Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez has been informed that he can potentially win the MotoGP title by exploiting Marco Bezzecchi’s ‘Achilles heel’.
27-year-old Aprilia rider Bezzecchi is currently leading the 2026 MotoGP world championship standings, having scored 180 points after eight rounds.
The Italian is 20 points ahead of Aprilia teammate and 2024 world champion Jorge Martin. Further down the standings, seven-time champion Marquez is currently fifth, 72 points adrift of Bezzecchi.
Despite a big points deficit, Marquez is being labelled as a title contender after he returned from injury in stunning fashion by winning both the Sprint and Grand Prix in Hungary following a promising performance in Mugello.
This weekend, the 2026 MotoGP season continues with the Czech Grand Prix, where Marquez went quickest in FP1 before Ai Ogura topped the timesheet in practice.
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Marco Bezzecchi urged to ‘improve’ his results on Saturdays
Speaking during TNT Sports’ live broadcast of practice, commentator Gavin Emmett and former rider Neil Hodgson spoke about Bezzecchi’s results on Saturdays.
Emmett stated that the Italian’s Saturday performance is something of an ‘Achilles heel’, and urged him to improve his Sprint results.
It was noted that both Marquez and Martin are strong in Sprint races, which could be key in this year’s title race.
Emmett said: “I asked Marco Bezzecchi about the Saturday; that’s his Achilles Heel at the moment, isn’t it, Neil. We know Marc Marquez will be strong in Sprint races, and Jorge Martin will also be strong in Sprint races.
“I would suggest they’re perhaps his biggest challenges for the title this year. Jorge Martin essentially got the edge over Pecco Bagnaia when he won the world championship by being that much better on a Saturday.”
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Hodgson was quick to agree with Emmett, saying that Bezzecchi is someone who ‘works towards’ Sunday’s main Grand Prix.
He added: “Yep, you are so right, it is something he needs to improve if you look at his results in Sprint races. He works towards a Sunday, but then on a Saturday, he has to be more aggressive in the opening laps.
“I think that’s what played a part in his results; I mean, they haven’t been awful.”
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