Marco Bezzecchi
Alex Marquez has detailed why Marco Bezzecchi ‘can’t underestimate’ Marc Marquez in the 2026 MotoGP title fight, despite his 44-point lead over the factory Ducati rider after four rounds of racing.
So far, so good for Marco Bezzecchi. With the first four rounds of the 2026 campaign now in the books, the factory Aprilia flag-bearer has been close to unbeatable in the Grand Prix format.
The most recent race weekend in Jerez marked the first Grand Prix of the year where he hadn’t claimed victory. Those plaudits instead went to Alex Marquez, but Bezzecchi’s P2 still saw him claim a strong haul of points and extend his championship lead.
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Marc Marquez, on the other hand, has struggled to replicate his title-winning form of last year. The most glaring aspect of Marquez’s regression is his physical state, which took a hit in the latter stages of 2025 when he broke his collarbone.
The factory Ducati star currently occupies P5 in the riders’ standings, with Fabio Di Giannantonio currently serving as Borgo Panigale’s lead rider on that front.
However, one must never rule the seven-time world champion out of title contention, as Alex Marquez has now warned.
Alex Marquez explains why Marco Bezzecchi ‘can’t underestimate’ Marc Marquez in title race
In a recent interview with Cadena SER, the younger Marquez brother was asked for his thoughts on the championship landscape following his win at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.
Ahead of the new campaign, Marc was at the top of the majority of people’s lists as the favourite to defend his 2025 riders’ title, but the results from the first four rounds of the season now suggest otherwise.
Asked if Marc is still the favourite for the championship, Alex replied, “According to the current standings, it’s Bezzecchi, but Marc is one of those riders who, even if he’s 100 points ahead, you can’t underestimate.
Is all the pressure off Marc Marquez this year?
“In a single weekend, you have 37 points up for grabs. It’s not like before, when you had 25, and you could take your chances…
“Last year, I was close to him; he strung together seven consecutive sprint-race victories, and what do you do? I checked, I was 20 points behind, and when I checked again, he was 120.
“With 22 races to go, you always have to take Marc into account, because that gap is nothing with this new scoring system.”
Marco Bezzecchi’s composure has been called into question ahead of 2026 title fight
One thing that Marquez still has over Bezzecchi is his experience as a seven-time world champion in the premier class. Bezzecchi is yet to properly contend for a title, so his ability to perform under pressure remains a mystery.
MotoGP pundit Sylvain Guintoli is concerned that Bezzecchi can’t handle pressure like Marquez, highlighting how tough the Italian rider may find it when things start to boil over in the latter stages of the season.
The Spaniard’s former teammate Dani Pedrosa predicts a ‘psychological war’ to ensue between Bezzecchi and Marquez, indicating that the Aprilia rider will need to make sure he is in top condition to combat anything the reigning world champion throws at him.
With the way things have gone in the first four rounds of the 2026 campaign, the title fight already promises to deliver a spectacle in the second half of the season.
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