MotoGP title fight heats up: Four riders chasing Marc Marquez's crown

After his crash at Le Mans and being forced to miss the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya weekend, the Spanish rider was at one point 102 points behind the championship leader in the standings.

Since his return, Marquez has shown why he is one of the greatest riders ever to compete in MotoGP. He has won two Sprints and three Grands Prix at Balaton Park, Brno, and the Sachsenring. A healthy Marquez, with machinery at least equal to that of his biggest rival, will also be the favourite for the MotoGP title. He currently trails Jorge Martin by 18 points and is eyeing another crown.

Bezzecchi won the first three Grands Prix of the season before finishing second twice as well. Although his Sprint performances were not perfect, the Aprilia rider was firmly in control and carried over the strong form he showed at the end of the 2025 season.

First came his incident with a marshal at the Czech Grand Prix, which led to a suspension and cost him a considerable number of points. After then suffering an injury at Assen, things went from bad to worse at the Sachsenring. Following another crash in Germany, the Italian also had to undergo surgery. If Bezzecchi can rediscover his form, he can still remain in the fight for this year's title.

The current championship leader is Bezzecchi's teammate, Martin. The Spaniard has been the more consistent rider so far this season, with his standout performances coming in the Sprint at COTA (after which he crashed while performing a wheelie), and during his flawless weekend at Le Mans. Out of these three riders, Martin is also the only one with previous MotoGP championship-winning experience.

Ai Ogura claimed his first-ever MotoGP victory at the Dutch Grand Prix and also finished second behind Marquez at the German Grand Prix. Despite making a few mistakes, the Japanese rider has particularly impressed with his stunning pace in the second half of races this season.

Amid Marquez's ongoing injury problems, Fabio Di Giannantonio has been Ducati's most consistent rider this year. He won the Catalan Grand Prix after becoming involved in Alex Marquez's frightening crash and has finished inside the top six in all but two Grands Prix.