Marco Bezzecchi
Dani Pedrosa spoke about the 2026 world championship race and believes the race comes down to just three riders this season.
After what was a less-than-stellar Spanish Grand Prix, there has been a lot of talk about Marc Marquez and the chance he has in his attempt to win the world championship.
His inability to capitalise on his best opportunity yet has many fans convinced Marquez missed his last chance at a world title, not just this year, but for the remainder of his career.
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Marquez’s 130 mph crash at Jerez allowed Marco Bezzecchi to maintain the gap between the two riders in the championship standings.
But despite this, Dani Pedrosa believes Marc Marquez still has a chance to win the world championship this season.
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Dani Pedrosa names Marc Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi, and Jorge Martin as realistic title contenders
Speaking in an interview with Motocard, KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa was asked who he thinks are the realistic contenders to compete for the world championship this season.
Pedrosa instantly named Marc Marquez and Marco Bezzecchi as the two names he expects to be in the mix. However, he didn’t rule out Jorge Martin, whom he considers a wild card.
“I think it’s going to be from what I’m seeing between Bezzecchi and Marc Marquez. But Martin might also have something to say.
If there are no incidents or crashes, I think those three can fight. Martin is a bit more of an unknown quantity, and Marc is going to have to try to counter the push that Bezzecchi is making.”
It’s odd that Pedrosa considers Martin to be a wild card, despite the fact that he currently has more points than Marquez in the title standings.
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Dani Pedrosa believes Pedro Acosta will be ‘penalised’ in some races by KTM bike
When asked about the performance and title hopes of his KTM teammate, Pedro Acosta, Pedrosa admitted that the KTM bike will pose some challenges to the rider despite his strong form.
“I think Pedro is in splendid form. Yes, he finished last year very strongly. And this year, he has also started very well.
“But maybe in some races, the bike might not be up to par, and that could penalise him. But hopefully, he can make up for it as much as possible.”
KTM has tailored the bike for Acosta, but there are still some issues that the Spanish rider could face later down the line.
The hope for Acosta is that he can capitalise on the momentum he has this season, and overcome these issues when faced with them.
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