Marco Bezzecchi
VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto gave his verdict on Marc Marquez’s unlikely comeback in the championship race and how Marco Bezzecchi has handled things.
Marc Marquez has managed to claw his way back into the 2026 championship race after a dire start to the season, now finding himself just 18 points behind the current leader, Jorge Martin.
At one point, the reigning world champion found himself 101 points behind the previous championship leader, Marco Bezzecchi, as many believed he was out of contention.
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However, Marquez has made some huge changes to his approach since making a successful return at the Italian Grand Prix at the end of May.
And while Marquez’s return to form has been nothing short of spectacular, VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto believes he has benefited from Bezzecchi crumbling under pressure.
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‘Everything came together’ for Marc Marquez against Marco Bezzecchi, says Pablo Nieto
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto was asked about Marc Marquez’s sensational comeback attempt this season.
While taking nothing away from Marquez, Nieto admitted that the Spaniard has benefitted from Marco Bezzecchi making several mistakes in recent race weekends.
“I think everything came together for him. Obviously, Marquez won indisputably. He was also lucky that Bezzecchi, who was the leader, has made a lot of mistakes on Sundays.
“And nowadays we’re talking about 25 points on Sunday plus the Sprint. So, whether you like it or not, there are a lot of points at stake.
“And we always say here that you have to be very careful because in three races you can finish without scoring any points, and the guy who was eighth moves up to third. And in this case, we’re talking about Marc Marquez, who is Marc Marquez.”
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Pablo Nieto explains why Marc Marquez could be the favourite to win the world championship
Speaking further in the interview, Nieto explained why would cautiously back Marquez to win the world championship, despite the threat posed by Bezzecchi, Martin, and other riders.
“It’s possible. In the end, it’s always Marc, and we always have to consider him in the predictions. We saw that last year, even with the injury he had in Indonesia, he still won despite missing four or five races.
“Obviously, not including Marc in the predictions would be a mistake, but it’s true that I also see Martín and Bezzecchi as contenders.
“I think there are several riders who could make things very difficult. And we, without making much noise, are still in the running.”
Nieto’s larger point is something many agree with, including the Spanish Ducati rider as well. Marquez openly admitted that other riders’ mistakes have helped him mount this comeback.
And while Marquez’s possible return and winning the title would raise questions about the calibre of MotoGP riders, there is no denying that multiple
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