Carlo Pernat believes Ai Ogura actually has an “advantage” over Marc Marquez in the 2026 MotoGP title fight by riding for Trackhouse, which Ducati cannot offer the latter.
Ogura has emerged as a surprise contender for the premier class title during his second year on the grid. The 25-year-old sits second in the riders’ standings at the summer break, just 14 points behind Jorge Martin of Aprilia in first, and he is four points ahead of Marquez in third.
The 2026 season has also been a breakthrough season in other ways for Ogura, as he even registered his first MotoGP pole position at Brno and his first premier class Grand Prix win at the TT Circuit Assen. Ogura was even the most in-form rider through the past three rounds.
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Trackhouse not developing Aprilia’s bike can help Ai Ogura fight Marc Marquez for the title
Trackhouse celebrated a P2 result in the Czech Grand Prix when Ogura took his first MotoGP pole at Brno. The American team then celebrated a victory at Assen the following week after Ogura won the Dutch Grand Prix. Another P2 finish even followed in the German Grand Prix.
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Now, Trackhouse are starting to dream about Ogura fighting for the title, in what is also now his final season with the team ahead of joining the factory Yamaha outfit in 2027. Mat Oxley believes Ogura is Marquez’s “most dangerous” title rival with 11 rounds remaining, as well.
Pernat still expects Marquez to win the 2026 riders’ title, having picked up more points than anyone since the Ducati star returned from injury at Mugello in May with 133, edging Ogura with 117. But the legendary agent believes Ogura riding for Trackhouse could help his quest, as they do not have to develop the Aprilia RS-GP while Ducati will keep improving the GP26.
Pernat told SPEEDWEEK: “Even though I think Marquez will be crowned champion once again, I believe Ogura will have a chance to challenge him for the title.
“And in that respect, being with the Trackhouse team is paradoxically an advantage. Trackhouse do not want to further develop the bike.
“The factory bike is constantly being developed – it’s always changing, or new things are being tested. Ogura has already said that he doesn’t want that. With his Japanese mentality and his will to win, he’s a strong underdog.”
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Marquez required surgery in May to remove two bent screws and a bone fragment from his right shoulder, as the screws were pressing against the radial nerve and preventing the 2025 champion from riding as naturally as he would want on the Ducati GP26 in the early rounds.
The nerve problem only became evident when Marquez returned from the shoulder surgery that curtailed his 2025 season. And by the end of the Italian Grand Prix on Marquez’s return after missing two races, he was 102 points off then-championship leader Marco Bezzecchi.
Yet while Bezzecchi has endured a run of woe with an array of mistakes and injuries since he won at Mugello, Marquez has scored three Grand Prix wins and two Sprint Race wins. Now, a mere 18 points separate Marquez from the top of the standings, now led by Aprilia’s Martin.
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