2026
Bezzecchi dominated the Thailand Grand Prix, winning the race from pole after leading every lap. Marquez retired after his rear rim exploded on lap 21 as he hit the kerb at turn four.
With the Italian second in the standings behind Pedro Acosta after the opening round of 2026, he is determined to keep the momentum going. He is well aware of the threat Marquez poses, but it is not something that he is shying away from.
Marco Bezzecchi says he wasn’t ‘afraid’ of fighting Marc Marquez in 2025
Despite showing impressive form in 2025, Bezzecchi said he was not on Marquez’s level. He knew that he had to put in the work during the off-season if he wanted to have any chance of beating the Ducati rider.
Bezzecchi knows not to dwell on Marquez’s results and instead focus on his own efforts. Thus far, the approach seems to be paying off with pole and the Grand Prix win in Buriram, although he did crash out of the lead in the Sprint.
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Nevertheless, the Italian does currently have the upper hand as Marquez tries to return to full fitness following last year’s injury. Bezzecchi knows he is still the favourite for the title, but he is not ‘afraid’ of the challenge.
The Aprilia rider said, via quotes from Mundo Deportivo: “He’s undoubtedly the favourite, he’s the reigning champion. We’ll have to fight.
“Less fear after having put pressure on him in 2025? If you start with fear, you start defeated. And I wasn’t even afraid last year.”
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Marco Bezzecchi knows Marc Marquez can be beaten
Bezzecchi and Marquez were once enemies in the MotoGP paddock. Given the former’s connections to Valentino Rossi and the VR46 academy, the pair did not see eye to eye.
Now, there appears to be mutual respect between them, as Marquez did not ‘crucify’ Bezzecchi for the crash at Mandalika last year. But the Aprilia rider’s aim is still to beat the Ducati star, and he knows it can be done.
Bezzecchi has refused to call Marquez ‘invincible’ as he believes the Spaniard can be beaten. Thus far, he has the advantage in 2026, but he will be aware that the season is far from over and Marquez poses a huge threat to his title aspirations.
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