Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez ended his rotten run of form at the Hungarian Grand Prix by clinching his 100th race win, a victory that Neil Hodgson thought would never come.
The Spaniard has had a tough start to the 2026 season, with the effects of his crash in Indonesia last year still causing him problems. Marquez kept his injuries a secret from Ducati before admitting he had nerve issues from a loose screw in his right arm.
His highside at Le Mans forced him to have surgery on his arm and on a fractured foot. Coming back to the paddock at Mugello, Marquez returned to form at Balaton Park to claim his first win since Misano last year.
Neil Hodgson thought Marc Marquez would ‘never’ get to 100 career wins
Marquez beat Pedro Acosta for victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, grabbing his 100th career victory. With Ducati celebrating their 100th win as well, the Spaniard is now the third rider in history to reach a century of wins, joining Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi.
It was a brilliant ride from the Ducati star as he returned to the top step of the podium. With his injury troubles and Aprilia’s impressive form, many questioned if he would be able to fight for victory this year, let alone the title.
What does Marc Marquez’s tense battle with Pedro Acosta in Hungary get out of 10?
Hodgson did not think that Marquez would ever get to his 100th victory, admitting that he believed that his latest injuries would spell the end of his career.
He said on TNT Sports 2: “I didn’t think there was. After the crash and the start of the season, the confusion and him saying, ‘No, I’m OK, I’m just trying to work it out and build myself into weekends.’
“He looked slow, looked awkward. We knew something was wrong, and I thought that was it. I thought he’s probably never going to reach a century. I thought he’s going to be stuck on 99.”
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Is Marc Marquez back in the title hunt in 2026?
With four of the top five in the standings getting taken out at the first corner, Marquez has now moved to fifth in the championship. Sitting 72 points behind Marco Bezzecchi, his title chances are suddenly looking better.
Marquez is still not fully fit, admitted Davide Tardozzi after the Hungarian GP. He has found it tough to regain his fitness, even admitting that he may never be at 100% again.
Marc Marquez is now 72 points off Marco Bezzecchi after the Hungarian GP 👀 How do you rate his title chances now?
Balaton Park could well be an outlier, given its anti-clockwise layout gave Marquez much less strain on his right arm. The next few rounds will be telling for his title chances.
No one is counting Marquez out of the championship, but the Spaniard has been downplaying his chances. He will be determined to keep this form up and build upon the momentum.
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