Marco Bezzecchi
Carlos Checa has revealed how Marc Marquez’s performance at the 2026 United States Grand Prix has changed his prediction for who will win the riders’ world championship this year.
Heading into his first MotoGP title defence since his nightmarish 2020 campaign, Marc Marquez was at the top of a lot of people’s lists in terms of the championship candidates this year.
However, the work that Aprilia have done over the winter, paired with the fact that Marquez spent the entirety of the off-season in recovery, has seen the Bologna Bullets’ star rider dethroned as the benchmark.
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Marco Bezzecchi has looked ‘unstoppable’ in the three rounds of racing that have run so far, with the Italian rider remarkably leading every single lap in the Grand Prix format on his way to three consecutive victories.
Of course, the power shift at the front of the pack has also seen many amend their predictions for the championship crown this year, and Carlos Checa is no different.
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Carlos Checa shares how his 2026 prediction for Marc Marquez has now changed
In an interview with Sport, former MotoGP rider Carlos Checa gave his thoughts on Ducati’s dwindling performance in the premier class, as well as Marquez’s hopes of defending his title.
Checa highlighted how Marquez looked like a shadow of his former self during the United States Grand Prix weekend, and has further doubled down on his verdict after being asked about the Spaniard’s 2026 championship aspirations.
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He said, “Before starting the world championship, I would have been surprised if he didn’t win it; now, maybe I’m surprised if he wins it. For me, the turning point was the United States.
“Austin is his circuit, and I understand that Friday’s fall marked him a lot, I don’t know if that even limited him physically, but for me there was the crucial moment to know where Marc was.
“The fact of seeing it with so much difficulty, and suffering so much in that race, makes me understand that there is a job to do there to recover the Marc and the level he had before.”
Carlos Checa echoes Pol Espargaro’s comments regarding Marc Marquez’s competitiveness
KTM test rider Pol Espargaro recently pinpointed the Spanish Grand Prix as a circuit that will show the reality of where Marquez currently stacks up within the MotoGP pecking order, and Checa wholeheartedly agrees.
During his interview with the Spanish publication, the two-time Grand Prix winner added, “We’ll see a little in Jerez, now it’s been three or four weeks, I think it’s enough time for him to be able to work on himself, on his shoulder, and see what level he is at.
“Right now, I would obviously bet on him and Ducati, because if there is someone who can go for Aprilia, it is him with Ducati, but we will have to wait a few more races.
“Now I can’t say if Marc can really win the world championship this year. It’s possible, but I’m not absolutely sure now.”
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