Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez must do something he’s never managed in his MotoGP career if he’s to win the 2026 world championship. The Ducati rider crashed out of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.
Marquez won the dry/wet Sprint on Saturday despite falling, his second victory of the year in the shorter format, but his Sunday troubles continue. The reigning champion still hasn’t scored a podium since his return from injury.
Marco Bezzecchi’s five-race winning streak came to an end as Alex Marquez took victory, but the Aprilia rider finished second to open up a 44-point, four-place lead over Marc in the standings.
Marc Marquez is out! A MASSIVE crash for the Ducati rider at the Spanish Grand Prix 😲 What does this mean for his 2026 title hopes?
Marc Marquez has never come back from a deficit larger than 37 points
Marquez’s biggest championship comeback to date came in 2017 when he fell 37 points behind Maverick Vinales after a sixth-place finish at the Italian GP, round six out of 18.
He hadn’t made the chequered flag in Argentina or France and he also missed the podium in Qatar. Marquez won in Austin but it was an inconsistent start to his title defence.
He stabilised his season with five straight podiums, including back-to-back wins in Germany and Czechia. That saw him take the lead ahead of Andrea Dovizioso as Vinales fell away, and he eventually sealed the title at the season finale in Valencia.
Marc Marquez has never come back from a deficit larger than 37 points
With the gap to Marco Bezzecchi now 44, are his title hopes over?
Looking back to his rookie season, Marquez fell 30 points behind Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa after the Spanish GP, also the sixth race. He then proceeded to win four of the next five, a decisive purple patch.
What’s clear, based on precedent, is that Marquez needs to take control of the championship quickly before the gap gets too big. Otherwise, barring an Aprilia collapse, winning the title could become unrealistic.
Marco Bezzecchi is keeping Marc Marquez in the title race
Bezzecchi’s advantage could have been far larger. The Italian has crashed in three out of four Sprint races this season.
Marquez has scored 33 points on Saturdays this year, while Bezzecchi has only managed six. That is potentially keeping the Spaniard in the title race.
A tyre failure in Thailand and a penalty in Austin also mean Marquez’s points tally may not be entirely reflective of his speed, even if he’s clearly not at his best.
The 33-year-old must be in a position to capitalise if the pressure becomes too much for Bezzecchi and Aprilia, for whom this is an unfamiliar position. Marquez’s experience could be his biggest asset, provided Ducati can improve their bike.
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