Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez is widely becoming the favourite to win the 2026 MotoGP riders’ title, yet Mat Oxley cannot rule out Trackhouse’s Ai Ogura fighting the Ducati ace this year.
MotoGP is looking at its closest title fight in history at the midway stage of the season, with a mere 24 points covering the top five through 11 of the 22 rounds. Aprilia ace Jorge Martin at the top of the table on 208 points is also just 49 points clear of sixth and 60 over seventh.
Marquez has hit the summer break sitting third in the standings on 190 points, having come from 102 points behind Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi after the Italian Grand Prix in round seven. Ogura is even now up to second in the table on 194 points aboard his Aprilia for Trackhouse.
Bezzecchi has had a run of woe to lose his grip on the title fight, while Marquez has clinched four wins since he finished P7 on his return from injury at Mugello. Ogura winning the Dutch Grand Prix for his first career win marks the only blip on Marquez’s record since he returned.
The championship standings heading into the summer break! Which rider has been the most impressive halfway through the season?
Mat Oxley thinks Ai Ogura is ‘surely’ Marc Marquez’s ‘most dangerous’ title rival
Some questioned whether Marquez could still win the 2026 title when he fell to a 102-point deficit to Bezzecchi, having struggled at the start of the year due to two bent screws in his shoulder pressing against a nerve. But the question now is when Marquez will be at the top of the standings, with the Spaniard on the rise and his main rivals struggling for consistency.
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Only Ogura has been able to compete with Marquez’s consistency in recent rounds, with the 25-year-old taking second in the Czech GP and the German GP on either side of winning the Dutch GP. And what Ogura showed for P2 at the Sachsenring left a big impression on Oxley.
Oxley has told Motor Sport Magazine that he believes Ogura is now Marquez’s main rival for the 2026 MotoGP title, as the Japanese ace’s style looks “tailor-made” for the Aprilia RS-GP. Ogura is also reminding Oxley of Marquez through how he can turn the bike whilst braking.
“Ogura is surely Marquez’s most dangerous rival,” Oxley said. “The 2024 Moto2 champion is riding superbly, with an apparently effortless, swooping style that seems tailor-made for the Aprilia, which is a corner-speed bike, while the Ducati is a stop-and-go machine.
“Ogura also has excellent rear-brake control. Braking and turning is one area where riders can make most of the difference, with no help from reactive rider aids. It’s one of Marquez’s strongest points and explains his ability to attack rivals on corner entry, as does Ogura.”
Aprilia technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini has been impressed by Ogura’s braking ability so far this year, too. He said: “Ogura, probably from his time in Moto2, uses the rear brake a lot and sometimes he’s able to compensate even better than the other [Aprilia] riders.”
Ai Ogura could show Marc Marquez his title credentials at Silverstone and Aragon
How much will Aprilia regret letting Ai Ogura slip through their fingers?
Noale opted to sign Francesco Bagnaia instead 🤔
With Silverstone next on the calendar after the three-week summer break, the British Grand Prix crowd might see Ogura further stamp his claim to the 2026 riders’ title, as well. Ogura’s riding style that Oxley lauds and the Aprilia RS-GP could be a dream duo around Silverstone.
The Aprilia has often performed well around the fast and flowing Silverstone circuit, where Bezzecchi won the British GP in 2025 for his first victory with the Noale squad – albeit after Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha retired from a comfortable lead as his ride height device failed.
If Ogura does win at Silverstone, he then takes the bragging rights into another break in the 2026 calendar, as well. After that, it would be Marquez’s turn to take advantage of a circuit he adores at MotorLand Aragon, where any fight from Ogura would show he is a title threat.
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