Marc Márquez identifies his Ducati and the people around him as his main advantage in the 2026 MotoGP championship fight. Asked what he would rely on during the final seven races, the Ducati rider answered that it was “my bike and my team”, rather than pointing to his talent or experience.

Márquez first moved to the top of the standings after winning the San Marino Grand Prix, overturning a 102-point deficit dating back to May’s Italian Grand Prix. Austria changed the picture: he finished second in the sprint and fifth in the Grand Prix, leaving him 12 points behind Aprilia’s Jorge Martín. The title push is also taking place alongside a right-shoulder problem. Márquez’s surgeon has said that his arm is operating at 50% of its maximum capacity.

Acosta becomes the Motegi reference

Márquez still considers the top four riders in the championship to be genuine title protagonists. Pedro Acosta is part of that group, sitting fourth and 72 points from the lead after winning in Austria. Márquez says KTM has regained engine power since Silverstone after opening up its engines, which keeps Acosta relevant despite the deficit.

For Motegi, Márquez goes further by naming Acosta the favourite. The KTM rider had already shown strong speed at the Japanese circuit in his first year there, crashing while leading the sprint and later falling from second in the main race while fighting for victory. Márquez also expects Ducati to be stronger on Motegi’s stop-and-go layout, where the return of Michelin’s standard rear tyre is expected to favour the Desmosedici. His broader message is clear: the final seven races should remain tightly contested.