Marco Bezzecchi
Neil Hodgson says the deficit between Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi is so large that the reigning world champion ‘can’t afford a mistake’. Marquez fell 36 points back at the United States GP.
Aprilia are braced for Ducati to bounce back, aware of the old adage that the championship really starts when it gets to Europe. But Bezzecchi almost has an entire race weekend in his pocket against Marquez, with only 37 points available across a Sprint and a Grand Prix.
It should be said that Francesco Bagnaia, Marquez’s Ducati teammate, overturned a much larger 91-point deficit against Fabio Quartararo in just eight rounds during the 2022 season. That is the greatest comeback of the modern era.
Neil Hodgson says ‘the pressure’s on’ Marc Marquez at Spanish Grand Prix
Marquez surrendered the lead of the world championship to his brother Alex at last year’s United States GP when he fell while leading the race. He also lost a likely victory at Jerez by losing control of the bike.
The Ducati rider eventually recovered to 12th place, and he wouldn’t suffer another DNF until the Misano Sprint just after the summer break. But Hodgson has hinted that a similar mistake this year could be fatal to his title ambitions given the deficit he already faces.
Marquez made his first major error of 2026 in the USA Sprint when he took out VR46’s Fabio Di Giannantonio, spoiling his Saturday and earning him a penalty for the Grand Prix.
Have Ducati been too reliant on Marc Marquez to develop their bike?
Hodgson isn’t optimistic that he will end Aprilia’s five-win streak at Jerez, a venue that should suit the RS-GP26.
“Marc’s 36 points behind,” he told TNT Sports. “He can’t afford a mistake. We saw him make quite a few mistakes early on last year. So far, he actually hasn’t made a mistake.
“The pressure’s on him at Jerez. But think of Jerez as a layout, long, hanging corners, you need a bike that turns well. The Aprilia’s now fast, it’s good on the brakes…”
‘I’ve never seen him so cautious’ – Marc Marquez can’t be in damage limitation mode for long
Speaking on the Oxley Bom podcast, racer-turned-journalist Mat Oxley said Marquez was visibly tentative in Austin, even though he fought back from the midfield to fifth after his penalty.
“After the long lap, when he was coming through, when he got up behind Bagnaia, I’ve never seen him so cautious in all my life,” he said. “That was when Bagnaia fell off a cliff and was going visibly slower, and he still wouldn’t go past him!”
It may be that Marquez is in damage limitation mode while he nurses his shoulder back to full strength, or as close as he can get, and waits for Ducati to improve their bike.
That is a sound strategy for a time, but if Bezzecchi and Aprilia keep extending their lead, then he may have to dial up the risk more consistently. Marquez will hope that Jorge Martin’s resurgence sees the two riders take points off one another, preventing the Italian from cruising ahead.
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