Marco Bezzecchi
Neil Hodgson feels Marc Marquez’s 2026 MotoGP title bid is hanging in the balance, but he can trigger an “entirely different championship” at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ducati rider Marquez arrived at Balaton Park for this weekend’s Hungarian GP in round eight of this season’s 22 events facing a 102-point deficit to Aprilia rival Marco Bezzecchi atop the standings. Jorge Martin of Aprilia in P2 in the standings is also 85 points ahead of Marquez.
Marquez has never fought back from a deficit as great as his current points gap and gone on to still win the title, having largely led from the start during his seven championship-winning seasons so far. The biggest margin that he has overturned so far was 37 points back in 2017.
What are your podium predictions for the Hungarian Grand Prix after Marc Marquez takes pole position?
Neil Hodgson thinks Marc Marquez can only win the 2026 title if he does the double at Balaton Park
The ongoing effects of a screw in Marquez’s shoulder touching a nerve following his crash in last year’s Indonesian Grand Prix derailed the start to his 2026 campaign. But Marquez feels his latest operation fixed the nerve issue in his shoulder, after making his return at Mugello.
READ MORE: Marc Marquez’s biggest MotoGP title comebacks
Now, while Hodgson still feels the 2026 title will likely prove to be out of Marquez’s reach, a new championship could unfold if the Ducati rider does the double at the Hungarian GP this weekend. He claims Marquez winning the Sprint and Grand Prix at Balaton Park can put the Spaniard in the best place to potentially punish any issues for Aprilia’s Bezzecchi and Martin.
Hodgson told TNT Sports: “While I think he is unlikely to win the title this year, there are still plenty of races left to go. All he needs to do is start chipping away at their lead, and put himself in the right place to pick up the pieces if the two teammates start wobbling.
“If he does the double here, that gives him a chance, and so much confidence. Then he gets a weekend off for his fitness, and we go to Brno.
“All he can control is his own performance, but I think this is a potentially decisive weekend. If he doesn’t do the double this weekend, that could be it. If he does, it’s an entirely different championship ahead of us.”
Marquez did the double at Balaton Park’s first time on the MotoGP calendar last year, as the 33-year-old won the Sprint and Hungarian GP from pole position amid his dominant run. He will now try to repeat those wins from pole after qualifying P1 on the grid for the 2026 race.
Saturday at Balaton Park saw Marquez beat Pedro Acosta to score pole position for the 2026 Hungarian GP by just 0.053 seconds. Acosta was the benchmark throughout most of Q2, but a late mistake under braking saw him lose enough time to let Marquez take pole at the end.
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