The 2026 title race has been spicy since lights out in Buriram but things are intensifying as we get towards the end of our Euro summer and the jet-setting flyaways hone into view. 9 rounds remain which means 18 races (9 Sprints and 9 Grands Prix) get ready to write the outcome of an era-closing year. Over 300 laps until the final chequered flag and more than a third of 2026 to go – it might not be about who’s the fastest but more who’s the smartest. That’s what Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna believes, speaking to Sky Sport Italy.
“History of recent years shows that it is not important to win 11 races…”
“In my opinion, this world championship will be won by whoever has the best head from now until the end of the championship,” began the Italian, who has star rider Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) just 19 points adrift of the Championship lead in P2. “It will be important to score points and avoid mistakes because the history of recent years shows that it is not important to win 11 races. You can win the championship with fewer victories but you have to be more consistent, constant and, above all, you cannot afford zeros.”
THE HISTORY
The Ducati Lenovo Team have experienced both sides of the consistency vs speed dilemma; in 2022, Francesco Bagnaia combined both to overcome a 91-point deficit and claim his first MotoGP crown. 5 wins, 8 podiums and 1 DNF in the last 10 GPs were enough for the Italian to turn his year around, having had just 2 wins, no other podiums and 4 DNFs in the first half.
Then, in 2024, despite winning 11 Grands Prix and amassing 16 podiums, 3 costly DNFs combined with Sprint falls meant Bagnaia fell short of a third successive title by 10 points to Jorge Martin, who whilst also taking 16 podiums, won just 3 Grands Prix but racked up 16 Sprint podiums, 7 of which were victories.
2026 PICTURE
The 2026 scenario going into the final third of the year is different, at least for now; it’s a three-horse race with Martin leading on 256, Marc Marquez in second, 19 behind on 237 and long-time Championship leader in the first third of GPs, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) in P3 on 232.
Three riders in the fight means potentially bigger points swings, more possibility of mistake and a different kind of battle, one that requires defence and attack in equal measures. The Ducati Lenovo Team have won three of the last four Riders’ Championships, Aprilia Racing have never finished in the top two and have both of their riders in contention. Martin’s been a World Champion and knows what it takes to manage an advantage, Marco Bezzecchi is gunning for his first, Marc Marquez aiming to successfully defend his title from 2025 after an injury-thwarted first half of 2026 left him more than 100 points from the Championship lead.
THREE-HORSE RACE? Not the first time…
Three-horse title fights are rare but do occur; 20 years ago in the iconic 2006 season, it was a five-way fight with two rounds to go whilst 1991’s shootout between Wayne Rainey, Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz saw all 3 still with realistic chances with three to go. Every now and then, a treat is thrown up, it’s been a long time since we’ve had anything like this.
Back to 2026, who’s to say it’s going to stay between the current three? Since Hungary, Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) has scored the second-highest amount of points out of anyone with 111, including a maiden win at Assen; only Marc Marquez has scored more, 166. Ogura’s teammate, Raul Fernandez, scored the fourth highest amount since the same time on 99 and was a Sprint winner at Assen as well as Grand Prix winner in Silverstone. Ogura’s 53 adrift of Martin, Fernandez 70. Uphill for both, mathematically possible too.
Two Championship leaders so far and four different riders who have been P2 in the standings at the closure of a round… we’re in for a grandstand finish to 2026, don’t miss it.