Alex Marquez: MotoGP Title Fight Wide Open Due to Increased Mistakes

Pulse Sports Team 11:31 - 29 July 2026

Alex Marquez believes the 2026 MotoGP title fight is unusually competitive, attributing it to leading riders making more mistakes than in previous seasons.

The premier class is gearing up for a tense championship battle in the second half of the season, with the top five riders separated by just 24 points ahead of next week's British Grand Prix. This marks the smallest points gap between the top five contenders after 11 rounds since the start of the MotoGP era in 2002.

While the last three campaigns were largely dominated by Ducati, Aprilia's emergence has brought more contenders into the mix. Jorge Martin currently leads the championship ahead of Ai Ogura, with Marco Bezzecchi in fourth. Marc Marquez spearheads the Ducati challenge from third, while VR46's Fabio Di Giannantonio is also in contention in fifth place.

However, Gresini rider Alex Marquez suggests that the intensity of the title fight isn't solely due to Aprilia becoming a serious rival to Ducati, arguing that a lack of consistency is also playing a major role.

Bezzecchi made a series of errors in June after showing strong early-season form. Martin crashed five times during the Barcelona weekend and squandered another strong result in Hungary, while reigning champion Marc Marquez crashed out while leading the Spanish Grand Prix after starting from pole position.

"I think nobody is really consistent. Nobody has been able to perform at a high level throughout an entire weekend," Alex Marquez stated. "It seems this year is a bit more open because people are making more mistakes compared to last year, compared to a few years ago, also '24 and '23. So everything is quite open. It's quite interesting and better for the fans. But nobody is performing at a consistent level. I think the only one who showed [consistency] at the beginning of the season was Marco. Unfortunately, he got injured and hasn't had much luck in the last races. But it will be interesting to see after the summer break which rider can show that consistency; it will pay off. Ogura would have many opportunities to show such consistency, and also Marc. But still, Martin is leading. He hasn't made much noise, but he's there. So it will be quite interesting until the end," added the future KTM rider. When asked who the favorite for the 2026 crown is, the younger Marquez brother quipped: "Certainly not me."